We are a new flower shop and doing okay after 6 months. I believe we may be breaking even on incoming FTD orders, and so, will probably drop the FTD service. Can someone recommend an inexpensive wire service or point me to a list of all of them? Thanks in advance. Ken and Pat
Least expensive outbound wire service
- Thread starter Ken and Patty
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Inexpensive Wire Service
I go along with that. Check www.myifa.org. I have been a member since December 2005 and have dropped both Teleflora & FTD. It works a lot better. You pay $20.00 a month when you use the service during a month. The filling florist gets paid immediately by credit card supplied by you when you sign up. You can either opt for 20-80 or 0-100 on Outgoing Orders. There are no other fees so you can keep the Svc Chg & Phone Fees you charge your customer. They have pretty good coverage around the US.
I go along with that. Check www.myifa.org. I have been a member since December 2005 and have dropped both Teleflora & FTD. It works a lot better. You pay $20.00 a month when you use the service during a month. The filling florist gets paid immediately by credit card supplied by you when you sign up. You can either opt for 20-80 or 0-100 on Outgoing Orders. There are no other fees so you can keep the Svc Chg & Phone Fees you charge your customer. They have pretty good coverage around the US.
Hi, I too am a new shop and I did a lot of asking of questions before agreeing to put in a wire service. What I think I learned is that you are doing well to break even on Wire Services. We use 1800flowers. It was cheaper than the other 2 and seemed very intrested in not allowing more than 2 flower shops in the county so your not fighting for every order. The thing I dont like is that they dont allow you much to be able to fill the order to meet the customers request. If they sell it on the web sight for 40.00 they get their cut then send it to you to fill for 28.00 and ask that you fill to the 40.00 value. I often have to call them back and tell them I can do that if they will kick in the 6.00 delivery fee, and almost every time they agree. So think about them, but keep your eyes open.
There are 2 shops in my part of the state that are in law suit with FTD because of contract issues. SO I pray you are able to drop them if that is what you decide.
There are 2 shops in my part of the state that are in law suit with FTD because of contract issues. SO I pray you are able to drop them if that is what you decide.
parie
New Member
slcummins said:
Someone correct me or slcummins correct me if I'm wrong.
So... you're saying that the advertised price on the web is $40, they send you $28, then you still have to cover your fees off the $28??
if that is the case, I would be VERY afraid of applying that cost analysis calculator that CHR provided to it! Scary!
Surely, that's not what you mean?
parie
Connie
New Member
David
Well-Known Member
Cost of Order
I think you mean 28.40. However you still have to subtract the sending fee. Not 800 but it must be around 1.00. So call it 27.40. Then figure your monthly fees Bloomlink and Bloomnet and non sending etc. That figure divided by number of orders you receive then subtracted from the 27.40 will give you the correct cost of the order.
CHR said:
I think you mean 28.40. However you still have to subtract the sending fee. Not 800 but it must be around 1.00. So call it 27.40. Then figure your monthly fees Bloomlink and Bloomnet and non sending etc. That figure divided by number of orders you receive then subtracted from the 27.40 will give you the correct cost of the order.
Ken and Patty said:
The least expensive wire service is YOU! Call out your orders and use a CC. Use one of you old directories or an internet directory such as locateaflowershop. Charge a sending fee and don't expect any commissions on your outgoing and you won't have to give any on incoming.
What I just told you costs you nothing and will save you big bucks in the short and long term.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
I re-read the title of this thread and want to provide some food for thought....
'Least expensive' can be measured in many ways. High volume stores would probably argue that one of the large national companies are 'lowest priced' due to efficiencies in staff time, sending systems and added performance incentives like reduced member fees, rebates, credit card clearing discounts, website hosting and the like.
The answer is very reliant on volume and whether or not a business wants to fill incoming orders or be would be negatively impacted by the loss of the selection guides, holiday products, website hosting, credit card clearings, POS support or other services....
Some here will argue that none of those products and services matter. IMO the answer really depends on a shop's specific business model... the newer or smaller, the more likely that they can be easily changed.
I wonder if the response would be different if the question was posed as "Can someone recommend the most profitable wire service for membership?"
There's a wire service profit calculator in this thread that may be of help in determining the answer.
