is it possible to have too many choices?

Status
Not open for further replies.
RC in Dayton and Cincinnati said:
Are you telling us you are too busy to take care of business, that you prefer to let Teleflora, your competitor, mind your store for you?

When your website looks like 10,000 other websites, all selling the identical things, you are telling your customer that you have nothing special to offer. You are in effect in a commodity business. This is why (even more so than rebates) the ordergathering business has thrived so well. The OGers can build a site and offer the same cookie cutter arrangements as you, and they can out market you too. If the customer can’t distinguish your product from theirs they will buy from whoever is the most convenient or the cheapest, usually not you.

In today’s market you can no longer afford to be just another vanilla wafer!

RC
Click to expand...

You look at flower shop websites differently than the consuming public.

The average person doesn't go around judging flowershop websites. All they are interested in is selection, cost and time of delivery.

Hopefully they go to a flower shop website with in a geographic region where the floral order will be consumated!

Within the past two weeks I have had a web designer/computer programmer look at my website, come in the shop, buy something he found on the website and actually complement me on the Professional look of my website.

The kicker is, this guy used to write floral software for Dierbergs (really really big FTD member) Grocery Store in St Louis.

How do you like them apples!

With that said, Cathy you made me feel guilty enough to say I might try to customize my website a bit. :pblush: after the holidays.

Oh as a side note, I gave up all my descriptions of who were are and what we do in the yellow pages.

In the upcoming edition of the new phone book all I have is the flower shop, both locations' addresses and phone numbers and my web address.

I think that is a hell of a lot better way to let the consuming public know what I offer rather than the run of the mill, "funerals, weddings, balloons, dailly hospital deliveries etc.
 
Actually, within the past two weeks, I have had two other programmers and two other customers compliment me on that cookie cutter website.

RC, there is one other issue you failed to investigate prior to your criticism of me, I am the only florist in the entire county that has a website.

I spoke with another florist in the county today and she told me that she dumped her website because of a lack of orders generated from that site.

Right now I am more interested in getting my web address advertised and linked to other websites where flower purchases are generated, such as my local funeral home websites.
 
To continue as I think out loud here.

I know I compete with Pro flowers, 800, ftd etc. What do they all have in common?

One they all have fairly generic websites.

Two, They advertise and link their sites agressively.

All I can do is advertise my website and attempt to direct activity to the site.

I think this is a spark for a new radio ad campaign!
 
Joe Mioux said:
Actually, within the past two weeks, I have had two other programmers and two other customers compliment me on that cookie cutter website.

RC, there is one other issue you failed to investigate prior to your criticism of me, I am the only florist in the entire county that has a website.

I spoke with another florist in the county today and she told me that she dumped her website because of a lack of orders generated from that site.

Right now I am more interested in getting my web address advertised and linked to other websites where flower purchases are generated, such as my local funeral home websites.
Click to expand...

Joe,

I wasn’t criticizing you. I was criticizing your answer.

Kathy asked a good legitimate question, and you took the time to respond saying you give it zero thought because you’re too busy. You then go on to say you let TF handle your website, even allowing them to establish your price points.

You can run your business however you see fit. I was just voicing my opinion in hopes that the readers of this board don’t follow your example, because I think it is a poor business model that won’t work well for the florists trying to establish themselves and make a go of it in today’s market. Remember, you have a long established shop and are well ingrained within your community giving you the luxury of doing things most can’t. Just don’t rest on your laurels too long; you may wake up one day and wonder where it all went.


Not here to make friends …just here to share ideas and opinions,

RC
 
I knew my criticism crack would get you. (I just wanted to yank your chain a bit)

I also noticed that prior to you responding to me that you took some time to look at my profile info. That profile says nothing of me or the time I committ to my profession.

You still were criticizing me, which is fine because I don't give a hoot in hell what you think of me. I only care about what my custmers think of me and unless you are going to order 1000 Easter Lilies and 1000 Hydrangeas from me this Spring I (and I am giggling while I type this) I have to reiterate I don't care what you think of me.

What is more important to a florist starting out, spending a lot of time, effort and money designing a exquistely personally tailored website or spending that money on advertising that website and directing traffic to the site? You can have the best looking website in the world but unless you generate traffic to it, you are foolishly wasting money.

I will take traffic over the other.

One of the side benefits of running a wholesale greenhouse is that I get to see how other florists do things and how they spend time both at their shops and away. Most florists do not and would not want to put in the hours that I do.

I am a bit different from many flower shops because of the greenhouse angle. My time is divided between traditional flower shop responsbilities and greenhouse responsibilities and that is why I said I don't have time for website customization.
 
I find that when you have a web presence and get people calling you from all over the nation and even beyond sometimes that it's difficult to categorize exactly what they buy. I see a trend towards them not really caring thus they call and say just do whatever you want I trust you. Then there's the one that makes their choice because of price and this is always easy to spot. The rest are a mish-mash of everything else offered, but no real trend towards one specific type.

As for offering a lot of choices. I have not given this much thought until this thread. I know for myself when I shop online (which I buy almost everything online - clothes, shoes, make-up/drugs, Christmas gifts, Christmas cards, dishes, even dog food, etc.) I like lots of choices and I look at all of them. The sites I frequent and shop at the most are the ones that keep my info and are navigated most sensibly. I love getting a little extra freebie at the check-out and I love getting a 30% off one item coupon in my email at a clothing website because I am a frequent customer of theirs. Yes, the ones that are in my face all the time get my business and it does not matter if cheaper is available. There is a lot to be said for convenience.
 
Joe,

For what it's worth I have a high regard for you. I enjoyed reading your posts and looking at the pictures of your poinsettias. Your knowledge of that crop was impressive.

I failed to realize how rural of an area you live in, something that needs to be considered when contemplating the amount of time to spend on marketing, including web development.

That being said, I still stand by the notion that the majority of florists desperately need to separate themselves from the herd. This includes their web sites.

http://www.oberers.com/sea-of-red.html


RC
 
Joe Mioux said:
With that said, Cathy you made me feel guilty enough to say I might try to customize my website a bit. :pblush: after the holidays.
Click to expand...
Hey, nothing said to induce guilt. (We have our families for that type of thing. ;) )

Your comment about gaining links from local sources is excellent (saw you've already done well in that area).

RC's sea of poinsettias is stunning and you could easily offer such a breath-taking shot. It would make me wanna open my wallet. :)
 
Joe Mioux said:
...Right now I am more interested in getting my web address advertised and linked to other websites where flower purchases are generated, such as my local funeral home websites.
Click to expand...

Joe, remember that the way other websites link to your website is the key to links. If they place your link on a link page with 30 reciprocal links (you link to them-they link to you), it counts with the search engines but not much. Example "Kathy’s Restaurant" linking to "Joe’s florist" on Kathy’s link page.

For a better benefit in the search engines, talk Kathy into a one way link somewhere inside " Kathy’s Restaurant " website, that the floral arrangements are by Joe’s florist but using “floral arrangements” as the anchor text so you can optimize the keyword “floral arrangements”.

The best way to get one way links is by writing and publishing articles containing your link… hint, hint, hint, our FlowerChat Blog needs content, you need the link.
.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back