Funeral Home direct OG

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clay

clay

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Aug 12, 2004
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www.mcadamsfloral.com
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One of my funeral homes called me about getting information Matthews International that was promoting a new program, "The 'First Ever' Funeral Direct Fresh Flral Program". www.mourningflowers.com .

I had the funeral director call to get "their pitch" and this is what he relayed to me;
Order by 3pm eastern and the order will be delivered to the funeral home by 10 am the next morning.
Use Eq & SA flowers.
They send wire easel with standing sprays.
Casket spray includes the bouts.
$299 SRP then 30% is FH cut.
Catalog is $100 if FH wants one.

I was checking them out and I noticed they are now on the 1st page of Google with a search on "Funeral Flowers". While I am aware of who Matthews is in the funeral industry, just wondering if anybody know of any skinny on Mourning Flowers.
 
Here we go with another drop shipper. It's 100 degrees here today, I can only imagine what those flowers would look like after roasting in a delivery truck for an entire day...especially the roses. I bet a grieving family would loooove that. Can't place the blame on a florist for that mess ;)

Did they mention shipping costs? Of course it would have to be overnighted plus, if someone purchased the entire package...wow, how much would that cost to ship!?

Sorry for drifting a bit Clay.
 
IMO, all the FD is hearing is the sound of the cash register ringing with that easy easy 30% skim going right into his back pocket.

Once again, a great example of slime-balls using the grief and tragedies of others to line their pockets. Disgusting hardly describes it.
 
Based in Miami. Flowers shipped overnight for funeral next day. Flowers shipped 'in water'. Prices include delivery. Direct quote from gentleman I just spoke with at Mourning flowers.
Can't imagine any funeral director in his right mind buying into this. Why would they pay $100 for a catalog? That's where MF will make their money - if they make any. They can't make a standing spray, with stand, ship it overnight for $119 and make any money. Just can't.
 
mona said:
Based in Miami. Flowers shipped overnight for funeral next day. Flowers shipped 'in water'. Prices include delivery. Direct quote from gentleman I just spoke with at Mourning flowers.
Can't imagine any funeral director in his right mind buying into this. Why would they pay $100 for a catalog? That's where MF will make their money - if they make any. They can't make a standing spray, with stand, ship it overnight for $119 and make any money. Just can't.
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Mona,
I just checked UPS's next day prices for an item weighing 20lbs. I'm sure they get a discount but it can't be that much. You're right...how can you make money when it costs more to ship it than you are making on it? So strange. Maybe I am missing something.

UPS Next Day Air Early A.M.®
137.09 USD*
 
I just called to ask a few question about their delivery policies. according to them, they ship priority through FedEx. An order today gets to the FH by 10:30AM tomorrow. They ship it in a box with a PVC pipe holder to stop it from getting smashed up(yeah Right). It is not in a refridgerated truck but it only spends 6 hours out of the refridgerator and it is in water most of them get there just fine...(OK, now I have heard it all)

At least they did tell me that they were based in Miami and told the truth about how they would be sending the flowers wen asked.....
 
Well, mona, somehow PF sells 3 dozen red roses for 45 bucks, and is making 10's of millions in net profit every year, so while it may seem "impossible" for this company to make money like this, I assure you that if they can get the volumn up, they will make tons of money.

And, really, isn't this another dagger in the local flower business? Now every FD will waive around this offer and demand his or her local "partner" to match the 30% kickback, or else.
 
felicityflowers said:
Mona,
I just checked UPS's next day prices for an item weighing 20lbs. I'm sure they get a discount but it can't be that much. You're right...how can you make money when it costs more to ship it than you are making on it? So strange. Maybe I am missing something.

UPS Next Day Air Early A.M.®
137.09 USD*
Click to expand...


They can make money by cutting out the wholesaler and buying farm direct. With enough orders and using enough flowers they can get the flowers at what it costs the wholesalers. If roses cost us say 55-85 cents, how much do you think wholesalers are paying for that product??? 26-42 cents or even less, I would venture to guess.. Now you are talking making some money. The designs are very basic. The sprays and casket covers were not designed well because there was no form. They are not paying designer wages. Probably paying Illegals very cheap money to do the arrangements. I am sure that they have promised Fedex a certain amount of deliveries for a discount. They are counting on volume to make their money. This business is all about volume. The more volume the less your costs. This is why most florists struggle. Not enough volume to make the costs less.
 
12BucksFor2Dozon said:
Well, mona, somehow PF sells 3 dozen red roses for 45 bucks, and is making 10's of millions in net profit every year, so while it may seem "impossible" for this company to make money like this, I assure you that if they can get the volumn up, they will make tons of money.

