Having Fun with Just Flowers.

[NPFloral]

I say ditch the WS all together and market YOURSELF! We have been w/s free for 2 years and I have never looked back. Everyone's talking about skimming, undervalued orders, only getting 70%....etc etc. What about figuring in all your expenses related to being a MEMBER of your BIGGEST COMPETITION? Pay all those MSG fees, membership fees, publication fees, per order fees, POS loan payments, directory listings... what's left for the filling florist? Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Use that money to market yourself, brand yourself, purchase an independently created POS like Flowersoft, etc. Spend time learning how to buy better. If a recipient calls about an arrangement, get the senders info from them and MARKET. Send them a coupon on their next purchase, whatever.

You'll panic at first when you don't make 50 arrangements a day but the ones you DO make will be 100% yours. No WS pictures & recipes that call for 2 stems of 20 different flowers. Show off YOUR design skills. That's why you became a florist isn't it?

Tim - North Port Floral

 

[Bigted]

Just say no Joe. Don't fill for OGs that skim, or who use deceptive tactics. Fill for the others.

This Mother's Day was the first holiday Just flowers sent us none (at least that I saw). We're making progress. Unfortunately FU flowers snuck one by me, but only one.

I don't have a problem filling for most companies. I just picked the ones I thought were the worst and refuse them. They obviously found some other shop to fill the orders but that's not my issue.

 

[lori042499]

Interesting point Earlene. I noticed lately, and especially over MD that they are giving out the delivering florist's info to the customer's. I have had several calls about what time will my order be delivered, and one about a substitution issue, directly from the buying customer, not the W/S, before the left the shop. Yet another reason to be very selective in what you take.

Isn't this against the rules big time???

Boy they really are making life difficult, bastards!!!

 

[TOTO]

OMG! Miracle of Miracles!

Ya know what just hit me... if we all stopped filling incoming junk orders, we would not have anything to argue about and we'd actually have to work on building up our own businesses, and marketing nationally as a group...

Does not sound like much fun... ya'll keep filling that junk so we have wire services around forever to piss, moan, argue and debate about...

Carry on...........................................................................:thumbsup

WOW BOSS! Is it just that simple?

Stop filling the JUNK ORDERS from all the dOG's, OG's, non-local phonies, and the WS dot.cons!

What REAL FLORIST could've ever figured out that, THEIR SOLUTION to THE OG PROBLEM was always as simple as, JUST SAYING NO?

I can't even begin to add up all of the wasted hours the LOVELY LINDA would spend at every Holiday, sending out all of those (ASK) (P) (MO MONEY) requests to all of them regarding their TOO LOW SRP's coupled with their TOO MANY ridiculous recipes calling for TWO OF's this and TWO OF's that, in TWO DIFFERENT COLORS and VARIETIES TOO.

Wonder if the florists who insist on playing these back and forth games with From You, Weasley, and all the others, ever glean a profit after eventually getting the price upgrades, but having wasted all that time in DOO-ING DAT DOO?

In Joe's case, and MEE being MEE, I probably would've called the recipient in that FAR AWAY ZIP code, explained the dilemma to them, ask for the sender's telephone number, and try to fix the problem by eliminating the MIDDLEMAN and filling the order at 100% along with my $ERVICE CHARGE in REAL DOLLARS versus WS Wampum. At least then, the recipient would've gotten my FLOWERS, albeit at MY PRICES.
:bouquet2:

 

[makescents]

One question??

Why do you even consider filling their orders... Why do you want to enable them?
Why do you want to make them look good and then if they get a complaint they blame YOU???? WHY? WHY?? WHY?

You do not make $$$$$ off these orders!!!!

Stop the insanity! Stop enabling the OG's people!! com' on!! GEEZZ

 

[Excptnl]

Ya know what just hit me... if we all stopped filling incoming junk orders, we would not have anything to argue about and we'd actually have to work on building up our own businesses, and marketing nationally as a group...

Does not sound like much fun... ya'll keep filling that junk so we have wire services around forever to piss, moan, argue and debate about...

Carry on...........................................................................:thumbsup

for the most part, you're talking on deaf ears...while its true, i have ftd...i did rid myself of tele and 800-

shops for the most part would rather piss and moan than to go and advertise themselves...

Its not unreasonable to each of us to get at least 1 new customer per day- from those og's

Branding is why people call ftd, proflowers, 800, tele, etc...no other reason....people dont know that the world is full of independant florists.

why couldnt we create our own service.....what ftd used to be ???

i dont think anyone wants to be the first to quit the wire services...its like swimming in the deep end for the first time

 

[bloomz]

You do not make $$$$$ off these orders!!!!

Who told you that?

 

[BOSS]

Its not unreasonable to each of us to get at least 1 new customer per day- from those og's

So you get the sender info??? How???

Flower recipients are NOT flower senders...for the most part...

And if your statement were true, the OG's would be running out of customers... they're not. Look at their repeat customer volume...

 

[BOSS]

You do not make $$$$$ off these orders!!!!

Who told you that?

OK, Jon... PROVE IT TO ME...

Show me what a 100% customer makes you on a $50.00 delivery, and then show me where you make money on an incoming of the same value...

Bet ya can't!

 

[Joe Mioux]

One question??

Why do you even consider filling their orders... Why do you want to enable them?
Why do you want to make them look good and then if they get a complaint they blame YOU???? WHY? WHY?? WHY?

You do not make $$$$$ off these orders!!!!

Stop the insanity! Stop enabling the OG's people!! com' on!! GEEZZ

because if I can make money, I am not going to turn business away, that is why.

in this instance, delivery and lack of product were issues.