BTW, David - thanks for catching my typo.
'Least expensive' can be measured in many ways. High volume stores would probably argue that one of the large national companies are 'lowest priced' due to efficiencies in staff time, sending systems and added performance incentives like reduced member fees, rebates, credit card clearing discounts, website hosting and the like.
The answer is very reliant on volume and whether or not a business wants to fill incoming orders or be would be negatively impacted by the loss of the selection guides, holiday products, website hosting, credit card clearings, POS support or other services....
Some here will argue that none of those products and services matter. IMO the answer really depends on a shop's specific business model... the newer or smaller, the more likely that they can be easily changed.
I wonder if the response would be different if the question was posed as "Can someone recommend the most profitable wire service for membership?"
There's a wire service profit calculator in this thread that may be of help in determining the answer.
BTW, David - thanks for catching my typo.
I always learn something on here!
I have never heard of the myifa and am looking into it as we speak. The reason I went 1800 is they were cheeper than FTD and Tela and there are so many of the other shops with those services that I knew I would be luck to get 15 orders a month and I get about 45 a month with 1800. So at the time it looked pretty good, but you all have me rethinking this. I want to check into the other companies and see what is what. THANK YOU ALL FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH!!! Stephanie
I have never heard of the myifa and am looking into it as we speak. The reason I went 1800 is they were cheeper than FTD and Tela and there are so many of the other shops with those services that I knew I would be luck to get 15 orders a month and I get about 45 a month with 1800. So at the time it looked pretty good, but you all have me rethinking this. I want to check into the other companies and see what is what. THANK YOU ALL FOR TEACHING ME SO MUCH!!! Stephanie
Cathy, the original question was "What is the least expensive OUTGOING wire service?"
I'm sorry, but as this florist has already admitted that they have been in business for only 6 months, the correct answer is nothing to dance around. NEW florists do not need POS systems, elaborate electronic sending systems of any of the BIG WS or even the pseudo WS. They may need a website in the near future, but it should be their own and not a carbon copy of everyone elses.
Many have been operating without selection guides and found no problems in sending orders and most young florists will probably find it to their financial disadvantage to get sucked into most container and program offerings from the WS these days. This individual was asking about least expensive SENDING and there isn't more than ONE answer.
The major problem of newer florists seems to be the concept that the more orders I can get, the better my business is getting. Very wrong premise!!
It is NOT the sales dollars that drives your company, but the PROFIT generated. If younger florists don't start their business with the intention of building their business from the surrounding consumers, most will not survive. If the full value business is NOT sufficient to pay all the bills, then adding discounted business is not going to help the business one bit. That is not just my opinion. Look how many are trying to build their new business on discounted orders by joining multiply WS. They are touting their successful relationship with a WS based on how many INCOMING orders they get a month and which WS gives them more never asking where those orders came from. A florist today can't do the same things we did 20 years ago and get away with it.
Sorry, just venting. I just feel that advise should be appropriate to the person asking the question and their current length within the industry. Telling a small mom and pop company to invest in possible labor saving devices to send orders and save labor when younger florists have nothing but alot of time on their hands, makes no sense.
I'm sorry, but as this florist has already admitted that they have been in business for only 6 months, the correct answer is nothing to dance around. NEW florists do not need POS systems, elaborate electronic sending systems of any of the BIG WS or even the pseudo WS. They may need a website in the near future, but it should be their own and not a carbon copy of everyone elses.
Many have been operating without selection guides and found no problems in sending orders and most young florists will probably find it to their financial disadvantage to get sucked into most container and program offerings from the WS these days. This individual was asking about least expensive SENDING and there isn't more than ONE answer.
The major problem of newer florists seems to be the concept that the more orders I can get, the better my business is getting. Very wrong premise!!
It is NOT the sales dollars that drives your company, but the PROFIT generated. If younger florists don't start their business with the intention of building their business from the surrounding consumers, most will not survive. If the full value business is NOT sufficient to pay all the bills, then adding discounted business is not going to help the business one bit. That is not just my opinion. Look how many are trying to build their new business on discounted orders by joining multiply WS. They are touting their successful relationship with a WS based on how many INCOMING orders they get a month and which WS gives them more never asking where those orders came from. A florist today can't do the same things we did 20 years ago and get away with it.
