QUITTing TELEFLORA???

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If you are sending the same as you are filling, you should be making money....Just because you send them a check every month does not mean you are not...

If you have a payment for POS, you will still have a payment for that to another cc or bank...TF had a great interest rate for the syatem when I joined...so you won't get rid of that...If you have their website, you will have to pay someone else for that also...Your fees are really low, I would really look at your statement...
 
Thanks TOTO, I am going to look into IFA. As for processing CC, I use a comapny that my bank recommended & I get my money in my acct the next day. Except for AX which is a three day. I don't mind that, Heartland System set me up with the terminal & there customer service is great.
 
Here's a good rule of thumb - if I am getting a check from them something is very wrong and I am losing money.

I love writing them checks and the bigger one I write the happier I am.

and no that is not sarcasm.

Bassackwards, ain't it? But its true
 
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bloomz said:
Here's a good rule of thumb - if I am getting a check from them something is very wrong and I am losing money.

I love writing them checks and the bigger one I write the happier I am.

and no that is not sarcasm.

Bassackwards, ain't it? But its true
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You write a check because you are primarily a big sender. Many small shops write a check because the WS is an expense and they don't see the money in front of the statement as you do. You may some day have to put that checkbook away as more and more florist crunch the numbers and divorce the WS monster.
 
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inferno63 said:
You write a check because you are primarily a big sender. Many small shops write a check because the WS is an expense and they don't see the money in front of the statement as you do. You may some day have to put that checkbook away as more and more florist crunch the numbers and divorce the WS monster.
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Exceopt that this person says they are filling as much as sending....If it is fill 3 orders and sending 3 orders than maybe not making any money, but if filling 20 and sending 20 then maybe paying for the service but not payiong for website and computer system..lots of maybes here, we don't know by the bnlanket statement made...WS are complicated and we don't see all of what goes into this one particular statement...
 
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lori042499 said:
Exceopt that this person says they are filling as much as sending....If it is fill 3 orders and sending 3 orders than maybe not making any money, but if filling 20 and sending 20 then maybe paying for the service but not payiong for website and computer system..lots of maybes here, we don't know by the bnlanket statement made...WS are complicated and we don't see all of what goes into this one particular statement...
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I know bloomz stats from previous threads. He is a bigger sender than filler. Read his posts. I have point blank ask him this question in the past and he says that he writes big checks to the WS because he sends a lot and therefore he owes a lot which means he is doing well. I am not speaking out of turn Lori. I did my homework.
 
inferno63 said:
You write a check because you are primarily a big sender. Many small shops write a check because the WS is an expense and they don't see the money in front of the statement as you do. You may some day have to put that checkbook away as more and more florist crunch the numbers and divorce the WS monster.
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Then they're losing money...Simple as that. And they should quit.

Unless they're buying a lot of containers or fresh flowers from the ws, or other "value added" services.

But take Tom's advice and think 3 times and don't just quit for emotional reasons.



That rule of thumb applies to everyone - even you Red.:)

You were writing them checks and losing money - congrats on quitting.

(Now if you'd just quit complaining about them) :hug:
 
bloomz said:
Then they're losing money...Simple as that. And they should quit.

Unless they're buying a lot of containers or fresh flowers from the ws, or other "value added" services.

But take Tom's advice and think 3 times and don't just quit for emotional reasons.



That rule of thumb applies to everyone - even you Red.:)

You were writing them checks and losing money - congrats on quitting.

(Now if you'd just quit complaining about them) :hug:
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I am curious Bloomz.....what emotional reasons would there be for quitting a WS?
 
Oh...the day .....it is here

master J said:
dump them! best thing I ever did! I now use that money to promote my own brand! I am so happy to be WS free & business is great!:drunk:

I look forward to the day that most florists wake up and stop holding onto something that worked 15 years ago, its time to move on!!!:scooter:
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And your doing a great job!
With the combination of the economy, the increase in OG's/Flowers in a Box/Mass Email marketing by TF/ FTD DS/ Box stores/ B and C stores.... all of these factors combined has brought "that day" to today......

