Rep from Proflowers contacted me

[LJVF]

About 4 months ago I got a call from Proflowers requesting to discuss issues regarding the state of the retail floral business. Did anyone else here get this call? About a week later we were bombarded with incoming Teleflora orders from "From You Flowers". We are about 4 miles away from their corporate headquarters, I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

 

[Carrieann]

From you flowers = REJECT

If you search past threads you will find TONS of info on FU Flowers.

I don't know how to attach the threads here, maybe someone else can.

 

[BOSS]

About 4 months ago I got a call from Proflowers requesting to discuss issues regarding the state of the retail floral business.

What sort of *issues*...

Maybe they were looking for a filler, but more likely is that everyone else in your area has already said no, and now it's your turn...

 

[Rhonda]

considering that callers from FU now just say thank you when you tell them you don't fill for FU, I believe they have gotten the message!!

 

[LJVF]

What sort of *issues*...

Maybe they were looking for a filler, but more likely is that everyone else in your area has already said no, and now it's your turn...

I played along out of curiosity. He asked me everything from my search listings to foot traffic in my store, we spent a good half hour. I'm not sure what the purpose was, but it felt like they were in the preliminary stages of researching the possibility of opening actual stores or affiliating with existing shops.

 

[Bigted]

Affiliating with existing shops could be a possibility. They certainly have the name and the resources.

Opening new shops is doubtful. I mean no disrespect to the people with new shops here, but I can't imagine any company would want to commit a lot of resources to open a bunch of shops in this environment. It just doesn't pencil out for them. The shops are not profitable enough, and more importantly, don't offer the year over year growth that they need.

 

[sfox]

probably

Affiliating with existing shops could be a possibility. They certainly have the name and the resources.

Opening new shops is doubtful. I mean no disrespect to the people with new shops here, but I can't imagine any company would want to commit a lot of resources to open a bunch of shops in this environment. It just doesn't pencil out for them. The shops are not profitable enough, and more importantly, don't offer the year over year growth that they need.

They are probably working on building their filling network and working on a plan that pays the filler .55 cents of every dollar to keep their shop busy until the filler closes their doors.

 

[LJVF]

Affiliating with existing shops could be a possibility. They certainly have the name and the resources.

Opening new shops is doubtful. I mean no disrespect to the people with new shops here, but I can't imagine any company would want to commit a lot of resources to open a bunch of shops in this environment. It just doesn't pencil out for them. The shops are not profitable enough, and more importantly, don't offer the year over year growth that they need.

I wonder if they are considering heading down the 1800Flowers road with filling centers and franchises? I wish I would have dug deeper into finding out the purpose of his call. He gave me his name and number, but I've misplaced or lost it. I was hoping someone here received the same call so I can gain more insight.

 

[PhillyPhlorist]

They are probably working on building their filling network and working on a plan that pays the filler .55 cents of every dollar to keep their shop busy until the filler closes their doors.

They are like locust...consuming the poor florist who doesn't understand, until they close their doors, then move on to their next prey.

- H.

FU Flowers...REJECT.

 

[Eric S]

I wonder if they are considering heading down the 1800Flowers road with filling centers and franchises? I wish I would have dug deeper into finding out the purpose of his call. He gave me his name and number, but I've misplaced or lost it. I was hoping someone here received the same call so I can gain more insight.

I wonder how well those shops are doing. Those franchise shops must be really feeling it or maybe not.