Independent v WS websites comparisons
- Thread starter Joe Mioux
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It took me less than 5 minutes and PhotoShop to give one of Daz' arrangement a pseudo TF look.
I do like the 'realness' of his shots (with a little less clutter around the designs.)
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I like that!
however, it still takes time and there is a learning curve to photoshop.... time that I don't always have.
joe
however, it still takes time and there is a learning curve to photoshop.... time that I don't always have.
joe
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
yea, but you know photoshop....
you don't know this, but I can change the letters on my outdoor sign a week ahead of a holiday, but then let that same message linger a week or two past the holiday.
My priorities are different than other florists, like watering wilting plants rather than changing out a sign message., etc.
joe
Get one of your kids to learn. 
Our Rosie cleaned up most of the shots from this blog post (including the cut-outs.)
I do know how hard it is to prioritize in a shop, but this is one skill that can convert into dollars pretty quickly.
Our Rosie cleaned up most of the shots from this blog post (including the cut-outs.)
I do know how hard it is to prioritize in a shop, but this is one skill that can convert into dollars pretty quickly.
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Get one of your kids to learn.
Our Rosie cleaned up most of the shots from this blog post (including the cut-outs.)
I do know how hard it is to prioritize in a shop, but this is one skill that can convert into dollars pretty quickly.
That would be "grandkid" but my delivery girl is a photoshop junkie..maybe a "stipend"?
Get one of your kids to learn.
Our Rosie cleaned up most of the shots from this blog post (including the cut-outs.)
I do know how hard it is to prioritize in a shop, but this is one skill that can convert into dollars pretty quickly.
my kids are "too busy" doing other stuff. oldest works at DQ and does band,
second, Nicholas runs track, and is already lifting weights for next fall football, he has two jobs and two more about to start and a girlfriend.
third Jennifer, softball, travelling softball league, soccer, basketball and volleyball.
fouth Christina, ???? well she loves to shoot hoops over at the neighbors, but also has softball, btw, she turns nine tomorrow.
so many kids so little indentured servitude for me.
David
Well-Known Member
FTD mercury directly imports FOL orders into Mercury.
My strider site imports directly into FTD Mercury the same way.
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
jOE:
re: your prior question about the feed into your POS.
Talk to Jason & Lorrie at Media 99 & also talk to Ryan at Strider.
Both seem willing to accomodate on most all accounts.
I know that Ryan & Strider is currently working with Mark Anderson at FloristWare. I believe that Media 99 is talking to Floristware also.
Media99 hosts a large # of florist sites. They may already have your POS software covered.
As for the photoshop things....hire a high school photo junkie or a early college student. They will run circles around you and me. Yea, you will probably have to pay AND feed them....but they are quick & good, if you want to photoshop in your own images.
They also need the experience of a "real job...for pay" on their resumes. Also, try Craigs list in your area.
Cheryl
re: your prior question about the feed into your POS.
Talk to Jason & Lorrie at Media 99 & also talk to Ryan at Strider.
Both seem willing to accomodate on most all accounts.
I know that Ryan & Strider is currently working with Mark Anderson at FloristWare. I believe that Media 99 is talking to Floristware also.
Media99 hosts a large # of florist sites. They may already have your POS software covered.
As for the photoshop things....hire a high school photo junkie or a early college student. They will run circles around you and me. Yea, you will probably have to pay AND feed them....but they are quick & good, if you want to photoshop in your own images.
They also need the experience of a "real job...for pay" on their resumes. Also, try Craigs list in your area.
Cheryl
prestonway
Well-Known Member
FTD Mercury directly imports order from my independent site into Mercury.
On outgoing wires, the Merc also sends a Delivery Confirmation email to the sender, as soon as the filling shop marks the order delivered (a new feature on Merc X.1 that I just love!).
In this case we did not use FTD's POS - the shop uses FAS POS, but yes, it went through merc and then to the POS......
prestonway
Well-Known Member
What took you so long????
No need to re-invent the wheel, just borrow & re-package it!
Kinda like direct ship gift boxes, maybe...:jester
cherrie
New Member
I haven't read all the posts on this thread - but back to Joe's orginal question. My site is very different than the ws sites.
I know that some of you will find my site a little unprofessional - and thinking that it doesn't work to mazimine capacity.
Guess what - it kicks a.s.
Not only do I get several orders a day directly from it, but call after call after call. I got a $125.00 funeral order yesterday from a lady who had dobermans - loved that they were on my site. My site is like walking into my shop - literally. As more and more people get burned by the ws sites, they express comfort knowing that they are dealing with a real business.
