Seems silly but...

[NicoleAtTF]

It seems a little odd (since I read about it in threads all the time), but I'm trying to do a little research here with all of you to see what you know/assume about the impact (positive or negative) of drop shipping on the floral industry.

I wanted to open a different thread because I wanted a conversation without a specific bias already in the introductory post.

So, I'm sure this is a crazy can of worms to open on purpose, but I hope to get lots of thoughtful answers.

(And no, we're not in any way investigating becoming a drop shipper, I'll nip that speculation right off!) Thank you all so much!

-Nicole.

 

[Rhonda]

the only impact I've seen here in my little town is people calling looking for their orders only to find out they were a dropship item that their sender ordered.
Now, I have ordered to myself - a fully designed cornucopia. It was delivered and left (in freezing weather) at my neighbors home across the street on their porch (they didn't see it when they came home) and it was full of broken heads and flowers out of the oasis. When questioned about where it was, customer service stated it was left at my home on the porch (I don't have a porch). The address was correct on the package, the FedEx man left it at the wrong address (and my numbers on my house are huge).
I've had customers come in and tell me when they got their "lost" holiday orders that they were poor quality. That's the only feed back I've been given.

 

[sfox]

It seems a little odd (since I read about it in threads all the time), but I'm trying to do a little research here with all of you to see what you know/assume about the impact (positive or negative) of drop shipping on the floral industry.

The positive or negative about drop ship flowers?

Well, how about the fact that it gives the whole flower industry a black eye everytime an order is handled like the one described above. Shipping flowers via FEDEX or UPS is a dicey proposal and when the outcome is a poor quality product, it reflects on all of us in the industry and makes the consumer less likey to think of flowers when ordering a gift.

Also, those companies that drop ship flowers use price as a huge part of acquiring the order from the consumer. The consumer sees the price of the product. Now the total cost to the consumer is much more after all the shipping and handling fees are added in. But they remember the price of the flowers and it diminishes the precieved value of those flowers when they shop at a retailer.

And lastly, most of the drop shippers of flowers show the flowers in an arranged state on their websites, leading the consumer to think that is what they are buying, when in reality the product is recieved in a much different form. It does not make the industry look too credible.

Is that enough for you?

 

[Tulip0505]

I have never had anything drop shipped but I wonder if there are good, competent, easy to follow, and easy to find directions about the care and handling of the flowers. My greatest concern is that people will have flowers shipped to them, then not put water in the container or not cut the stems or whatever and their flowers will die and they'll stop buying flowers because "they just die in two days."

I hope think that a bad drop ship experience would cause people to come back to a florist but I wonder if it really just turns them away from flowers and that's even worse than not using a reliable local florist every time you order flowers.

 

[Dazeal]

(And no, we're not in any way investigating becoming a drop shipper, I'll nip that speculation right off!)

Of course you aren't, or your partner, Proflowers, would be a little upset.

 

[NicoleAtTF]

Of course you aren't, or your partner, Proflowers, would be a little upset.

The funny thing is, those flowers from Proflowers would usually have been drop-shipped, so if we're looking at it from the aspect of keeping floral customers in the industry (a theme I've seen in the 3 prior posts here), at least TF hiring a local florist to fill those orders gives those customers the chance to have a better experience.

Just playing a little devil's advocate.

 

[Sarah Botchick]

I can't speak from a florist point of view. But from where I sit the obvious negative is that it takes away business from local florists. When you take away their business, the local florists start hurting. Local florists who a lot of us (wholesalers, growers, AND in theory, Teleflora) depend on for our survival. You hurt the local florists, you hurt everyone.

Also, it gets consumers out of the habit of choosing their local florist. Therefore, there is no relationship built up when the time comes for the consumers to make a larger floral purchase, such as funeral flowers, wedding flowers, etc. Its like a relationship built up with a doctor. You learn to trust that person when they help you with something as simple as strep throat. The trust grows over time and you have someone to turn to when more serious conditions develop.

 

[MANORVILLE]

The funny thing is, those flowers from Proflowers would usually have been drop-shipped, so if we're looking at it from the aspect of keeping floral customers in the industry (a theme I've seen in the 3 prior posts here), at least TF hiring a local florist to fill those orders gives those customers the chance to have a better experience.

Just playing a little devil's advocate.

A Twist For You :

Economy and trends are changing. WS is not securing the market they rely upon, and memberships are decreasing, along with monthly cash cow revenue.
WS gets in bed with the order gatherers to pick up the slack a bit.
The practice will continue.
More orders go to the OG's and member florist numbers continue to drop even faster as many quit or go out of business.
WS revenue slides even more, all while supporting the OG's.
OG's business continues to boom and the need for any WS becomes minimal.

