Ifa
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RussSchmitt
New Member
IFA is a member owned and governed association started by retail florists about 4 years ago. With FASnet IFA has a sending system for your wire orders with complete coverage world wide. This program is called Florist Direct. You use your company credit card to send your orders electronically over the myifa.org web site and the receiving florist is paid the same day with the traditional 80%/20%split. IFA does not take a clearinghouse fee saving the receiving florist 7% of the order.
Along with Florist Direct IFA has a credit card program with competitive rates and a wonderful direct mail program with some of the best brochures for the independent florist in the industry at the best prices due to our group purchases. IFA also has a selection guide and complete gallery of photos of arrangements for you to use on your web site or in your print material. There are also preferred vendor programs where you get special IFA discounts on Web sites by some of the industries best web designers with your own independent site with the name you choose.
The dues are based on if you use the web site to send your orders or if you receive 5 or more orders in any given month. When sending orders over the myifa.org web site there are no additional sending charges, or low sender fees. Nothing is required to be a member other than you must be a full service real florist, you don't have to purchase computers, ads, containers or pay for what you don't want. Dues are $20.00 for any month you send orders over the web site or receive 5 or more orders. If you do not send or receive any orders in any given month you are not charged dues. There is a one time $40.00 application fee.
The IFA Board of Directors and Officers are not paid and never have been. They cover all their own travel expenses to attend meetings. This is, and always will be a volunteer association.
Order Gatherer's and Mass Marketers are not excepted or allowed. You may go to the web site and contact any of the board members at anytime or you can call me with any additional questions.
Russ Schmitt, President IFA
Schmitt's Florist
Louisville, KY.
1-800-380-0544
Along with Florist Direct IFA has a credit card program with competitive rates and a wonderful direct mail program with some of the best brochures for the independent florist in the industry at the best prices due to our group purchases. IFA also has a selection guide and complete gallery of photos of arrangements for you to use on your web site or in your print material. There are also preferred vendor programs where you get special IFA discounts on Web sites by some of the industries best web designers with your own independent site with the name you choose.
The dues are based on if you use the web site to send your orders or if you receive 5 or more orders in any given month. When sending orders over the myifa.org web site there are no additional sending charges, or low sender fees. Nothing is required to be a member other than you must be a full service real florist, you don't have to purchase computers, ads, containers or pay for what you don't want. Dues are $20.00 for any month you send orders over the web site or receive 5 or more orders. If you do not send or receive any orders in any given month you are not charged dues. There is a one time $40.00 application fee.
The IFA Board of Directors and Officers are not paid and never have been. They cover all their own travel expenses to attend meetings. This is, and always will be a volunteer association.
Order Gatherer's and Mass Marketers are not excepted or allowed. You may go to the web site and contact any of the board members at anytime or you can call me with any additional questions.
Russ Schmitt, President IFA
Schmitt's Florist
Louisville, KY.
1-800-380-0544
Thanks
Thank you Russ. That was very informative. I see that you are the president. I went ahead and completed the online application and received a fax confirmation today. Just waiting for approval now. On average, how many florists activley participate? I am excited to get involved in IFA as it seems like a no brainer. Thanks again for the info.
Sylvia
Thank you Russ. That was very informative. I see that you are the president. I went ahead and completed the online application and received a fax confirmation today. Just waiting for approval now. On average, how many florists activley participate? I am excited to get involved in IFA as it seems like a no brainer. Thanks again for the info.
Sylvia
RussSchmitt
New Member
The application will take about a week. Participation has always been very strong with our members. When sending orders through IFA Florists Direct program coverage has never been a problem, when we have a member in a city they are selected to fill the order, If we don't have a member in a city we can place the order with any of the tens of thousands of florists who accept credit cards, just like FTD and Teleflora do when they have orders going to a city where they have no members.
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