I've tried to reflect my personality into the site. The pages go on and on, as I sometimes go on and on. All of the designs are my own - I think I still have a couple of TF fruit baskets on it. I use photoshop elements - just a little. I have an optimal area to take pictures. Takes about a minute and a half to take a picture. Requires very little editing after the picture is taken.
I am constantly working on the site. Getting ready to redo the sympathy page - as soon as I slow down. This week is almost as intense as last week. I have made a habit to take pictures of everything - than post them to an online Picasa web album. I now have instore clients pick their arrangements from a computer on the counter - I direct them to my site - then to the Picasa albums.
My wonderful web lady has my about us page looking like a my space page. Links to the business facebook and twitter sites, which she set up for me. I still don't know how to use twitter - have been too busiy to figure it out.
My website is my shop to the world, and I am working it.
I know that some of you will find my site a little unprofessional - and thinking that it doesn't work to mazimine capacity.
Guess what - it kicks a.s.
Not only do I get several orders a day directly from it, but call after call after call. I got a $125.00 funeral order yesterday from a lady who had dobermans - loved that they were on my site. My site is like walking into my shop - literally. As more and more people get burned by the ws sites, they express comfort knowing that they are dealing with a real business.
I've tried to reflect my personality into the site. The pages go on and on, as I sometimes go on and on. All of the designs are my own - I think I still have a couple of TF fruit baskets on it. I use photoshop elements - just a little. I have an optimal area to take pictures. Takes about a minute and a half to take a picture. Requires very little editing after the picture is taken.
I am constantly working on the site. Getting ready to redo the sympathy page - as soon as I slow down. This week is almost as intense as last week. I have made a habit to take pictures of everything - than post them to an online Picasa web album. I now have instore clients pick their arrangements from a computer on the counter - I direct them to my site - then to the Picasa albums.
My wonderful web lady has my about us page looking like a my space page. Links to the business facebook and twitter sites, which she set up for me. I still don't know how to use twitter - have been too busiy to figure it out.
My website is my shop to the world, and I am working it.
4thgenflorist
New Member
I am a big fan of my website provider. It is Teleflora and yes has that "cookie cutter" template. I try to make it different than others by uploading my own designs and I do have some John Henry images. When I change my pages I try to choose images from the Teleflora choices that reflect my shop. I still haven't tweeked my wedding pages. I have been approached by other companies to host a site for me and for the price and ease, I believe my Teleflora site is the best value. Over the 6 years I have had my site I have had customers tell me I have a nice website. It is easy to navigate and like I said I change my images to reflect my shop. I also pay an SEO company to keep me at the top of the St. Louis list. That is expensive but much more worth it than a yellow pages ad. I am going to guess but about half the calls I recieve are from people looking at my website, new customers and exsisting customers. Just so you know, my "hits" mostly come from Google and Alexwaldbartflorist.com.
Chezbloom
Well-Known Member
Johan
New Member
- Oct 20, 2008
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I love my website from FloristPro . I can change it at the drop of a hat. Which is the best thing. NO phone calls to someone to then wait a week if your lucky to have it changed.
It has taken 18months to really kick in, but it is now paying for itself and more. I did some smart tweaks on the SEO after reading up on here about it and in Florist and Wholesale Buyer Mag and it has really done the trick. I added my details to as many free listings as I can and this is all now paying off. I have several orders a week coming either directly over the internet or via phone. I have blown last years web sales out of the water so far this year and that was only up until the end of April. I'm in a village in a fairly rural area with a smallish catchment area compare to a large percentage of you. So not bad going. I am still using teleflorist images a present for much of the site but I keep taking photos of the work we have done so I should soon have a good catolgue of picks to choose from then I'm going to change them all. Low monthly hosting fee and that is paid for within a couple of good sales. I'm happy.
It has taken 18months to really kick in, but it is now paying for itself and more. I did some smart tweaks on the SEO after reading up on here about it and in Florist and Wholesale Buyer Mag and it has really done the trick. I added my details to as many free listings as I can and this is all now paying off. I have several orders a week coming either directly over the internet or via phone. I have blown last years web sales out of the water so far this year and that was only up until the end of April. I'm in a village in a fairly rural area with a smallish catchment area compare to a large percentage of you. So not bad going. I am still using teleflorist images a present for much of the site but I keep taking photos of the work we have done so I should soon have a good catolgue of picks to choose from then I'm going to change them all. Low monthly hosting fee and that is paid for within a couple of good sales. I'm happy.
Cherrie,
I really like your site and I agree that the dogs and pics of your shop are very effective. MasterJ does the samething with his site.
Yours and his are truly unique sites because of this reason.
And if I do switch, that should be a priority.
joe
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