Smithsonian Flowers by FTD

[CHR]

Are you aware FTD has launched a line of 'Smithsonian Flowers'?

It's a brilliant marketing concept; tying a highly trusted brand - The Smithsonian - to FTD.

All the products are drop-ship and they feature orchid plants and wrapped bouquets. It's interesting the bouquets are all shown wrapped in brown paper to give a vintage look - and they clearly show the flowers as being delivered unarranged. Lots of flowers for the $.

In case you hadn't noticed, FTD has also tied in with Better Homes and Gardens magazine and is giving subscriptions away with each purchase.

The company does appear to be promoting (for the moment) florist-delivered flowers for M Day. If you click on their Best Sellers link, the majority of products displayed for the holiday are delivered by florists. Mainly dome-shaped arrangements loaded with roses and spray roses and little or no foliages.

It does bug me how they show the upgraded versions of designs in the thumbnail photos, but display the "starting at prices" for the smaller versions beneath the photos.

Thoughts on FTD's offerings for the holiday and/or the new Smithsonian line?

 

[KABERS]

I'm surprised they can use the "Smithsonian" name. I will be free from ftd on saturday - woo hoo!!!! I'm both happy and nervous. There is no denying it's convenient for sending out orders. I'm still fsn but there are many times a florist isn't listed.
The need to link ftd to the smithsonian and better homes & gardens is a great marketing move to gain customer confidence and improve their reputation.
You can't possibly think of anything negative when you think of the Smithsonian.

 

[concord]

Jenifer, Congrats on being free from FTD soon! I have been wire service free since Feb 1 and love it. I send out with FSN using my Floristware POS and have not had any problem. If you are sending out and don't see a florist have FSN find one for you. Also, I try hard to get people to call direct when ever possible. I am focused on my local business and see no future in sending or receiving by wire. As far as the Smithsonian /FTD situation, I imagine that Smithsonian will find out soon they got the short end of the stick in that partnership.

 

[OB1]

OK, so, I guess I had totally bought into the Smithsonian as being an impartial "museum" of sorts, where they find, and exhibit the finest relics of American culture. It never occured to me that they could be bought.
Bummer, I just had another icon of society fall.
I am so naive.
JP

 

[BOSS]

Thoughts on FTD's offerings for the holiday and/or the new Smithsonian line?

That they're grasping at straws????

of course they'd be dead if florists quit filling *company orders*.

 

[KABERS]

I don't know Boss. I rejected 4 "company" orders friday. I've rejected 16 order gathered and dotcon orders this month out of 36 total incoming. Are we really making a difference? There was a whole lot of direct ship on that smithsonian promotion.

 

[concord]

I don't know Boss. I rejected 4 "company" orders friday. I've rejected 16 order gathered and dotcon orders this month out of 36 total incoming. Are we really making a difference? There was a whole lot of direct ship on that smithsonian promotion.

Direct ship is no competion as far as I'm concerned. Once a person has a perishable product delivered that way and left in the sun or cold they are unlikely to order again. So much of my business is for same day delivery also. I'm done worrying about what the Og and WS do. It's got nothing to do with me or my local business. I do believe that those of us who are not accepting company orders or filling for OG's are making a differance. TF just called us trying to place an order with a credit card the other day. They are having trouble getting orders filled by the other shops around here I guess if they would try a non member. Ofcourse we may have gotten smart too late to survive the bad economy...time will tell.

 

[lori042499]

It says alot though that so many in this bad economy are droping the wire services and taking the chance...

As for the Smithsonian flowers, I think it is a smart move on FTD's part, but The Smithsonian might be a bit underwhelmed once they find out that the stuff sits and dies while getting delivered, not sure they care much as someone pointed out, they are more a museum and have their reputation intact, I doubt anything FTD could do could ruin that...I wonder what the smithsonian will do if the hort department starts getting calls about their flowers dieing...you some dolt will be calling..you just know it, or the 90 year old lady that gets her Smithsonian orchid and wants to know how to take care of it...Thant should be fun for them.

 

[CHR]

Concord, I beg to disagree. Direct ship is huge competition for local florists.

As the networks become more unreliable (due to holes in the coverage, consumer disappointment from substitutions and thinning florist margins), direct ship ensures orders can be fulfilled and at higher profits for FTD.

The Smithsonian has an impeccable reputation and that will definitely benefit FTD. Every item in the Smithsonian collection is drop-ship.

