FTD's Drop Shipped Roses come to Millinocket

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Rhonda

Rhonda

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Nov 1, 2002
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Millinocket
www.millinocketflorist.com
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Had a customer call wanting me to find out where her roses were from. She had taken a nap, heard her door bell ring, went out to find a box of flowers near her door (snow is blowing and there is no porch). Brings the box in to find a dozen frozen roses. "I know my son spent a bunch of money on these" (yep, $29.99 plus the charges) Who do I call to tell them they're frozen?? We asked if there was a return address and she said FTD in Georgia? Oh there's an 800 number, guess I will call that number.
Nuff said!! Gotta love UPS and FedEx in the winter!!!!
 
Pro Frozen Flowers in New Hampshire

My boss placed a Valentine's order with Pro-Flowers as an experiment.

Last week, she ordered 20 tulips, plus a vase for $40; and paid an additional $20 for Valentine Day delivery.

When she got home this eveing, her $60 box of tulips was waiting for her, outside, on her porch.

Not only were they frozen, but the tulip heads were tiny - as big as her thumb. Frozen, and poor quality and poor value to boot.

(she'll be calling for her money back :) )
 
Pictures, pictures, pictures...we need pics....

YouTube could become a great anti-marketing platform ;)
 
We had some UPS drivers stop in to buy flowers after they got off work yesterday. One of them told me he'd delivered about 20 PF boxes on his route that day - most going to offices. He recalled "One of the ladies said 'hey, these are supposed to come with a vase'." He told her "maybe it's in the box."

The guys said they thought the had delivered less boxed flowers this year than last year.

No frozen flower stories here but I'm guessing there will be plenty from the Midwest and Northeast.
 
Ditto on UPS Too!

CHR said:
We had some UPS drivers stop in to buy flowers after they got off work yesterday. One of them told me he'd delivered about 20 PF boxes on his route that day - most going to offices. He recalled "One of the ladies said 'hey, these are supposed to come with a vase'." He told her "maybe it's in the box."

The guys said they thought the had delivered less boxed flowers this year than last year.

No frozen flower stories here but I'm guessing there will be plenty from the Midwest and Northeast.
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Same happened with us too! Around 6, we had a UPS driver come in and I asked him; So, how many boxes of flowers did you deliver today? Oh, about 50 he tells me.

And, did you leave them all outside their doors in the ice and snow to freeze and die? ABSOLUTELY, he says.

We were at 16 degrees with four inches of snow, which was then covered by ice. The forecasters had predicated rain the next morning after the snow fell during the night of February 13th. Instead, we got frozen rain.

As the snow plows plowed and spread their salt, the road surfaces become slush which quickly froze and turned to ice.

Schools were all closed as was many businesses and we're just glad we contacted those customers and delivered their flowers on Tuesday.

Sadly, Sunday Sales were flat as many folks just stayed home and refused to drive on the ice.

While our objective for VD DAY was to hit a GRAND SLAM, we would up only hitting a double.

Total sales for the four day period were down by $1,600.00 and we were stuck with 1,000 roses which would've normally been sold on Valentine's Day itself had we not had the SNOW/ICE problems.

However, we'll count our blessings as many other folks lost it all due to the major snow falls which effected their entire week's sales.
 
TOTO said:

However, we'll count our blessings as many other folks lost it all due to the major snow falls which effected their entire week's sales.
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Amen to that John....
 
TOTO said:
Oh, about 50 he tells me.

And, did you leave them all outside their doors in the ice and snow to freeze and die? ABSOLUTELY, he says.
Click to expand...
I still think this would make a great commercial!
 
followed up today on the lady whose son used .com drop ship. She was awaiting a replacement....and staying home so when the UPS guy came, they wouldn't be outside to freeze.
BTW, Customer Service (FTD.com) told her to take the outside petals off the roses (the white lilies were all curled up she said) and gee today not too many of them are too bad, UGH) and they would give a full refund to her son and send her replacement flowers anyway. I wonder if the son actually gets a full refund???
 
Here's a lady who ordered boxed roses from both FTD.com and 1-800. The photos speak volumes.

True Love Triumphs Over 1-800-Flowers and FTD.Com Any Day

IMG_4054.jpg


Read all the way down throught the comments. Interesting points by a consumer with much food for thought.
 
A "future" customer called me today wanting a phone # for FTD. He ordered a mixed vased with lav. roses and other purple flowers for his gf to be delivered on the 14th. She didn't get them, but received them 2/15. DSL delivered, frozen of course. I gave him the # and he called me back about 15 min. later. He was beyond furious. He asked, "What the H*ll is wrong with FTD and why aren't they using real local florists anymore?" He said, "I just got off the phone with one of their less than helpful supervisors and he told me they don't need any real florists anymore. Drop-ship was the future, now it's a reality." He also told me they refused to refund his credit card for $138.00, but they will send another bouquet to his gf. He told me he will never buy flowers again on the internet, FTD sucks, that he will blog as much as he can against them and tell consumers they are wasting their money...GO TO REAL FLORISTS or AT LEAST CALL THEM and place your orders. (I made sure he spelled Soenen right...lol)
I gave him a little more info on florist plight and he said he will now call me 2 hours in advance and pick-up his floral gift and take it himself to his girlfriend. Told him that is the most sensible, economical and logical way to beat order gatherers like FTD.COM.
I really like this new customer.
 
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sweetscented said:
A "future" customer called me today wanting a phone # for FTD. He ordered a mixed vased with lav. roses and other purple flowers for his gf to be delivered on the 14th. She didn't get them, but received them 2/15. DSL delivered, frozen of course. I gave him the # and he called me back about 15 min. later. He was beyond furious. He asked, "What the H*ll is wrong with FTD and why aren't they using real local florists anymore?" He said, "I just got off the phone with one of their less than helpful supervisors and he told me they don't need any real florists anymore. Drop-ship was the future, now it's a reality." He also told me they refused to refund his credit card for $138.00, but they will send another bouquet to his gf. He told me he will never buy flowers again on the internet, FTD sucks, that he will blog as much as he can against them and tell consumers they are wasting their money...GO TO REAL FLORISTS or AT LEAST CALL THEM and place your orders. (I made sure he spelled Soenen right...lol)
I gave him a little more info on florist plight and he said he will now call me 2 hours in advance and pick-up his floral gift and take it himself to his girlfriend. Told him that is the most sensible, economical and logical way to beat order gatherers like FTD.COM.
I really like this new customer.
Click to expand...

I love it! - the tides are turning. There is a book out there that everyone should read, I think its called "Small is the new big". This is going to be a battle of wills.
 
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