just wondering

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y do some florist buy cheaper flowers, not the best quality to save a dime a stem or so for everyday work from another wholesaler & buy wedding & party flower from me knowing thy cost more but are better quality it would seem to me that you would want to use the better flower for everyday work, thats where the repeat business comes from. ??????????? what do u think:cuckoo:

 

[Palms]

I use a wholesaler that is slightly more expensive than the usual. His flowers last a lot longer, i get great service and he looks after them brilliantly before i get them. I am often told that my flowers last ages and i do put a lot of it down to this. So yes, i agree with what you are saying and i back that up with what i do.

However, many florists are cutting costs wherever they can and this includes flowers.

Just a little tip, we dont tend to use text speak on here, it can be very difficult to read. Also a little punctuation helps to read a thread. I do hope this does not offend, it is certainly not meant to, just think that you may get more response.

 

[Rhonda]

Not sure how you service your customers Doug but I have two trucks that visit me per week. One loads up Sunday morning (extended van) 3 1/2 hours down state from me. Goes to his home 1 3/4 hours away from me, puts some stock in a walk-in. Rest stays in the van for delivery on Monday run (to me around noonish Mon.). On Wednesday, if he has anything left on the truck, it has been out of water since Sunday, has cooled, then warmed, then cooled again, then warmed again. This is not conducive to "fresh product". If I place an order with the home office, I can always plan on getting product that is "old", moldy, or falling apart so therefore I take my chances on what is on the truck.
The other wholesaler comes from an hour away by extended van but is packed from the cooler the morning of delivery. Packed at 6 a.m. delivered to me at 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. Most of the time the product is fresher than option #1 but just today I got three bunches of "exotic" foliage of which one is covered in mold. Last week, I had shipped overnight by parcel post, three bunches of stock - two of which had mold showing. Is it that no one looks at what they're packing or did it develop mold overnight?
Now, during my busier times, I do order from flowerbuyer as for over 10 years, I could not depend on fresh product from either wholesaler. I get fresh product that has not been in water, I condition and control the watering up of the product. I have very rarely had problems with them and if I do, credit is immediate (not so with #1)
FB is cheaper product but usually better quality than I can get here in the "woods of Maine".

 

[KABERS]

I want both! Why can't we have quality and price together. I've tried the discounted - by the box - and was disappointed with quality. I've been truly loyal to my wholesaler but quality is getting more and more questionable. yesterday I received these mini callas for an order. Give me a break! a BLIND person could see they are garbage! at 3.35 a stem. - oh they threw in a free bunch - thanks - just what i always wanted!!
I've spent almost 60,000. to date this year with this wholesaler. I realize thats a drop in the bucket for a lot of you, but it's a lot of money to me.

I'd love to know if those of you that buy direct get less crap!

 

[Johan]

I use two wholesalers - the main one I buy my staples, the main core of my stock. The quality is great and they last which is what I have built a reputation on. My second wholesaler I use stocks more unusual stuff but you have to be very careful what you buy. The stock is cheaper but the quality isn't always there. I only buy small amounts of cut flowers from here. And I would never dream of getting them to deliver - I always go there and choose myself. If you are careful with your purchases you can get great deals that can really make a difference to your designs and sales. But I would rather buy more expensive products for great quality.

 

[Wanko]

Tips for Ordering Wedding Flowers

Here are some tips on ordering wedding flowers and greens that WF&FSA has put together that will make your life easier. I would love to get some items to add to this list.

• When selling a bride, try to sell color schemes/themes and general shapes of flowers, not the latest variety talked about by a celebrity or in a magazine. If the customer demands a particular variety, have an alternate available.
• Have a reference point for color.
• Keep in mind that the same variety of flower grown in different regions and sometimes different farms may look different. Your wholesale partner can help guide you.
• For those out of the ordinary flowers make sure the product being booked for a wedding is available at that time of year. Check with your wholesaler before committing.
• The number one issue in ordering is lead time. Give your wholesaler enough lead time to properly source and properly ship the wedding flowers. Rule of Thumb: At a minimum order two weeks before delivery date for best availability and pricing.
• If the wedding is calling for an exceptionally large amount of one item, give the order to the wholesaler with a greater lead time to allow the wholesaler to "reserve" the quantity from a grower or broker.
• Order a little extra just in case.
• Be sure you know what is expected: Never order a special flower just for the day of the event. If you are not familiar with a certain variety or type of flower order some in ahead of time so that you can make adjustments before the event date.
• Unpack and go through your order as soon as they arrive. If there is a problem you may have time to do something about it.
• Allow enough time to process the flower to the correct bloom-stage. Again know how a flower performs. How many days ahead of the function do you need to allow for the flower to open. Ask your wholesale partner what their experience is in regards to the length of time needed to achieve the openness of the blooms.
• Always add one day in case the cut stage is tighter than normal. When ordering supplies from your wholesaler keep the following points in mind:
• Try to establish a relationship with one salesperson. This helps in communication. As you develop a rapport over time the salesperson will come to learn your preferences.
• Book your supplies well ahead of time - three weeks if possible - two weeks if not. This will allow the wholesaler to react if the order involves something that is out of stock or requires a special order.
• Ribbon and silk flowers can pose a challenge when ordering over the phone. If possible, try to work with swatches so the wholesaler can get the best match. Saying you need a #9 Wine ribbon is asking for trouble!!
• As with fresh flowers, unpack and go through your hard goods as soon as they arrive. There could be concealed damage that you’ll want to know about.
• Make sure your policy with brides regarding final counts synchronizes with your suppliers. If your supplier requires two or three weeks to special order a certain product but you allow the bride to change her count up to a week before you may run into problems.

 

[Theresa]

I used to support my local wholesalers despite paying more $$$, getting inferior quality and substituted flowers. I can tell you many stories of my local wholesalers dropping the ball on my orders.

Also, I spend hours researching and ordering sample flowers, only to have my big order of wedding flowers given to "someone else", or my order split because they come in so nice! One time this summer my whole flower order was given to someone else~

Because of the many problems I've had after six years of patronizing my local, I have begun searching new sources for fresh flowers.

My conclusion there is no magical wholesale supplier that can get your order right all of the time, and to concentrate on the suppliers that can provide consistently fresh.

As a side note...I rarely asked for a refund, but have finally realized that I am paying for fresh flowers, not rotten ones.