Sorry, just venting. I just feel that advise should be appropriate to the person asking the question and their current length within the industry. Telling a small mom and pop company to invest in possible labor saving devices to send orders and save labor when younger florists have nothing but alot of time on their hands, makes no sense.
Griff -Griff said:
I had a 'new' flower shop once but a lot of 'old' clients from the location's previous owner so I didn't assume that new meant 'completely from scratch'.
There, I disagree. If I had captured marketing data (efficiently at the point of sale) - and used it from day #1, my sales would have risen much more quickly. Sure, you can manually enter it all at a later date but my experience is that those kinds of projects get pushed aside for more pressing matters. I do agree that sending systems are unnecessary for start-ups.
You can have a very affordable WS-hosted site that is by-no-means a carbon copy of anyone else's. It's sad that more florists don't (whether WS-hosted or not.)
Ran out of time to finish this answer (darn customers
) but I'll get to it later. But IFA prefers sends orders to customers of FASnet!
I'll start a new thread on the topic of IFA. They prefer orders to florists that have purchased the FAS system.
I'll start a new thread on the topic of IFA. They prefer orders to florists that have purchased the FAS system.
And I too, like Herb and Mark have said, will stay out of it cause I get too fired up.
I will say this... well said Connie and Ken&Patty, think about the ramifications of supporting a WS that competes against you and hurts our industry.
Oh and one WS that has no start up fee, no monthly fee and less than 1% complaints is bbrooks.com., but you have to be invited. Contact them and see if they're right for you. From what I have seen with the IFA and the people who are with them, it sounds like a great network. A few % saved or earned means nothing to me as long as the customer is happy and I am not giving to a corp. that hurts our industry.
Ok, so I said a little bit, but I was a gentleman.
I will say this... well said Connie and Ken&Patty, think about the ramifications of supporting a WS that competes against you and hurts our industry.
Oh and one WS that has no start up fee, no monthly fee and less than 1% complaints is bbrooks.com., but you have to be invited. Contact them and see if they're right for you. From what I have seen with the IFA and the people who are with them, it sounds like a great network. A few % saved or earned means nothing to me as long as the customer is happy and I am not giving to a corp. that hurts our industry.
Ok, so I said a little bit, but I was a gentleman.
Dazeal,
Have you signed with bbrooks? You mentioned them in previous posts and I have the impression that your shop is more upscale. I am curious about them, but I don't think we would fit. As you know, Passionflower is a member.
Have you signed with bbrooks? You mentioned them in previous posts and I have the impression that your shop is more upscale. I am curious about them, but I don't think we would fit. As you know, Passionflower is a member.
We were invited and are trying them for 3 months. Passion flowers in Eugene is a member and 4 other shops in Portland. We're the only other shop in Oregon and the only shop south of Eugene.
Once you are in, you get to browse through flroists in the network, about 400 of them and see their work. And I have to say OMG! There are some awesome designers out there that are a humbleing experience.
Just a few examples and not practical of every day work, but you can tell by looking, they'll do the kind of job you want for fine flowers. 95% of the pics they show are practicle, I just wanted to share these works of art with our community. (so off topic I know)
Roses by Karla in Miami: *drool*
A Florist in Tacoma Wa.:
And since I'm off topic, Paula Pryke's New book Flower School , is the best book I have seen for contemporary styles. And it is where I stole my quote from.
Man I am white trash to the core. lol I just know how to survive in this new age of flowers as a new flower shop. But yea, the shop and design is different.
Once you are in, you get to browse through flroists in the network, about 400 of them and see their work. And I have to say OMG! There are some awesome designers out there that are a humbleing experience.
Just a few examples and not practical of every day work, but you can tell by looking, they'll do the kind of job you want for fine flowers. 95% of the pics they show are practicle, I just wanted to share these works of art with our community. (so off topic I know)
Roses by Karla in Miami: *drool*
A Florist in Tacoma Wa.:
And since I'm off topic, Paula Pryke's New book Flower School , is the best book I have seen for contemporary styles. And it is where I stole my quote from.
Man I am white trash to the core. lol I just know how to survive in this new age of flowers as a new flower shop. But yea, the shop and design is different.
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