More Wire Service Delivery Fees

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mcf

mcf

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Aug 2, 2004
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www.memorialcityflorist.com
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Didn't want to hijack Heather's thread...

You receive an order to $58.50

Do you assume $8.50 was sent for delivery and fill for $50?

Your delivery fee is $9.50. Do you fill for $49?

Your delivery fee is $5. Do you fill for $53.50?


What if the order is for $60? Do you assume $10 was sent for delivery?


I hate that dove orders don't give you the breakdown showing the product vs. delivery fees collected!!!

I often put "Mixed Spring Vase - $50" in the description so they can see how much we sent for delivery (usually $10, sometimes $12.50).
 
I never assume anything, I ALWAYS take out our $9.95-$23.50 delivery charge then see if there is enough left to fill the order.
 
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BOSS said:
I never assume anything, I ALWAYS take out our $9.95-$23.50 delivery charge then see if there is enough left to fill the order.
Click to expand...

do what Mark does, and you'll be "covered".....delivery is a "hard cost" and NOT a "soft cost".....it needs, and MUST be addressed FIRST.....
 
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We received an order today via Mercury for the TF185-6 listed on the Teleflora site for $91.95...sent to us at $84.99 being delivered to a town 23 miles away (one way). I have a $15.00 Delivery Charge. I sent a price adj for a total of 99.99 explaining that we have a delivery charge of $15.00. The shop sends a cancel msg saying that "the customer only paid $84.99 and where were we supposed to get the additional $15. Times are hard right now so we sent it to another shop that would fill the order for the $84.99"

This is my problem....you are d*** right times are hard....so I am supposed to eat the $15 in delivery charges? Like I am supposed to be over joyed that THEY sent this order to me? All they had to do was send back a msg that said to just take the delivery out of the price and I could have done so....They did not have to be sooooo rude! This drives me crazy!!!

I understand if a shop wants to fill the order for that value, but I have Lights to pay..drivers to pay...designers to pay....why should I have to be the one to eat the cost on this. Did I mention that this is happening more and more....

Further more...why was it sent to us? We are not Teleflora...there are 2 shops that are teleflora in that town...

It just does not make since to me. I understand that times are tuff and shops are doing anything to gain a customer, but underselling is not the best way to insure we ALL make it during these hard times....
 
I understand your point but their response doesn't strike me as particularly rude.

I also wouldn't assume based on your price change request you were willing to take out the delivery charge out of the price given.

This happens to us often when a walk in customer has placed a wire order- we don't charge a relay fee for local customers so we don't have the extra to give them - tho we do when we don't find another florist that will fill it for what we have.

With online orders we quite often need to throw in our service charge.
 
I also understand your point, but why would you sell an item that you are going to wire out below the price listed online (I think just about everyone on FC has complained about the suggested prices by the big boys as they are usually way to low.) Did I mention that we are currently coded in merchury for a $17 delivery for that area (due to higher gas prices at that time). If you have a budget minded customer--and we ALL have those customers, why not ask the customer to wait while you call the filling shop to see if they are willing to fill an order "Simular" to the one online for the price the customer can afford. I know that this is what we do. It does not take but a few mins to make that phone call. and I did find it rude to make the comment that they made. Why not just simply say.."we can not authorize more money, please cancel this order" How easy is that. Which responce would you rather receive?

Anyway...Hope everyone has a GREAT NEW YEAR!
 
I take my delivery fee out first, then if there is enough to do the item requested it gets filled. If not I will send an ask for a price change and always ad extra for my time to do the price change. If they cancel it's their time and money.
I know time is though and they know it also, so they are hoping you will look the other way and fill the order anyway.

If I get a price request from another florist and it is reasonable of several dollars I will take it off the price i charge to send orders out. If it is too much, I would contact my customer and get their ok first before I do any adjustments.

Now you get to know that certain remote towns usually there is a increase in delivery cost. Also having a POS system you can always duplicate a previous order that person place with you and you would know the delivery fee is higher then usual.

Some florist are just plain lazy to look things up before they send orders along.
It is called not reading the directory properly and they do not know how to train their staff how to read it also.