 

[anytimeflowers]

I think that again, this issue comes down to where you may be located in terms of urban, suburban, and even remote. I have talked to many people in my own town who thought nothing of just ordering from 1800, for delivery to my town. Now that may be different in areas where people are still a little "old-fashioned" in the way that they shop, especially for flowers.

In my area, drop-ship is a direct competitor.

 

[BOSS]

I agree drop ship is a direct competitor...

However... FTD can not survive on drop ship alone... and if that's all florists left for them they would die.

 

[peggy70130]

OK, so, I guess I had totally bought into the Smithsonian as being an impartial "museum" of sorts, where they find, and exhibit the finest relics of American culture. It never occured to me that they could be bought.
Bummer, I just had another icon of society fall.
I am so naive.
JP

Hmmm, I never thought they could be bought either. The last time I looked the Smithsonian Institution was our national museum. Belonging to all of us, well, here in the US anyway.

 

[anytimeflowers]

Hmmm, I never thought they could be bought either. The last time I looked the Smithsonian Institution was our national museum. Belonging to all of us, well, here in the US anyway.

They are actually very merchant-minded. They are one of the biggest buyers for Georgetown Pottery's ikebana dishes, which they sell at a high mark-up. It isn't just old stuff on display, and I suppose they need to boost their income as their traditional fund sources may not be what they used to be.

 

[concord]

Concord, I beg to disagree. Direct ship is huge competition for local florists.

As the networks become more unreliable (due to holes in the coverage, consumer disappointment from substitutions and thinning florist margins), direct ship ensures orders can be fulfilled and at higher profits for FTD.

The Smithsonian has an impeccable reputation and that will definitely benefit FTD. Every item in the Smithsonian collection is drop-ship.

But what happens to the dropped shipped flowers when they are left out on a sunny step or on a freezing day? I have trouble seeing that as my competion although I could be wrong...I was once!

 

[concord]

Concord, I beg to disagree. Direct ship is huge competition for local florists.

As the networks become more unreliable (due to holes in the coverage, consumer disappointment from substitutions and thinning florist margins), direct ship ensures orders can be fulfilled and at higher profits for FTD.

The Smithsonian has an impeccable reputation and that will definitely benefit FTD. Every item in the Smithsonian collection is drop-ship.

you can disagree with me with out begging BTW
people do it all the time!

 

[anytimeflowers]

you can disagree with me with out begging BTW
people do it all the time!

You nut!!!!

 

[CHR]

But what happens to the dropped shipped flowers when they are left out on a sunny step or on a freezing day? I have trouble seeing that as my competion although I could be wrong...I was once!

For many consumers, it's about price, airline miles ( or whatever affinity program they belong to) and convenience. You and I see the toasted box sitting on doorsteps, but the senders aren't thinking of that - and only know if told by the recipients.

My IT guy told me about a gal in his office who received a box from ProFlowers last week. They were drooped and ugly and his description sounded like one of their $19.95 specials. He told the gal to complain (and she took a lot of teasing in the office due to the crappy flowers) but she didn't want to offend the sender.

How many people receive wilted/dead flowers as a gift and never say anything but 'thank you' out of courtesy? The avalanches of complaints come when the senders actually see the flowers, like during V Day. During a holiday like M Day, most senders never see their gift, get thanked and then continue to send.

My FedEx guys talks for walls of drop-ship boxes on holidays. It affects all of us.

 

[concord]

I see your point but I do wonder why the recipient doesn't call Pro-flowers and complain atleast, even if she doesn't tell the sender. Maybe she does, who know? I just know that I can't stop drop ship, OG's or WS and need to concentrate on what I can do which is provide quality and service to my local customers, which is hard enough these days.

 

[NicoleAtTF]

Can I just say that we definitely believe drop shipping competes with local shops? Based on research, we think it takes about $500 million in sales away from local florists each year - and I think that your share of that $500 million could probably change the way you feel about how well your shop is (or is not) doing. Our data's explained on the savetheflorists.com site, if you hadn't yet seen it.

 

[Carol Bice]

Continuing with Cathy's thoughts on people just thanking the sender without complaining.....I might guess that half the people that get these drop shippped flowers that are bad never complain because they don't want to upset the sender. Thus, the sender keeps on using them.

Just this week, a friend told me he used ProFlowers and 1-800-Flowers often and I asked why. He said that the recipients always call and tell him thank you and that they were pretty. I then asked him if he ever saw what he had sent. Of course, he said no.....but, I am betting that many of them were dissappointed, but, never told him.