Official FlowerChat Order Gatherer Registry

Definitely an OG. They usually call to give us orders for $75 - $100 via TF. Hard to turn down, especially if it's a slow summer.
 
bloomz said:
That's what happened to Tom Meola - he has his own network of filling shops and operates without a wire service, in my understanding. All the King's Horses and all the Kings Florists haven't been able to get this scourge out of the industry, in about 10 years of trying.
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It is my understanding that he is, per TELEFLORA,

flowerswithgiftedelegance.com

and has developed his own network called
Preferred Florist Network.

I can say he used his network to send an order placed in GA called to FWGE in NJ, to be sent through PFN to a participating shop in Aurora, IL. who then placed the wire out via Teleflora to come back to GA.....Imagine how little was left in my test order for flowers after all those middle men got a piece! I spoke personnally with the shop in IL to inform her of how those orders were routed and gathered through the phone issues we have had recently and that if she chose to continue doing business this way I would consider shops like hers an accomplice and would seek to oust these type of shops right out there with FWGE. I know that there are legitamate networks of florists that send orders in this same networking fashion and it is hard to police everyone. But, I think we are morally and ethically responsible to take a stand when it is put square in your face... that this is an OG and you are helping in the assault on small town mom and pops like mine, because it can be done just like with Gerald Stevens.....We can slow them down if not put them under.
 
snellvilleflorist said:
I can say he used his network to send an order placed in GA called to FWGE in NJ, to be sent through PFN to a participating shop in Aurora, IL.
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Welcome to FlowerChat. :) Wow, you've done your homework!

Couple questions (only answer if you feel comfortable):

- Does Teleflora acknowledge him using a real florist to 'front' his orders?
This situation creates quite a dilemma for them since they allow other companies to do the same -
Fromyouflowers.com for ProFlowers, Walter Knoll for Hallmark, etc...

- Would you care to share the name of this shop so we can add it to the OG registry?

- Is the writer from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution aware of this?

Good Work!
 
Meola has been banned in a few states through deceptive listings in phone books....we've had a run in with him also......disconnected the phone listings within 36 hours after threats from my lawyer.......
 
Well, Teleflora has aggressively pursuid this for me, They have tested with orders I can track myself and they have not gone through the same channel. They have gone from FWGE to a PFN florist here in GA. I will gladly tell a couple of names if it turns out that our sources say they knew all along what had transpired. Which I think will be the case. TF stated that they were going to prepare a gen message to nation wide send about PFN and how it works and so forth to all members stating that idf you use TF as a transporter you will be out. I am watching for that and will push for it.

We told that reporter so much! I was dissapointed that more gut wasn't in it. But, we did stir the pot! I am not giving up without some satisfaction. I think Town and Country's Best Flowers(PA)and Flowers with Gifted Elegance(NJ) will know "I WAS HERE" and he FWGE may think he is Nightmare, Inc. he will find a boot somewhere from MYSHARE, Inc!
 
I'll be watching for the info from Teleflora. Can't imagine they would want to do anything to aid and abet Nightmare, Inc.

BTW, at one point, the WhosentFlowers.com site's phones were being answered by the call center of Town and Country Flowers of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada so this could be the company mentioned in the article. Their URL's include:

usa-florist.com
flowers-international.com
flowersinternational.net
usaflowerdelivery.com
canada-flowers.com
canadaflowers.ca
canadaflowersflorist.com
flowerstoronto.com
worldwidefloralnetwork.com
 
snellvilleflorist said:
But, we did stir the pot! I am not giving up without some satisfaction. I think Town and Country's Best Flowers(PA)and Flowers with Gifted Elegance(NJ) will know "I WAS HERE".....
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Just wanted to update: As for now, all of the phone lines for my shop and some of the surronding shops, for Town and Country's Best Flowers, have been disconnected! 1-800 and the local ones! Now we have to work on Flowers With Gifted Elegance(NJ) Nightmare, Inc. I know he will be harder to budge. But it is worth a continued effort. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

We recieved notice from the Governors Office of Consumer Affairs that "at this time there was not sufficient evidence that consumers were affected. So they would take no action at this time, but would continue to monitor the situation." Sure......Quite a cop-out.....I think when just one customer is mislead it is one to many. Maybe we did catch it early, but I thought that was a good thing. I guess I am learning the hard way. We did find some GA statutes that read as if they were written about our situation so we are going to persue it as diligently as possible. We will keep our fingers crossed that they will beat the NJ OG, we'll see!!
 
Urbans still at it...

Looks like a new site to me ?? Here...

Check the link at the very bottom of the page, they have a listing for EVERY city in the US, and most likely Canada too... Look at a city page...

How the hell are they getting their orders out???
 
Remember my test order a few months ago?

Drop-shipped, after a week's delay. They did double the order to apologize, but the lilies died quickly, and one orchid went down over night. They never did charge my CC.

Ryan
 
an update....

snellvilleflorist said:
It is my understanding that he is, per TELEFLORA,

flowerswithgiftedelegance.com

and has developed his own network called
Preferred Florist Network.

