More Wire Service Delivery Fees

[BOSS]

OK... let's assume we have TEN orders that are all underpriced for delivery and are ALL going in the same block as the one with the "correct" delivery charge.

You are going to REJECT ALL TEN?

Bill

No I'm not going to reject out of hand, I will however send an ASK P (MO$) on each one and let the sender decide the fate of the orders.

I understand and agree on the incremental sales contribution, I simply feel that for delivery to remain profitable there has to be a hard line, and that line applies to each order.

Using your scenario, then, would lead one to think that an order going to the funeral home or hospital that is under priced by $10-12.00 should be filled and delivered, in essence for free since you are going there anyway. My thinking is that each order must contribute it's fair share, and multiple deliveries to the hospital help to offset the cost of delivery for house deliveries that at best are break even.

($0.02 per delivery just for license plates )

 

[bloomz]

Unless you have a technique that is at least as sophisticated on a cost basis as that of Brown or Fedex, the correct analysis should lead a profit-minded florist to consider the CONTRIBUTION made by each incremental sale to your bottom line. Those businesses that neglect this concept are not -- in my NTBHO -- going to make it through the current and future storm.

Cheers,

Bill

I think these are sage words, and the reason I started that thread last week about willingness to fill incoming increasing.

These are not times when anyone with half a concern for their business should turn away incremental sales based on some passionate, futile idea of "stopping them".

I think we need every buck that comes in the door or over the computer.

If you don't, you're either lucky or in denial - hope you're still here in a couple.

 

[Eric S]

I think these are sage words, and the reason I started that thread last week about willingness to fill incoming increasing.

These are not times when anyone with half a concern for their business should turn away incremental sales based on some passionate, futile idea of "stopping them".

I think we need every buck that comes in the door or over the computer.

If you don't, you're either lucky or in denial - hope you're still here in a couple.

I lean more towards denial. But it's hard to ignore the fact that these bigger companies are advertising harder against its members.

We are faced with filling the order or sending it on to the forwarding trail. Its difficult decision.

 

[paulieflowers]

I take my delivery out of the total I get, fill to value.....

The recipient doesn't know where the order originated.(800/FTD/TELE/ whatever). all they know is their local flowershop delivered it. They are a big part of the allure of filling incoming. My "brand" is being represented, not so much the 800's. I want to gain their local business.

The 800's are paying god knows how much per click for one of these orders, I've heard as high as $12. We're paying +/- 17%for them too. It's up to us what we do after that. They are going to make their $12 count....email marketing, surveys etc. We should be prepared to do the same. At the very least, make sure we send something that represents out "brand" to a particular customer. After all, they may remember whose truck pulled in their driveway.

If I were receiving alot of incoming that I couldn't make $ on, I would re-evaluate what areas I am serving or listed for & when my cutoffs are.

 

[TOTO]

And, what's even sadder.............

But it's hard to ignore the fact that these bigger companies are advertising harder against its members.

Is in the fact that, they're DOO-ING it to THEIR OWN MEMBERS, and ON THEIR OWN MEMBER'S DOLLARS.

Since THE SQUEEZE IS ON, expect them to get even worse, as they errode the SRP's to points we haven't witnessed since the 1980's.

Which begs the question: At a $29.99 WS GROSS, less 30%, less one's cost of delivery, WHAT'S LEFT IN YOUR WALLET?

Fact is, all of the ORDER GATHERERS and FARM DIRECTS, are in COMPETITION AMONGST THEMSELVES NOW, while fighting over the goal of; Who can have the LOWEST PRICE POINTS in the FOOD CHAIN.

As my Dear REAL FLORIST friend OZ put it so well:

"When the WHALES FEED, the KRILL GET EATEN!"

Marginal contributions from UNDERPRICED Order Gatherer orders, coupled with TOO HIGH ORDER DISCOUNTS, coupled with NOTHING FOR DELIVERY, coupled with the WS's additional incoming order acquistion charges in the forms of DUES, FEES, and other ancillary bogus/bias charges, and in an effort to offset one's operating expenses, deserves a MUCH CLOSER LOOK, than ever before.

If one winds up filling those orders at net fifty-cents from the dollar when all of the WS SMOKE and MIRROR WAMPUM CLEARS, then I would venture to say that, any FLORIST would be better off if they just offered their own customers a full 30% DISCOUNT plus a FEE for DELIVERY.

At least then, the FLORIST would wind up with a 70% SALE while benefiting their own customers, who in turn, WOULD NOT COMPETE AGAINST THEM!

We can argue this point till we're all blue in the face (and we have), but I am still of the opinion:

"WHY FEED THE HANDS THAT BITES YOU?"

I just don't see any future in enabling these MIDDLEMEN, as they try to STEAL MORE OF OUR STUFF, while using OUR OWN DOLLARS.

:dunno:

 

[Eric S]

I just don't see any future in enabling these MIDDLEMEN, as they try to STEAL MORE OF OUR STUFF, while using OUR OWN DOLLARS.

:dunno:

Don't forget our names of our business during the checkout process.

 

[TOTO]

Look anything like this?

Does their check out process look anything like this model?

 

[CHR]

Nope, nothing's changed, florists have to still wait for the next directory to reflect any updated pricing. It is inconvenient. :hammer:

And we wonder why codifications don't reflect current prices?

If it mattered to FTD, they would. But they don't really care since they're in a "take it or leave it" mode... hoping florists are starved enough to take it.

What any florist codifies for matters not.

Fill it at my price or be gone.... or something like that....

Lesson: Don't be starved for orders and learn more how to generate your own.

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

Lesson: Don't be starved for orders and learn more how to generate your own.

Nice!

Idealistic or not, we're still refusing the OG stuff ... if a $40 incoming-likely-skimmed-or-undervalued order is going to make or break me ... well I suppose that's an answer in and of itself as to my business's sustainability, isn't it?