We are in a small town and our flower shop takes care of 3 funeral homes. Did you know that whenever a funeral home gets a website through whoever, that it automatically comes with a "flower shop" section for customers to order through their website? One of the 3 FH uses us exclusively and refers customers to us. The FD and I have a good working relationship and discussed this one day. If a customer orders off the FH site they pay more and part of that goes back to the FH. (so not only is the OG keeping money but now the FH). In the present economy, the FD felt it was more important to save her customers money and get quality flowers and build the local business such as her own, than make money off these orders. So she removed this from her website and has us listed as the recommended florist. The other 2 FH's are owned by the same family and unfortunately they don't see it that way. Being in the small area we are, 3 -4 funerals a month is nice so I guess they are looking to make money however they can also. This last 2 I mentioned just updated their website this week with the "buy flowers/Flower Shop" section but unfortunately the arrangements offered are with a WS we do not belong to. The receptionist loves our work and refers people when she can and gives out our business cards, her "boss" however does not care about the flowers and does not discuss when making funeral service arrangements (so I am told). Needless to say I am a bit peeved. I am thinking about writing a letter to the editor of the local paper to educate the consumers in our area, although have not decided exactly what it would say yet. Anyone else experience anything like this? Does anyone know if people really order through the funeral home website?
OG's and Funeral Homes
- Thread starter thejabbershop
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BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
They do... but not too much I would guess. I get a lot of click overs from the two local FH's that have independent site's...the other one is hooked up with Legacy.com (scam) and I have never seen anything from them. Most likely another florist in town is filling those orders. I do not know how/who Legacy sends through.
Funeral homes are losing business just like local florists are, I'm blessed that the biggest one here wants to work with me, accounting for $2-3K in orders a month.
Both funeral home in my town are in my arena now.
Took a while for the second to finally come to reality about the service & quality.
Not one of them ask for a kickback and one of the funeral home have a web site and when people go to it, my link is there for flowers.
However at Christmas one of the major funeral home got a little something, One of my favorite home made cheesecake and gift certificate to anice rest.
THe new one that just joined me got the cheesecake for now and I will see what happens during the year.
Luc
Took a while for the second to finally come to reality about the service & quality.
Not one of them ask for a kickback and one of the funeral home have a web site and when people go to it, my link is there for flowers.
However at Christmas one of the major funeral home got a little something, One of my favorite home made cheesecake and gift certificate to anice rest.
THe new one that just joined me got the cheesecake for now and I will see what happens during the year.
Luc
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Our FD's site has "flower shops" with all of us listed but I'm the only one with a web site. I also provided him a copy of my John Henry Sympathy books (with prices) for his use only with family if they order through the FD and through me.
Yesterday I was signing an online guest book through our newspaper (printed in the city miles away from us but our only large daily newspaper) and after signing, it asked if I wanted to send flowers and the featured florist was blooms.com or something like that (it was an OG) - don't remember right now but I am calling the local florist in Bangor who does advertise in the online obituary area and let him know what I found. Of course, when I tried to send the page to him, the florist part didn't show up!
Our FD uses webfh.com as his server and set up.
Yesterday I was signing an online guest book through our newspaper (printed in the city miles away from us but our only large daily newspaper) and after signing, it asked if I wanted to send flowers and the featured florist was blooms.com or something like that (it was an OG) - don't remember right now but I am calling the local florist in Bangor who does advertise in the online obituary area and let him know what I found. Of course, when I tried to send the page to him, the florist part didn't show up!
Our FD uses webfh.com as his server and set up.
I would be very careful about writing an "education letter" that airs dirty laundry. It may sound like sour grapes. You would be better to continue to promote yourself and make sure your web site if prominent in the search engines.
I understand where you are coming from we have had the same problems.
Yes it us up to the locals that want to use you to use you, an dso what if they have a shop on there website that sells flower, The consumer has the right to do what they want, and yes it will sound like sour grapes. to wright this letter, then educate on your website,local florist will make your lovely funeral flowers, that is all needs to be done,
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
Mark:
Legacy.com is associated with a number of newspaper Obits across the country.
Our local newspaper sells a listing at a very reasonable price per year to local florists. Currently, our newspaper has about 14 to 15 LOCAL FLOWER SHOPS listed. The bottom on each obit says "send flowers or gifts", and a click takes you to the listing.
The listing includes the florist name, address, phone # & link to the website if they have one.
On the right side of the page, on our paper at least, are listings for FTD.come, PF, and others that they have sold bold listings to.
We find this to be a very effective way to generate orders from out of town family members & associates. We find that the sender is very apperciative that we ARE LOCAL, and can get the arrangement there same day. Here, in our area at least, a number of us are very successful with this connection.
This may not work in smaller towns, like Midland. It works well in bigger cities.
We also find that those shops that do not have a website do not stay on the advertisers listing very long (usually about a year)....claiming to "not get any orders". (Customer does not call if you don't have a site -- they want the convenience of the website.)
Just some facts FYI.......
Cheryl
Legacy.com is associated with a number of newspaper Obits across the country.
Our local newspaper sells a listing at a very reasonable price per year to local florists. Currently, our newspaper has about 14 to 15 LOCAL FLOWER SHOPS listed. The bottom on each obit says "send flowers or gifts", and a click takes you to the listing.
The listing includes the florist name, address, phone # & link to the website if they have one.
On the right side of the page, on our paper at least, are listings for FTD.come, PF, and others that they have sold bold listings to.
We find this to be a very effective way to generate orders from out of town family members & associates. We find that the sender is very apperciative that we ARE LOCAL, and can get the arrangement there same day. Here, in our area at least, a number of us are very successful with this connection.
This may not work in smaller towns, like Midland. It works well in bigger cities.
We also find that those shops that do not have a website do not stay on the advertisers listing very long (usually about a year)....claiming to "not get any orders". (Customer does not call if you don't have a site -- they want the convenience of the website.)
Just some facts FYI.......
Cheryl
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Our paper does the same, but without the National OG list added. When they came around, I explained that it would not benefit the local florist to have order gatherers listed too...so they took the advise and only listed the locals...
Still not worth the price based on PPC, but it's still in Beta, so we'll see...
They used to be with Legacy too, they say the reason they are not any longer is because it was not cost effective for them.
Still not worth the price based on PPC, but it's still in Beta, so we'll see...
They used to be with Legacy too, they say the reason they are not any longer is because it was not cost effective for them.
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