Sending Flowers

[sloan]

What do you get for $50 + $8.99 for delivery?

Sent three days ago before delivery and requested designers choice.

Let me know what you guys think.

What do we "give"? A lot more than this, I'm happy to say.

 

[PYork]

I think it's a disgrace and I think it illustrates the reason "sending flowers" has become such a crapshoot - way too many folks who don't care/don't know are handling this once magnificent product and churning out messes like this and charging $50+ for them. Someone should be ashamed but they're too busy stuffing another $50 in their pocket....

 

[CHERYL BAKIN]

Eric:
did you call the florist about these two orders in question & express your unhappiness for the "sender" ?

what was the florist response, if you called?

thanks,

cheryl

 

[lizzie ann]

CRAP...........JMHO!! If this is a small town they may have gone to the local grocery store and bought a premade bokay and dropped it in a vase....We have a few very small florists who are really struggling and I know for a fact that this is what they are doing.

As far as the design? there is none

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

OK Eric...I'll bite..which shop did these come from??....a deli maybe, a five & dime??

 

[artistry in bloom]

Yuk! That's all I can say about those flowers. Unfortunately it happens far too often.
Whenever I can I help the delivery service carry arrangements to the van with the purpose of seeing what other florists are doing. Many times there are "designs" so awful that it makes me wonder why anyone would even send flowers if the person they want to impress with their wonderful gift ends up getting garbage instead of something wonderful.
I just looked at Thom's thread on the fantastic brownies and thought someone would be a lot happier with a box of those brownies than that awful arrangement and they are the same price point.
Now that anyone can order almost anything on the internet for delivery in other cities it's no wonder that the floral business is suffering when some shops have the nerve to deliver something as ugly as that.

 

[sha]

Wire Services

Yes, I agree with all the others. This is why our industry is in so much trouble. Dealing with ....florist...or flower arrangers that do shody work. Our Customers work hard for their money and we work hard for our money also. We expect quality product for our customers and our customers expect quality product and design from us. The arrangement was really disgraceful and I would be ashamed also. The question is, "How would you have liked to had this arrangement sent for your customer?" If this flower shop is in the wire service, the wire service should be notified of their work, and they can drop them due to their work and sevice. I know this to be true, because a shop in our local area had the same type of service and work. If not reported, all florist and floral designers suffer and are lumped into the same catagory. These reasons are why the Consumer has no faith in our industry today, because of bad flower shops. :wave:

 

[lori042499]

Just wondering what you guys think this arrangement is worth

I recreated the arrangement just to see if better colors and better design made a difference, I probably use 6 less pieces of green and a clear vase instead of a colored vase, I kept the one sided nature and am not 100% happy with the design, it really isn't something I would be happy sending from my shop, but was limited by the choice of flowers..I did add in the second snap because I do believe that unless a monkey designed that first arrangement there must be one on the other side, but any way...here it is, I think it does look better, more to value, but design still sucks, not the right vase, not a stellar selection of flowers...etc etc..

 

[lori042499]

Now using the same flowers but a less expensive dish and even less greens, which now is making the arrangement about 45.00 instead of 50.00..but looking a whole lot better just by using the chosen flowers better for what they work...this is the difference between a designer and an arranger....anyone can follow a recipe select the said flowers and put them together....It takes a designer to be able to select the flowers in the correct colors, a container that fits them and put them into a style that suits their ways....

 

[SpringCity]

Those are better for sure Lori, at least it looks like someone took some time to make a design.

I have a thing lately where I try to limit myself to 3 colors, just to keep arrangements from looking too hodgepodgey. I disagree about orange and white; sometimes it can look striking with lime green IMO but not orange, white, lavender, purple, yellow, red...

 

[lori042499]

Those are better for sure Lori, at least it looks like someone took some time to make a design.

I have a thing lately where I try to limit myself to 3 colors, just to keep arrangements from looking too hodgepodgey. I disagree about orange and white; sometimes it can look striking with lime green IMO but not orange, white, lavender, purple, yellow, red...

I had a really bad experience with an orange and white arrangement when I was a kid and the customer was not nice and my boss was really mad...I am probably just scared to ever try those two colors together again all these years later...I was probably just 3 years into my career and hadn't been to school yet and knew nothing about the color wheel...bad, bad, bad, I tell you...

 

[sandytf]

I had a really bad experience with an orange and white arrangement when I was a kid and the customer was not nice and my boss was really mad...I am probably just scared to ever try those two colors together again all these years later...I was probably just 3 years into my career and hadn't been to school yet and knew nothing about the color wheel...bad, bad, bad, I tell you...

LOL, Lori!

You would cringe if you saw our Fall/Halloween Display we just put up! Orange, white (really more ivory) and touches of bright green and black! Is this sort of like a clown phobia?