 

[Joe Mioux]

besides it is loads of fun to INQ, ASK, ANS CAN then do it again....

joe

 

[Victoria]

too bad the lady (mom, son sent the flowers) didn't get her birthday flowers today.

joe

So, the result of this fun and game playing is a disappointed Mom and son.

There are so many threads on how we need to improve and strengthen our public image... I can't see this as being part of a solution to that problem.

V

 

[makescents]

Who told you that?

I didn't have to be told.. I can do simple math...

$50 minus 30% minus COG's minus labor, insurance, gas, rent, water, electricity, Wire service fees, etc...

Maybe you make a little because you are huge... but if a shop fills less than 20 of these per week... going here there and everywhere... forget any profit.:wallhead:

 

[HeatherTuckey]

OK, Jon... PROVE IT TO ME...

Show me what a 100% customer makes you on a $50.00 delivery, and then show me where you make money on an incoming of the same value...

Bet ya can't!

Ok... a designer made 8 dozens of red roses on Monday, speculating you will sell 3 per day. Today is Wed and there are three left in your cooler. You get an incoming for $50 and a local customer for $50. The local order took you 5 minutes to take and the dove order took you one minute to "clean up". You ask that NEW customer how they heard about you. They mention google or a billboard or that they see your trucks. All these things cost you a fraction of $ in one way or another (SEO, advertising expense or truck signage/maint).

Say both orders are $60 ($50 roses and $10 del chg). You are getting $42 for the incoming, less delivery expense of $10 (we are assuming an avg cost per delivery of $10), thats $32.

The local order you get 100% money $50, but spent a small amount to get the order, although we won't even deduct for that.

COGS with roses, filler, greens, vase - say $10-$12 depending on the florist. The designer on Monday made 8 of them in 40 minutes. If we figure $60 / hr in labor and overhead costs, each arr took 5 minutes or $3. On the high side we have $15 costs.. so yes we made $35 on the local order and $17 on the wire in.

BUT... without the wire in orders you would not sell 3 rose arr's per day, now maybe only one or two. So now on Monday you only made 4 or 5, your buying power is slightly less, and your designer is not as productive. She had all her supplies out and it took her longer too make each one when she only made 4 b/c she went around the shop gathering what she needed but only made 4 in 30 minutes vs 8 in 40 minutes.

Personally I would rather make $32 on 3 local rose arr's and $17 on the other 5 ($181 profit) and spend less $ in labor in order taking and design, and rotate my product. Plus, in the event I put some of these in the delivery pool I also made a large amount on the $10 delivery. If I sold only four at the $32 profit - I only made $128 total profit.

This is Heather blonde math, but I think it works - ok tear it apart now.

Update... you need to be filling 30+ per week to offset your wire service fees, without being 30% or more WS.

 

[Joe Mioux]

So, the result of this fun and game playing is a disappointed Mom and son.

There are so many threads on how we need to improve and strengthen our public image... I can't see this as being part of a solution to that problem.

V

Victoria, this order was not going to be filled by anyother shop but mine, due to the recipient's location. I am the shop that makes this delivery, no other shop serves that area. So the fun and games was moot to the mother and son's disappointment. Had JF authorized me to make a substitution, I would have filled the order to value, but they chose to CAN not me.

I didn't have to be told.. I can do simple math...

$50 minus 30% minus COG's minus labor, insurance, gas, rent, water, electricity, Wire service fees, etc...

Maybe you make a little because you are huge... but if a shop fills less than 20 of these per week... going here there and everywhere... forget any profit.:wallhead:

Your math is all wrong. You can only subtract out the variable costs of the order NOT the Fixed Costs. Do a search and you will find lots of commentary be me and others on managerial accounting.

joe

 

[makescents]

Update... you need to be filling 30+ per week to offset your wire service fees, without being 30% or more WS.

I was being very generous with my 20 order minimum.. How many shops out there fill this kind of volume?? I know that I don't. Not even close..

 

[makescents]

Your math is all wrong. You can only subtract out the variable costs of the order NOT the Fixed Costs. Do a search and you will find lots of commentary be me and others on managerial accounting.

joe

For me and my business, however small it might be.. I do include the fixed costs.. they are there - they are included and divided equally between all orders - Wire ins or 100% -

But even so, even if you do just take out the "fixed costs" If you do not fill over 20 of these orders a week at $50 per order.. You are just chasing your tail.

I am not going to argue the point. It is what it is... I know what I see in my own shop.

Bottom line for our business is that $50 - 30% and all additional FTD fees, COG's, gas and labor.. I worked my a$$ off, had many more complaints (because of skimming and other OG issues..) for about $3 an order. Absolulty not worth...

Keep enabling them.. and see where it leads us????

 

[HeatherTuckey]

I was being very generous with my 20 order minimum.. How many shops out there fill this kind of volume?? I know that I don't. Not even close..

I don't think anyone should belong to a WS if you are getting less than 20 orders a week. You pay too much in fees. There are threads and calculations to determine the minimum WS incoming required to be profitable. Myself I think 20 is the MINIMUM during slow periods, 30+ weekly non-holiday is ideal. If you hover around 15-20 you're probably keeping a designer on staff just for WS volume when you could be more profitable NOT being part of a wire service with one less designer.

 

[bloomz]

OK, Jon... PROVE IT TO ME...

Show me what a 100% customer makes you on a $50.00 delivery, and then show me where you make money on an incoming of the same value...

Bet ya can't!

Naw I'd rather crap in my pantz. :bangles: Bet you can't do that! :headbang:

But if you do a search you'll find it answered at least 100 times, migo...:faint:

 

[NPFloral]

I don't give my frequent customers a 30% discount... why should I give a multi-million $ w/s company, who is competing directly against me, one?

Hmmm....thinking....thinking....thinking..... nope. Can't think of one good reason. :dunno:

Tim - North Port Floral