Order Gatherer Websites

snellvilleflorist said:
I am curious how Kay Maingot, owner listed for Kay's, is also listed on the owner line, with Carla, for Kellys on the FTD merc TF search. Seems strange to have so many coincidental/accidental ties. Just wondering?????
Click to expand...
Funny thing.....

Just realized the person who logs in as gbk and has been lurking :gossip: around FlowerChat since February uses Kay Maingot's IP.

Hey, gbk, been sending any anonymous letters to your fellow boardies lately?

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
hmmmmm, it starts to look a bit like a duck, don't it?

Quack Quack MOFO
 
Wow! Asking about Kay's caused quite a stir! I was on vacation the week of July 4th & just now getting back into the groove of the FC world. I can't believe I missed all this commotion! That's it!!!!..... Tomorrow I'm getting myself a laptop so I don't miss out on so much while I'm gone! Then on second thought..... sitting on the beach drinking an ice cold beer, watching the waves was quite nice.

Yes, Cathy, I read Phil's letter! Very well written!!!
 
Ain't it funny this is who Rhonda suspected in her very first post about all this?
 
Just want to note the deafening silence but continued logins here at FC from gbk and cth before posting about another matter.


Back in Item #101 and Item #102 there was a discussion about Brady's and gang. Just a quick note that the TF template sites have all been taken down and that http://bradysflorist.com now features 99% FTD affiliate product images.

The latest twist is their list of 'Mailing Addresses' which just all happen to be PO Boxes at UPS stores. http://bradysflorist.chainreactionweb.com/information.php?osCsid=e777871aa7e93c66d6c6c568b5845778&info_id=5
Mailing Address
table_background_specials.gif
pixel_trans.gif

Please send all mail to our main address for faster service. Main Inquiry Address:6350 McDonough Dr. Suite K Norcross, GA 30093

Other Mailing Addresses:
1261 N. Lake StAurora, IL 60506
527 Thrid Ave Ste. 418New York, NY 10016
981 W. Arrow Hwy.San Dimas, CA 91773
4694 Cemetary RDHillard, OH 43026
8362 Tamarack Village #119Woodbury, MN
55125 9548 Mt. HollyHuntersville NC 28078
16748 E Smokey HIll Rd Centennial, CO 80015
12905 O South 71 HwyGrandview, MO 64030
4007 Carpenter RdYpsilanti, MI 48197
5016 Spedale CtSpring HIll, TN 37174
631 N. Stephanie St.Henderson, NV 89014
Click to expand...

Note that the site is hosted by a company called HonestyFactor.

Yet another example of the devolution of order gathering.

Do you think FTD condones this kind of stuff?
 
Patty, Organic Bouquet is for real. They ship direct from organic farms. I've talked to the owner Brian a few times and he is nice guy. Epic was going to do organic, since we have two great organic farms in So. Or., but epic is heading in another direction as I type.
 
More order Gatherers....

Here are some of mine....
Buning.com
sendflowerstoday.net
wesleyberryflowers.com
800wesleys.com
wesleyberry.net-he even has pictures of his shop, but not where it is located.
bloomendirect.com
palestracorp.com/ptc/Georgia.html
flowerstore.com (in Florida)
simonsaysroses.com
citycenterflorists.com
worldflorist.net
broadwayflorists.com
flowerhand.com
flowerrewards.com
flowers-central.com
flower.com
your-flower-shop.com

And that was just from the first 9 pages of a Google Search of florist in Martinez, GA.
 
Since the new rage seems to be "blogging" I was surfing around and found this somewhat disturbing list of the "top 10 florist" websites. I sent them some comments of my own and also asked what criteria they used to pick these. Paste this link to your browser and click the "top 10" Link:

http://www.iblogs.com/search.php?ps=10&q=florists&ps=20&m=all&wm=wrd

If I get a response I'll let you all know.
 
I am going to open a can of worms here...

I want to be convinced why OGing is so bad. The OG are not breaking any laws, nor using any undue influence to get customers. They have a very sound business strategy; use marketing dollars to convince customers to order products from them. To stay in business, they have to make the customer happy, otherwise they will go elsewhere. No business can survive by not pleasing its customers, not even, heavens-to-betsy, OGs.

Perhaps *some* mislead the customer about having a B&M shop in some town, but isn't it *really* the WS fault, not theirs? My point is this; the wires have created a system that allows OGs to do what they do, yet people want to point the finger at OGs when all they are really doing is finding a new business model. They spend big dollars on web design and ads, hoping to attract enough customers to make a profit. They quickly leveraged the web as a super-low cost medium to reach a worldwide audience, and have built the sites on sound marketing principles that convince customers that THEY are the best. All advertising does this, be it for new cars, hamburgers, or toilet paper, and most of *that* is built on mistruths, too. Does Coke REALLY taste better than Pepsi?? Or is it the other way around? We are all constantly being lied to by politicians and Big Business.

OGing, in my mind, is simply capitalism in action. The real culprit is the WIRES that decided that anyone could register and sell flowers. THAT'S what ruined this part of the industry. Yet while we have page after page of "gotcha OG" here in this thread, we forget to point the fingers at the REAL CULPRITS, which IS and ALWAYS WILL BE many of yours beloved wire services!
 
Sound advice. If you aren't at least gathering your own orders, someone else will do it for you.
It's almost like I bet there were times when florists who first got phones were ahead of the rest.

It's today's business model. Roll with it or be let behind.

Yes I do my best to gather orders. I am an OG. It's quite different from being a skimmer.

If you have a telephone, so are you.

If you don't have a website, you are behind the times, WAY.

opinions vary...
 