Questions :
At what point do the WS's realize that they have been feeding the crocodile,,,,,,,which will eventually have them for lunch ? Quite honestly that is a no brainer !
At what point do the WS's realize that the real florists were the way to go, and how badly they screwed it up over the years based solely upon greed ?

 

[meherr]

Our funeral directors bring us drop-shipped flowers from Proflowers to arrange for the funerals because they have no idea what to do with them. In my experience, these have been the most pitiful stems of flowers I have seen. The last one was pictured on the PF website as a beautiful bunch of stargazer lilies with multiple open blooms on each stem. What was shipped were old stems of lilies with all the spent blooms cut off and a single tight bloom per stem. Placed in the vase with not a single piece of greenery included, the results were embarrassing. This was an expensive arrangement on the website and the corporate sender would have certainly been disappointed if they had had any idea what their money bought. We photographed it and wished that there had been enough info on the card message so we could forward the photo to the sender, but there wasn't so I'm sure they had no clue.

 

[concord]

The WS will never get it until it's too late. TF would have us believe they are looking out for us by not drop shopping,but they are in bed with pro-flowers now? How stupid do they think we are? Letting OG be members is just as harmful as drop shipping but again the WS either don't get it or don't care.

 

[kt4ye]

Nicole, if you have not yet done so, go to Amazon and search for flowers. You will find ProFlowers and two or three others. Now take a look at their customer ratings.

They are nicely grouped. Roughly half are 5 star. The other half are 1 star.

All the 5 star ratings are for flower deliveries where everything went well.

The 1 star ratings seem to be divided. One "batch" included deliveries that were not made, were mis-delivered or were LATE. The other batch was deliveries that WERE delivered, but under inclement conditions -- too hot so the flowers were cooked (and chocolate melted) -- or so cold that the products were frozen.

As to the effect of drop-shipping mis-feasance, it is not distinguishable from the effect on the US market that is inflicted on the market by NATIONAL direct marketers such as TF, FTD, 1800, JF, WB, FYF and all the others.

In all instances, customers try out the "name brand" suppliers and find that they either paid too much, got a poor product, poor service or all of these. For ONE example, go to Yahoo Shopping and search for flowers. FTD is not currently graded by Yahoo customers.

Teleflora and 1800 are currently 1 star merchants! (There is no such thing as a Zero Star merchant.) MY shop, per Yahoo! is 4.5 stars, so it CAN be done!

NOW take a look at a chart showing the TOTAL US flower market vs time. Is it a coincidence that the steady growth of the US market slowed and began declining just after the National direct marketers started taking major market share?

Can you blame the consumer from eschewing flowers for other, less problematic products? After all, the consumer tried ALL the "best" flower suppliers, and they were all terrible!

The National direct marketers are currently treating the US flower market with the same cavalier attitudes that were pervasive in Detroit up until last year. I expect that the floral outcome will likely be the same as that experienced in Detroit. But it is unlikely that any "bailouts" will be forthcoming!

All the best,
Bill

 

[RWK]

As far as Teleflora not drop-shipping Nicole..........perhaps you or your superiors need to address that with your reps. At a recent convention I attended, the rep hinted that drop-shipping WAS on the horizon for Teleflora.

Now, If Teleflora was NOT going to enter into the drop-shipping arena, then why else would they ally themselves with one of the largest drop-shippers?

Most florists are not going to order special "Proflowers" logo boxes from Teleflora marketplace so they can box their own flowers.....unless they truly are FWOAC

Sorry Nicole.......after 26 plus years in this industry, I just don't buy it. For Teleflora to have allied with Proflowers and NOT begin drop-shipping makes no sense otherwise.

 

[CHERYL BAKIN]

Nichole:

In another post, I alluded to the PF/TF alliance. I personally believe that Tf and PF will forge that alliance even stronger as the coming holiday season appears, and that the FYF arm will be completely eliminated.

In other words, TF will allow PF to send all orders for today's flower fullfillment thru the TF network, as a PF order.

PF eliminates many of their "failed to deliver" headaches, as the local florists handle their order. PF will continue to gather huge service charges as well as 20% sending on each order -- and the local florist will get screwed again.

This is only about TF increasing its revenue stream even more -- and about PF offering a bigger, more guaranteed presence in the SAME DAY DELIVERY ARENA. And this was the only area that they really did not compete well.

Consumer confidence in the flower market is already way low....and will sink even lower with these moves. Boxed flowers should not be sent to Funeral homes, Nursing homes, or to hospital patients!! Flowers should not be delivered in a frozen or overheated state. These are just some examples of why the FedEx/DHL/UPS shippment of flowers -- as well as the lack of guiding the customer with their purchase -- helps to further desicrate what we do.

TF is not supporting the local independent florist with this move. They are only after more and higher order volume and profits for themselves.