 

[LJVF]

The problem with "designers choice" without any guidelines (and even cookie cutters) is that it opens the arrangement up to a subjective way of measuring value. As with art, someone who prefers impressionism may cringe if they received an abstract piece as a gift.

I'm sure that there is a segment of society who feel that "crappy arrangement" is a beautiful work of art.

This instance is actually a microcosm of the whole problem with florist to florist orders, all variables are not equal. Cost of goods, flower availability & style vary from florist to florist, so it impossible for any uniformity to exist when everyone is playing with a different set of cards.

Also the subjective nature of measuring the value of an arrangement also creates problems. For instance, say florists sold TV's...if we took an order for a Sony Bravia 52" KDL-52W4100 model and wired it out to another florist, we would expect them to deliver the same exact model. There is nothing open to subjective measuring, the recipient gets exactly what the sender ordered.

So in a nutshell, the problem with florist to florist orders are unequal variables and subjective judgment.

 

[Queen of Weddings]

Since the pic is kinda icky on my computer, I do have to say this, WHY is anyone surprised on this??? That is my question, I have seen alot worse, Now you know why < I only send gourmet baskets> Because folks can't do it the way that I do, or want it, or worse those picky folks that I know, SO what if they belong to TF or FTD< what does that have to do with it?> They should do things right, and I do mean that on the out side thing come on it is hot out there, Maybe I need sleep, because I have seen worse than this,

 

[goldfish]

So in a nutshell, the problem with florist to florist orders are unequal variables and subjective judgment.

I know what you're saying, but any good designer must know how a $50 arrangement should "look like" in their locality. If they can't do it, they shouldn't be designing in my opinion.

That's why I've been an advocate of "looks like" pricing. If an arrangement is filled to the specified value but doesn't "look like" worth that value, it's not a good design.

Oh by the way, I noticed that you thanked 666 times already (see attachment). Omen.

 

[laticiarose]

This is an absolutely HORRIBLE mess of flowers...

Eric -- I think your interests would have been MUCH better served, had you taken the time to forgoe the teleflora process, whipped out your CC and called this as a florsit direct order... Maybe spent some time on the phone talking to the shop... did you send it thru network? -- and then you maybe, could have gotten a much better idea of what to expect -- maybe you would have moved on to the next shop after having had a chance to talk to them and ask a few questions??

I would be asking for an adjustment

 

[LJVF]

Oh by the way, I noticed that you thanked 666 times already (see attachment). Omen.

:fdevil:

 

[RWK]

Now using the same flowers but a less expensive dish and even less greens, which now is making the arrangement about 45.00 instead of 50.00..but looking a whole lot better just by using the chosen flowers better for what they work...this is the difference between a designer and an arranger....anyone can follow a recipe select the said flowers and put them together....It takes a designer to be able to select the flowers in the correct colors, a container that fits them and put them into a style that suits their ways....

Emphasis mine,

Thank you Lori for saying this.......That statement in all of this NEEDED to be said !!!!

 

[bloomz]

I use to use Roxannes but I think they are gone now. They did relocate to another city. They use to do awesome arrangements for mom and sister.

I'm pretty sure he likely means Roxainnes - Skin's store before RC bought it.

Many,many years ago we did not have to worry about sending out a "designers choice" order. Our industry is not what it use to be. The art of being a florist, the pride of ownership and the goal of being the best is not no longer important to many of our colleagues. The WS's were on our side and backed the florist. If you didn't do a good job (yes,they actually checked) you would be reprimanded, even dismissed.
If you can do a cookie cutter arr., sell bouquets in a supermarket or even sell flowers on the corner, you can call yourself a florist.
The arr. in the picture is not only undervalued & not designed, but an embarrassment to our entire industry.

The problem with "designers choice" without any guidelines (and even cookie cutters) is that it opens the arrangement up to a subjective way of measuring value. As with art, someone who prefers impressionism may cringe if they received an abstract piece as a gift.

I'm sure that there is a segment of society who feel that "crappy arrangement" is a beautiful work of art.
ature of measuring the value of an arrangement also creates problems. For instance, say florists sold TV's...if we took an order for a Sony Bravia 52" KDL-52W4100 model and wired it out to another florist, we would expect them to deliver the same exact model. There is nothing open to subjective measuring, the recipient gets exactly what the sender ordered.

So in a nutshell, the problem with florist to florist orders are unequal variables and subjective judgment.

This is as good of Pro-Cookie Cutter case as anything I've seen.

 

[BobbiR]

Not only was it a rip-off--it was not a well designed rip-off
had this happen to us once, (that i know of)--sent a 50.00 plus delivery to a friend--asked for a holland vase
she got a mug-filled with mums and carns--looked like my 6 year old grandson did it--in fact he's watched me enough--i thing he could have done better !!!