12BucksFor2Dozon said:
OGing, in my mind, is simply capitalism in action. The real culprit is the WIRES that decided that anyone could register and sell flowers. THAT'S what ruined this part of the industry. Yet while we have page after page of "gotcha OG" here in this thread, we forget to point the fingers at the REAL CULPRITS, which IS and ALWAYS WILL BE many of yours beloved wire services!
Click to expand...
I agree with your statement completely!

The main problem facing the wire service is; the bulk of membership is demanding more and more incoming orders. When the sending of orders was more spread out amongst thousands of florists, policing and enforcing the rules was easier. The problem today is that the control of those orders has gone from the florists to a few large Floral Order Marketing Companies. They became very powerful overnight. Which makes enforcing the rules dangerous for the service that their orders are transmitted through.

It’s kind of like the police knowing that if all the robbers were gone, the police would no longer be needed to enforce the law. So the police decide to clean it up just enough. But they can't totally rid the city of the crime. Because it would jepordize their future payroll.

bloomz said:
Sound advice. If you aren't at least gathering your own orders, someone else will do it for you.
Click to expand...
Also agree!!

Heck the second you let your guard down, some out of state, possibly even out of country send only operation will use your name and address to get better search results for their site. All while confusing consumers as to whom they are actually ordering from.

It has never been more important for florists to market, advertise, network and use any and all resources to gain direct from consumer orders. Our competitors are using every method imaginable to control where people order flowers. So if you are not doing it, someone else already is. And that is not only the way things are, it’s the way they will continue to be!!
 
I have brought this up in the past and agree with all 3 of you 100%. There needs to be a new term coined. When you say OG here, it can mean two different things, except one is fine, as Bloomz pointed out and the other is shameful. I'm not talking about skimmers either.

Is a person who sits in his mother's basement and who has never had floral experience a bad thing, if you talk about the new model and capitalism in action? Florists who are behind and don't have a clue, will complain all day long, those who are in the know, try to better their own business by doing something.

Before there were florists here in the US, the farms sold the flowers. I'm sure when the first florists arrived; the most farms were upset too. Move or be ran over, aka Capitalism in action.

To the geek in India on in his parents basement: I don’t mine if you OG, but don't mislead or deceive, that is when I find a fault in an OG, which should be coined, a DOG (Deceitful Order Gatherer)
 
I want to be convinced why predatory lending is so bad. The predatory lenders are not breaking any laws, nor using any undue influence to get customers. They have a very sound business strategy; use marketing dollars to convince customers to use their services. To stay in business, they have to make the customer happy, otherwise they will go elsewhere. No business can survive by not pleasing its customers, not even, heavens-to-betsy, predatory lenders.

Perhaps *some* mislead the customer about loan rates, but isn't it *really* the customer’s own fault, not theirs? My point is this, the banking industry created a system that allows predatory lenders to do what they do, yet people want to point the finger at predatory lenders when all they are really doing is finding a new business model. They spend big dollars on web design and ads, hoping to attract enough customers to make a profit. They quickly leveraged the web as a super-low cost medium to reach a worldwide audience, and have built the sites on sound marketing principles that convince customers that THEY are the best. All advertising does this, be it for new cars, hamburgers, or toilet paper, and most of *that* is built on mistruths, too. Does Coke REALLY taste better than Pepsi?? Or is it the other way around? We are all constantly being lied to by politicians and Big Business.

Predatory lending, in my mind, is simply capitalism in action. The real culprit is the BANKERS that decided that anyone could lend money. THAT'S what ruined this part of the industry.

We all know predatory lending is wrong. It is based on deceit, takes advantage of the unsuspecting, and victimizes the poor and elderly

All order gathering is based on deceit, because if the consumer really knew where the top 50% of his money went he would never order from one. Is there any wonder why the consumer is turning away from the traditional floral industry at an alarming rate? The consumer doesn’t understand why he feels ripped off. He simply looks for an alternative to flowers the next time. These are consumers that will probably never come back!

Finally, just because something isn’t illegal it doesn’t make it right.



RC
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
RC in Dayton and Cincinnati said:
All order gathering is based on deceit, because if the consumer really knew where the top 50% of his money went he would never order from one. Is there any wonder why the consumer is turning away from the traditional floral industry at an alarming rate? The consumer doesn’t understand why he feels ripped off. He simply looks for an alternative to flowers the next time. These are consumers that will probably never come back!

Finally, just because something isn’t illegal it doesn’t make it right.



RC
Click to expand...

Well opinions do vary on that. Something you may have missed in the original post was this
To stay in business, they have to make the customer happy, otherwise they will go elsewhere. No business can survive by not pleasing its customers, not even, heavens-to-betsy, OGs.
Click to expand...

I again purport (hope that's a word) that some, perhaps even many OG's can supply better value consistently than someone picking your average Mom and Pop shop off the internet because of who they work with. Again, the Golden prefferred florist list. I try very hard not to do anything deceitful. I believe in marking my site on every page exactly who and where I am.

I know for instance, that if someone wants flowers in Dayton and haven't found Oberers and instead find me, they will still get superior value cuz I know the best florist in Dayton to use! And he will not get 50% value from my preferred colleague in Dayton. He will get wowed.

Guess who that would be?

blessings.....
 
Dazeal said:
...
To the geek in India on in his parents basement: I don’t mine if you OG, but don't mislead or deceive, that is when I find a fault in an OG, which should be coined, a DOG (Deceitful Order Gatherer)
Click to expand...
LOL!! That is EXCELLENT, Daz...what a great point and wonderful acronym. You will see me using that in the future...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back