DOG don't care either.. Their people are not trained also.Had several orders from MI from an OG and got the other 3 times before I told them if they sent it a fourth time I would report them to Teleflora. They did this to get me ot pay the $1.00 receiving fee and cancellation fee. I will be claiming there through Teleflora.

Seems they do not understand that a trip that takes 30 minutes one way, you can't go and deliver for $7.00 delivery fee.

So stand by your grounds and if they cancel it their loss. You are better staying put then going out of your way. Probably those florist in that town did not have the product requested or they did not also want to do it at a lower cost.

The DOGS etc are now saying to their customers that there is no florist in that town or they tell them the florist is out of flowers is looks better in their eye than saying they wont fill their orders.
I gains several customers at Christmas time from people who placed orders from DOGS and could not get it filled and called me directly. I was glad to explain the advantage of dealing with me and how they can save $$$$$$$$$$$.
I had one lady who stopped into my store Monday and she did'nt even know about the possible fee she would have paid on top of her order when she placed her order online. Her original order was never delivered because she was told there was no flowers in Elliot Lake. I told her I filled right up till 3.p.m. Christmas eve. Was able to see what I meant and she placed an order with me for today and also got my business card for future orders.

You can win, one order at a time.
We may be getting less orders through the wire services, but we are gaining more through direct customers who are now asking the right Questions like,
Are you in ELLIOT LAKE.

Luc
 
BOSS said:
I never assume anything, I ALWAYS take out our $9.95-$23.50 delivery charge then see if there is enough left to fill the order.
Click to expand...

Mark, what would you expect for 1 dozen long stemmed roses arranged including delivery (non-holiday) if I were to wire you an order delivered in your zip code?
 
Tylertown, I'll pose the same question to you as I did to BOSS:

What would you expect for 1 dozen long stemmed roses arranged including delivery (non-holiday) if I were to wire you an order delivered in your zip code?
 
LJVF said:
Mark, what would you expect for 1 dozen long stemmed roses arranged including delivery (non-holiday) if I were to wire you an order delivered in your zip code?
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$59.95, 60-70cm Freedoms, with seeded Euc and other foliage, it will be in a SS4042 vase, delivered in city limits,or within 3 miles outside. Generally I would take it probably 10 miles out without requesting additional delivery.

Especially for FC members ;)

Added: We cover about 600 sq miles, so if the delivery charge increase is necessary... it's necessary, there are a lot of place I will go that no one else will.
 
BOSS said:
$59.95, 60-70cm Freedoms, with seeded Euc and other foliage, it will be in a SS4042 vase, delivered in city limits,or within 3 miles outside. Generally I would take it probably 10 miles out without requesting additional delivery.

Especially for FC members ;)

Added: We cover about 600 sq miles, so if the delivery charge increase is necessary... it's necessary, there are a lot of place I will go that no one else will.
Click to expand...

That's a very good price, especially for 60-70's in a 4042 vase. You definitely don't skimp out. I'll have to make extra sure to send you my orders going to Midland.

Now I ask, what would you send me for the same scenario here in San Diego?
 
LJVF said:
That's a very good price, especially for 60-70's in a 4042 vase. You definitely don't skimp out. I'll have to make extra sure to send you my orders going to Midland.

Now I ask, what would you send me for the same scenario here in San Diego?
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I get good pricing on the vases, I think the last shipment was 14.70/6 including freight. Currently using RFI Freedoms. Nice Rose!!

As far as sending San Diego way, we'd look it up and tell the customer what the "minimum" is and try to get more. It would never be less than our price, and I can't remember the last time we had an issue wiring out 12 roses vased.
 
LJVF said:
Tylertown, I'll pose the same question to you as I did to BOSS:

What would you expect for 1 dozen long stemmed roses arranged including delivery (non-holiday) if I were to wire you an order delivered in your zip code?
Click to expand...

We would fill 70cm Freedoms (we only carry 70cm freedoms or 70 cm colors) for $58 including IN TOWN delivery ($55.dzn and $3 for upto 2 miles from the shop $7 for upto 10 miles) Our zip code covers about a 15 mile radious. If it were going beyound 10 miles we calculate the charge based on $1.12 per mile. Other cities are also based on the 1.12 per mile charge except for funerals...we charge a flat fee of $15 to Columbia MS, McComb, MS and Franklinton LA. Hope this answers your question
 
LJVF said:
Mark, what would you expect for 1 dozen long stemmed roses arranged including delivery (non-holiday) if I were to wire you an order delivered in your zip code?
Click to expand...