I can say he used his network to send an order placed in GA called to FWGE in NJ, to be sent through PFN to a participating shop in Aurora, IL. who then placed the wire out via Teleflora to come back to GA.....Imagine how little was left in my test order for flowers after all those middle men got a piece! I spoke personnally with the shop in IL to inform her of how those orders were routed and gathered through the phone issues we have had recently and that if she chose to continue doing business this way I would consider shops like hers an accomplice and would seek to oust these type of shops right out there with FWGE. I know that there are legitamate networks of florists that send orders in this same networking fashion and it is hard to police everyone. But, I think we are morally and ethically responsible to take a stand when it is put square in your face... that this is an OG and you are helping in the assault on small town mom and pops like mine, because it can be done just like with Gerald Stevens.....We can slow them down if not put them under.
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I just hung up the phone with my TF Rep and he was telling me that the shop in Illinois was contacted by the TF corporate attorney and that "PFN" sets up an account as if they are a "big corporate customer". Then proceeds to pay via CC at months end (like they should believe that, not!). I imagine that there are many more PFN stool pigeons. I hope they are talking to the shop in Jonesboro GA, that obviously has the same corporate account, because they filled the TF Test orders from HDQTRS!!! They don't realize or don't care what is being done and how it effects shops like ours, which in the end effects everyone.
 
Snellville, My shop is near Aurora,Il. and some times use florists in that town. Could or would you private message me with the shop in question. TIA, Jerry.
 
nonbitter said:
What's the difference between and order gatherer and a skimmer?
:newbie
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Order gatherers..."Gather" orders...

Skimmers..."Skim" a portion of the order, keeping Da Cash...like in taking an order for say $100.00, plus a delivery charge and service charge and only sending the filling florist $100.00. OR in recieving an order for $100.00 and making the arr for $75.00....
 
BOSS said:
Order gatherers..."Gather" orders...

Skimmers..."Skim" a portion of the order, keeping Da Cash...like in taking an order for say $100.00, plus a delivery charge and service charge and only sending the filling florist $100.00. OR in recieving an order for $100.00 and making the arr for $75.00....
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Also gatherers who collect $100 for design and then send only $90.00 for flowers (they keep the extra $10 + del/shipping +serv chge ++ )
 
Skimmers..."Skim" a portion of the order, keeping Da Cash...like in taking an order for say $100.00, plus a delivery charge and service charge and only sending the filling florist $100.00.
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But wait, is it *really* this cut-n-dried? I was involved with both "big" WS for about 18 months, and in my mind, skimming was occurring but it was just hidden better...

I mean, really, from the point of view of the customer, wouldn't he/she consider it skimming if...

1. He places a $100 order, you get $20 WS "commission" and the WS gets $7 (approx)
2. He places a $100 order, you send it direct FOR HIM for $80 and keep the $20.

What is the difference? My point is that, IMHO, if the customer really knew the "real deal" with the wires, they might not even care about the skim/commission.

Now, of course, it would be different if you took your cut *and* sent it on a wire, otherwise...???
 
12BucksFor2Dozon said:
But wait, is it *really* this cut-n-dried? I was involved with both "big" WS for about 18 months, and in my mind, skimming was occurring but it was just hidden better...

I mean, really, from the point of view of the customer, wouldn't he/she consider it skimming if...

1. He places a $100 order, you get $20 WS "commission" and the WS gets $7 (approx)
2. He places a $100 order, you send it direct FOR HIM for $80 and keep the $20.

What is the difference? My point is that, IMHO, if the customer really knew the "real deal" with the wires, they might not even care about the skim/commission.

Now, of course, it would be different if you took your cut *and* sent it on a wire, otherwise...???
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The big difference is that when you send an order for $100.00 the filling shop has to fill the order for the whole $100.00 and not just $80.00 according to member rules which they agree to by being a member. Now for all those shops that do not do this when they fill a wire in order, well that's another whole crime scene. Under filling is just cheating and it makes me cringe knowing it's a prevalent practice.

Now on the other hand when we recieve a wire in order for just $80.00 we have no idea if the sending customer actually paid $100.00 and that the sending florist is in violation of curtailment by not sending the whole $100.00. If it says $80.00 on the order we have to assume it's $80.00, if it says $100.00 on the order then we have to assume it's $100.00.

Capeesh???
 
Lady Biker Florist said:
The big difference is that when you send an order for $100.00 the filling shop has to fill the order for the whole $100.00 and not just $80.00 according to member rules which they agree to by being a member. ...
Capeesh???
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Oh yes, I understand that's the "company line", but I think we all know that in the real world it is not working that way, don't we? When I was part of the wire-slavery-service, we knew that a $100 wire order was only worth $73 (not even counting the 30-45 day amortization cost), and HAD TO FILL IT ACCORDINGLY to make a profit, right? NO one could afford to fill it at cost or a loss.

So, if a direct $100 order came from a local customer, OF COURSE it would be bigger, fuller then the $100 wire order, because we wanted to keep that profitable customer *very* happy. Now I know what I am saying is very controversial, and it's one of those things that is "hush-hush" in this industry...fine I'm ok with that (except when it comes to someone trying to steal away MY CUSTOMERS with this marketing fallacy). But please don't expect me not to tell people about the whole "fee game" when I see the wires trying to steal MY hard-earned business, which is what TF and FTD are desperate to do, TAKE MY CUSTOMERS!!!
 
Mark...

What you say is true...in some circles...no doubt...

But there are still those of us that send the same exact arr for the same exact monies...local customer or YOUR customer get the same thing in MY store...

I'll agree the system is broken, but right now it's all we got...
 
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