And, really, isn't this another dagger in the local flower business? Now every FD will waive around this offer and demand his or her local "partner" to match the 30% kickback, or else.
Click to expand...



All they have to do is deal with one or two non deliveries, late deliveries or dead pieces before they won't do this again. Have you ever had a FH call you if a piece wilts or otherwise is not satisfactory?? Who will that call ina case of missing piece or dead piece?? Do you think the people in Miami will rush right up and fix it?? Then who is left holding the bag, the FD, that who...They won't like that...I think that most FD are smart enough to know that this is a bad idea and that it will make them look bad...If they aren't, they will learn really quick....
 
lori042499 said:
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All they have to do is deal with one or two non deliveries, late deliveries or dead pieces before they won't do this again. Have you ever had a FH call you if a piece wilts or otherwise is not satisfactory?? Who will that call ina case of missing piece or dead piece?? Do you think the people in Miami will rush right up and fix it?? Then who is left holding the bag, the FD, that who...They won't like that...I think that most FD are smart enough to know that this is a bad idea and that it will make them look bad...If they aren't, they will learn really quick....
Click to expand...

and if they (Fh) do jump for this one, who are they going to call when the services start at 1pm its now 11am and the flowers are CRAP?

Will you bail them out????
 
Inka said:
and if they (Fh) do jump for this one, who are they going to call when the services start at 1pm its now 11am and the flowers are CRAP?

Will you bail them out????
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No, that is my point...They will only deal with one or two mess ups without anyone to call and abandon the idea...
 
lori042499 said:
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All they have to do is deal with one or two non deliveries, late deliveries or dead pieces before they won't do this again. Have you ever had a FH call you if a piece wilts or otherwise is not satisfactory?? Who will that call ina case of missing piece or dead piece?? Do you think the people in Miami will rush right up and fix it?? Then who is left holding the bag, the FD, that who...They won't like that...I think that most FD are smart enough to know that this is a bad idea and that it will make them look bad...If they aren't, they will learn really quick....
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I'll tell you who they will call. Their local florist. Because we are the closest florist to a couple of FH, we get calls for help, even if it's not our arrangement. We almost always come through. However, I'm not sure we would for a direct shipper. It's a tough issue. We have a relationship with the FH, but we can't let a direct shipper come in a spit in our face.
 
FedEx overnight doesn't enter this town until 2:00 PM at the earliest so it won't work for "rural areas" away from FedEx hubs.....
 
lori042499 said:
All they have to do is deal with one or two non deliveries, late deliveries or dead pieces before they won't do this again. Have you ever had a FH call you if a piece wilts or otherwise is not satisfactory?? Who will that call ina case of missing piece or dead piece?? Do you think the people in Miami will rush right up and fix it?? Then who is left holding the bag, the FD, that who...They won't like that...I think that most FD are smart enough to know that this is a bad idea and that it will make them look bad...If they aren't, they will learn really quick....
Click to expand...

I don't see much threat from this for funeral home business - but when they start sending thru the wire services it's a different animal.

Anyone remember when flowerusa had their "program" where they were sending priced selection guides to all funeral homes with the deal that "You can still use your local florist but by placing the order thru us you get a kickback and we will send the order to the florist of your choice."

The thing that is bothersome is how fast they came up in google. Consumers are more likely to buy from them than funeral directors, IMO.

I'm glad we went a few extra miles to get our FD's sewed up tight here.....finally.
 
Rhonda at work said:
FedEx overnight doesn't enter this town until 2:00 PM at the earliest so it won't work for "rural areas" away from FedEx hubs.....
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Yes, this is one of the holes in their plan. I can see many holes in this plan that will cause it to sink.....
 
bloomz said:
I don't see much threat from this for funeral home business - but when they start sending thru the wire services it's a different animal.

Anyone remember when flowerusa had their "program" where they were sending priced selection guides to all funeral homes with the deal that "You can still use your local florist but by placing the order thru us you get a kickback and we will send the order to the florist of your choice."

The thing that is bothersome is how fast they came up in google. Consumers are more likely to buy from them than funeral directors, IMO.

I'm glad we went a few extra miles to get our FD's sewed up tight here.....finally.
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I agree consumers are really going to be the ones that are going to futher hate the flower business when they screw up the memorials.
 
I could see large chain funeral homes in the bigger cities (with fedex hubs) using this service. The stories I hear from my Florida sister (who owns a shop) about the chain funeral homes - it makes you grind your teeth.
 
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