We have owned this business since 1993 and its been in business since 1966 and a FTD member since 1966. This year Easter and Mother's day will be the first time ever that we have not had any wire service Holiday Containers in our stores for these two holidays. We will still drop a Mother's day flier in May but all photos will be our photos vs wire service. So slowly we are severing our ties to the wire service. By the time our POS is paid off I suspect that the wire outs will have dropped enough that our need for the wire service will be no more. The Only other FTD shop in immediate area is Price Chopper Grocery store and I have never seen holiday containers in there. And there is only one other Teleflora shop in area and at this time I am not sure rather they will carry containers for this holiday or not . But wire services even if they have members are losing their end points to move holiday product which leaves them with just drop ship.
No Holiday Containers
- Thread starter steve
- Start date
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
dlnfloral
Beaches,Umbrella Drinks and Jimmy Buffett Are Call
It is a wonderful feeling!! As well welcome to the club!! It will be worth it
Congratulations!!
We've been WS container free for at least 12 years, maybe longer.
This kinda feels like AA or something - admitting to our past addictions and misconceptions ... and finally moving on to the sober reality of the unintentional sins of our WS past.
Move forward, generate some profit instead of just going through the motions and be happier! And no ghosts from holidays past lingering unsold in your back room.
Doug
We've been WS container free for at least 12 years, maybe longer.
This kinda feels like AA or something - admitting to our past addictions and misconceptions ... and finally moving on to the sober reality of the unintentional sins of our WS past.
Move forward, generate some profit instead of just going through the motions and be happier! And no ghosts from holidays past lingering unsold in your back room.
Doug
herndonflorist
Well-Known Member
No holiday wire service containers here either. I hated ripping off people with the undersized overpriced heavily discounted junk!
My biggest beef with ws containers is is how fugly they are anymore. Useless garbage. People don't hoard "keepsakes" any longer like they used to back in the day.
TF needs to come up with something new and quickly to keep up with the ever changing consumer.
TF needs to come up with something new and quickly to keep up with the ever changing consumer.
OB1
Joanne Plummer AIFD,CAFA
I have never understood the whole wire service container thing.
I've never sold them, never will.
And best yet, I don't remember being asked for one by one of my own customers.
Enjoy your new found freedom.
JP
I've never sold them, never will.
And best yet, I don't remember being asked for one by one of my own customers.
Enjoy your new found freedom.
JP
Now wait a minute...
We still have a TF Gravy Boat (circa 1976??) that we have dutifully passed back and forth among family members every Christmas as a white elephant gift. It's a reminder of our WS past. It's a valued family heirloom!
One could say our family needs to get a new life or something...
Now I would argue that TF/FTD just need to get out of the container business all together. They have been and always will be over-priced crap (and that's being nice!).
Just my opinion anyway.
Doug
Knife's Wife
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- Apr 16, 2005
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The last 2 holidays we have carried no TF containers. For this holiday none! This being the smallest of the last three, I figured it was more than safe to not order and to drop national advertising. Guess What? I was very wrong for doing so. I received 12 calls for that watering can that TF has for Easter. With some we tried to explain that we did our own specials at a better price, other we tried the... "Were sold out of the item, but we have a blah, blah blah and blah , blah etc for you to choose from.
We were only able to convert 2 of the sales to something else. This was not the case the last 2 holidays, where we converted all but 2 all week.
That dam watering can is in demand, and TF has obviously done a great job of advertising it.
I will now have to re-evaluate Mother's Day... I don't like admitting it but ugly happens to sell! And I was wrong for underestimating TF reach.
Joan
We were only able to convert 2 of the sales to something else. This was not the case the last 2 holidays, where we converted all but 2 all week.
That dam watering can is in demand, and TF has obviously done a great job of advertising it.
I will now have to re-evaluate Mother's Day... I don't like admitting it but ugly happens to sell! And I was wrong for underestimating TF reach.
Joan
Wow!
I haven't had a call for any advertised special from either WS in at least two years. Used to be the ad in Parade magazine would generate a call or two. Even customers sending outgoing orders don't ask about WS specials. I'd like to think we've trained our customers but I think that in our area the WS specials aren't that appealing.
You gotta do what you gotta do. TF will be happy to hear from you. Just price them to make some money.
Doug
Knife's Wife
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You know we used to sell a ton... since moving to our own site with Strider we have spent the last year moving away form them. The last two holidays, nobody seemed to care so we decided that we were done with TF containers. This holiday is making rethink... I gave up 10 freaking orders today. Thank God even with given them up I am still up over last year but I do not like given up even one of those orders. I wish that people hated them.. sadly that is not the case. So, whether I like the dam containers or not... they do sell sometimes.
Joan
Joan
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Many of them can be sourced in a very similar style from other vendors at a reasonable price. Like the old FTD Birthday pot in primary stripes, about 6" tall and 4.5" wide with the ceramic "Happy Birthday" pic... I got the exact same thing minus the pic for about three bucks minus the pic, including freight.