Cheryl

 

[Rhonda]

and let it be known that I shall tell every TF florist I know that they will be receiving headquarters orders that originating from PF........do they want to fill for an order gatherer? Really??? Does not matter that I was and am now NOT TF. It is up to every florist to have a conscience.......fill their bottom line (at a discount) or turn that sender into a customer. A great many small shops are learning about the dark side and choosing to move away.

 

[lizzie ann]

Our funeral directors bring us drop-shipped flowers from Proflowers to arrange for the funerals because they have no idea what to do with them. In my experience, these have been the most pitiful stems of flowers I have seen. The last one was pictured on the PF website as a beautiful bunch of stargazer lilies with multiple open blooms on each stem. What was shipped were old stems of lilies with all the spent blooms cut off and a single tight bloom per stem. Placed in the vase with not a single piece of greenery included, the results were embarrassing. This was an expensive arrangement on the website and the corporate sender would have certainly been disappointed if they had had any idea what their money bought. We photographed it and wished that there had been enough info on the card message so we could forward the photo to the sender, but there wasn't so I'm sure they had no clue.

my question to you is ...why do you feel the need to arrange these flowers for pro flowers or the funeral home? From where I sit you are helping to make the drop shippers look good at your expense. JMO

 

[duanermb]

It seems a little odd (since I read about it in threads all the time), but I'm trying to do a little research here with all of you to see what you know/assume about the impact (positive or negative) of drop shipping on the floral industry.

I wanted to open a different thread because I wanted a conversation without a specific bias already in the introductory post.

So, I'm sure this is a crazy can of worms to open on purpose, but I hope to get lots of thoughtful answers.

(And no, we're not in any way investigating becoming a drop shipper, I'll nip that speculation right off!) Thank you all so much!

-Nicole.

Net effect, none or positive. Overall cut flower sales continue to increase even in a down economy. The numbers don't lie. Get your piece of the action or don't.

Sorry all, but there is really no point in having an opinion on this one. It was inevitable and is here to stay. Deal with it.

Everyone assumes that it is bad, because the people who got burnt are ranting and raving about it online. Millions of orders and hundreds of complaints. Did anyone ever stop to think that with their low prices, they could be converting non flower buyers to flower buyers? Same with the department stores. And when the flowers don't last, or suck in some sort of way, who do they go to?

Oh, and lets see $9.99 roses vs. $59.99 roses. Point the finger in the right direction folks.

The deceptive advertising, tax laws, now there is something we can work on. The Amazon battle continues, and they will lose, giving local business the upper hand again. But that has nothing to do with drop shipping in general, only the companies that are doing it.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

I have a slightly different overview of this "issue".....
Over the course, of the last few years, and ESPECIALLY during this recession, there has been a "crapification" of the expected "standards" of yesteryear, and MANY consumers, are NOW accepting products, AND services, that they once WOULD NEVER have stood still for.
Drop shipping of ALL kinds of products, never mind flowers, has both "created" new market demands, while also, creating "new" marketplace headaches, and consumers are now quite "comfortable" with rolling the dice, and taking a chance, that their needs be met, BASED ON PRICE!!
There is a LARGE consumer base, willing to buy ANYTHING, based on price alone, and with "lower" expectations of HIGH VALUE for LOW MONEY, have dramatically been altered.
Drop shipping is nothing new...it WILL continue.
Here's the "caveat"......FLORAL OG's, dOG's, and wire services, have "prostituted" the very shops, that gave them their livings, for so long, and AS prostitutes, flower shops felt "compelled" to take it in the ass, thinking that their "pimps" were looking after their best interests.
MANY florists have dropped the "prostitution" trade...getting "raped" by the very organizations that housed their "protection" and NOW, that it's a free for all, florists have said, "shove it up your OWN backside".....
So NOW, florists have begun to "understand" what it's like "buying" a picture, from a book of selections, "promising" satisfaction, and THEN delivering something ELSE, and THAT is why the consumer, is so gung ho, about "finding" alternate floral sources.

 

[RonBeyer]

my question to you is ...why do you feel the need to arrange these flowers for pro flowers or the funeral home? From where I sit you are helping to make the drop shippers look good at your expense. JMO

We've been lucky and not had this situation arise yet. But if one of our 3 local funeral homes called I wouldn't think twice about helping them out. I'd just think of it as extending a professional courtesy.

 

[BOSS]

Filling *ANY* company order, and especially "gathered" **non-florist** generated orders is counterproductive to YOUR (and my) survival!!!

Stooooopid florists!

BWTHDIK:dunce

 

[Chezbloom]

TF does not "Hire" the local florist. The florist pays dearly to get those orders and gets charged a ton of extra fees for jack squat. My favorite, "the quality control fee". What a joke. Sorry Nicole, it just is'nt that simple. And as far as I'm concerned TF does support dropshipping by affiliating themselves with PF. And I agree 100% with Ricky, its just a matter of time.