Not an easy decision for many as getting rid of a WS is like getting rid of an old friend. Change is so valuable......most know WS is not right for them. Fear of what it will be like is probably the #1 hurdle.
 
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Why is it so difficult to calculate? All one has to do is to do the math in two scenarios, with and without WS.

By getting rid of WS

1) You gain:
  • WS monthly fees

2) You lose:
  • Wire-out rebates
  • Some Wire-out commissions (because not all florists give you 20% discount if you are not a WS member)
  • Contribution margin from wire-in orders (about 1/3 of the order $)

If 1) is greater than 2), then you quit.
 
goldfish said:
If 1) is greater than 2), then you quit.
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I have a question about that Goldie.

If I quit can I still gripe incessantly about them here?

Happens all the time?

Thanks!

never mind

carry on
 
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bloomz said:
"Not liking them" vs doing the math.
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Bloomz, I would think that anyone in business that is making emotional decisions instead of math decisions won't be in business long anyway. If we apply that logic, there are probably customers that aren't well liked either. I think that from what I have read in these threads that it is exactly the math that is debated. I haven't seen any threads saying that they just don't like the WS and so they are taking their ball and going home.
 
bloomz said:
I have a question about that Goldie.

If I quit can I still gripe incessantly about them here?

Happens all the time?

Thanks!

never mind

carry on
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I think that since I have been married and divorced from the WS I can still gripe. Just because they don't live in my house anymore their presence still affects my family. That makes it my business.

As I gain popularity at the reunions.......:hug:
 
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You don't have to stop sending orders out through a WS if you drop your subscription to one of the Big 3. IFA, ClearRoot and BBrooks are all independent services to help exchange orders between florists.
the other day I had a conversation with my accountant while finnishing up our year end, he told me " principle doesn't matter "
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And that is just simply sad. Principles, ethics, the Golden Rule and all those things we've been taught to 'do right' since childhood are now supposed to be thrown out the window in pursuit of commerce and dollars.

It's how our country got into the mess we're in today, and partially why this industry is suffering.
 
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goldfish said:
Why is it so difficult to calculate? All one has to do is to do the math in two scenarios, with and without WS.

By getting rid of WS


1) You gain:
  • WS monthly fees

2) You lose:
  • Wire-out rebates
  • Some Wire-out commissions (because not all florists give you 20% discount if you are not a WS member)
  • Contribution margin from wire-in orders (about 1/3 of the order $)
If 1) is greater than 2), then you quit.
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I think that a big part of the formula that is overlooked is CASH FLOW. A small filling florist must finance the product used to fill and then wait for 45 days to get "paid" for those orders which usually turns into a big, fat ZERO after membership fees, web fees, transmission fees, discount fees, directory fees, quality assurance fees, blah, blah, blah. For many the WS creates a negative cash flow situation. As I have read threads about the math let me tell you and I speak not from my behind but from years of finance and accounting experience with the tile on my wall.....

People, people, people, cash flow issues can seal the coffin for a small business before a net loss will. Many small businesses don't have credit lines and big in-flows to finance filling for a WS, let alone THREE wire services.

Yes, yes, yes, the statement may show that you sent out enough to break even and pay for your POS, your memberships, your website, etc. The argument may be that you need these things anyway and that you would be paying for this to someone else if not for the WS..... But, you can get all of this for hundreds of dollars less in the wonderful and competive world of the United States Of America free market.

Every once in awhile I must vent. Thank you for the indulgence.
 
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goldfish said:
That could be the issue probably in Feb, May, and Dec if the shop has no credit.
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Oh I think it is a twelve month issue. Even if you have access to a credit line or some other financing there is a cost to that also. Also the snowball effect can bury many small businesses. Smart businesses can create that pretty horizontal line across the cash flow graph with financing under normal operations. Throw in financing the big three WS and that line gets a little less flat. And I am speaking primarily about the filling florist. Something as simple as dropping even one WS could be the difference between life and death of a small florist.
 
Great point about the cash flow.
an issue to consider while making your decision, and I would think especially important to small/micro flower shops.

cash flow is an issue in every month- it's what keeps the ball rolling
 
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