Hijacked! :bouncy: LOL ~ Wasn't really expecting people to answer anyway...
 
mcf said:
Hijacked! :bouncy: LOL ~ Wasn't really expecting people to answer anyway...
Click to expand...

There wass actually a point I wanted to make, but it didn't quite turn out the way I planned. I guess I should've known that using FC members as examples, one of which is an admin, wasn't a good idea.

I think alot of wire service members do not honor their coded prices in the directories for items and delivery. Sometimes I will quote a price based on what a shop lists in the directory. If they do not list a separate delivery fee, the rule is that the delivery is included in the price, especially if it's within their own zip. A shop should not subtract any funds for delivery and should honor the price that they advertise. The problem is that there are some shops that have no clue what their listings state.
 
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LJVF said:
There wass actually a point I wanted to make, but it didn't quite turn out the way I planned. I guess I should've known that using FC members as examples, one of which is an admin, wasn't a good idea.

I think alot of wire service members do not honor their coded prices in the directories for items and delivery. Sometimes I will quote a price based on what a shop lists in the directory. If they do not list a separate delivery fee, the rule is that the delivery is included in the price, especially if it's within their own zip. A shop should not subtract any funds for delivery and should honor the price that they advertise. The problem is that there are some shops that have no clue what their listings state.
Click to expand...


Which wire service are you talking about? I believe - correct me if I'm wrong - TF lists delivery separately in the directory.

BTW: No wonder you guys down there never send us enough $ for roses! Ya'll get 'em cheap! Our reg is $65 arranged PLUS delivery ($9). Can't do it cheaper where we are. Even some Vancouver shops charge more than we do, and they're next to the auction house.
 
Dorothy said:
Which wire service are you talking about? I believe - correct me if I'm wrong - TF lists delivery separately in the directory.

BTW: No wonder you guys down there never send us enough $ for roses! Ya'll get 'em cheap! Our reg is $65 arranged PLUS delivery ($9). Can't do it cheaper where we are. Even some Vancouver shops charge more than we do, and they're next to the auction house.
Click to expand...

I'm talking FTD, all prices are supposed to include delivery unless otherwise noted. For example, BOSS' florist is listed 65.00H. This price is supposed to include delivery for all zips he covers. The "H" stands for non-holiday price. His price is actually listed for $5.05 more than what he said he would fill for.

And I agree, those rose prices are really good. We will get the florist at least $70.00 even if they state their price as less.
 
Darrel, what point "were" you trying to make? What's being an Admin got to do with it?

Yes, mine is listed at $5.05 more than local, but as you said "covering ALL area's I deliver to" which is the problem. Midland is covered by 2 residential zip codes, and then many separate ones for the hospital, some corps have their own etc. One of my residential zips, is 25+ miles end to end!! (whats up with that?)

Thing is, we constantly get orders below codified mins, seems they are not honored these days, and my minimums were put in place pretty much for FTD.com when I filled for them...freaking nightmare to keep them updated.

I'm curious, someone thought our roses costs were lower, Dorothy what are you paying for your roses? Here, 60/70cm RFI Freedoms are $0.79-0.89 in the door. Colors $0.79 or less.
 
The rules of tf and ftd regarding delivery is to deduct the delivery charge from the order...whatever your true delivery charge is...5-7-10-25 bucks whatever it is...

Most directories now require you to list your delivery charge, however every florist should assume a delivery charge is going to be charged even if they do not charge one.

800-flowers is the exception, they send 9.99 for delivery and that is what you have to take out if it is from them....if it is f2f you can list your actual delivery charge...When gas prices were high I had to cut a bunch of cities off my 800-flowers list because I was losing my shirt on their low delivery charge...some of my cities were up to a 15.00 charge and I was only able to collect a portion of 9.99...

I usually look up what the delivery charges are listed as while my customer is standing at the counter so I can let them know all that info...I just wish more florists would get a clue that everyone has different monetary needs and during times like these it is even more important for them to meet those needs in order for us all to survive.
 
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