Stay away from Premier Level!

[bloomtastic]

My first month was July. I just looked at my statement.

Of the $3500 in incoming biz, care to guess how much I got paid?

-$152.

There are charges on there I was not explained or even told about, including a $449.99 "Premire" charge. I'm in Tier 6, and the $250 "Premire" charge I WAS told about is in the $1900 "fees" I paid. $1900!!!!!!!! Plus $449.99 PLUS almost $900 in "Bloomnet Activity" which I don't know what all covers. Yes, they sent me some codififed, for a total of $585.

PLUS---- did you know that you are CHARGED to receive orders from other florists? This is in addition to the $1.75 incoming fee you are charged per order. I recieved 4 and was charged $19.99. Should I have received one more for a total of 5 I would have been charged $54.99. Should I receive 71+ from other fellow florists I am charged $249.99. What a rip-off and I was NOT told about this.

When I sat with my rep, my husband sat in with us and explained to him we are leary of sales people because we are not told the entire truth. So I told him to name every charge that would appear on my statement--which he did and I wrote down. No where does it say anything about a "Florist to Florist" charge. So here ya go.

I don't like to use this message board as a venting avenue, but I feel strongly that this needs to be shared. Everyone has to decide for him/her self, but please be knowledgable when doing so and learn from my mistake...err, um, experience.

This program will do nothing but make thier wallet fatter and mine thinner.

 

[flower lady]

Sure hope you had the 90 day get out of jail free card... We did and chose to use it. Best of luck. (I think premier means they take more money from you, not you get more from them)

Barb

 

[BJBouquets]

I don't like to use this message board as a venting avenue, but I feel strongly that this needs to be shared. Everyone has to decide for him/her self, but please be knowledgable when doing so and learn from my mistake...err, um, experience.

Thank you for sharing this information. I feel that this type of interaction is exactly what this Community if meant for. I appreciate knowing this now, before I consider it for myself. I'm sorry that you had to go through this. If it were me, I'd FIGHT!

 

[BOSS]

I don't like to use this message board as a venting avenue,

Think nothing of it.....bring it on... it's the FlowerChat Therapy Center on occasion too...

More on the Primier Program Here

It will be interesting to hear from others, if they have seen this same type of TAX structure....

 

[LJVF]

Think nothing of it.....bring it on... it's the FlowerChat Therapy Center on occasion too...

More on the Primier Program Here

It will be interesting to hear from others, if they have seen this same type of TAX structure....

Yeah, I started that thread. Heather thanks for posting the info, they are still calling me to this day since I started that thread and they are still trying to get me to join. Thankfully I didn't bite the bait on that one (thanks BOSS).

 

[yellad]

OMG! Thank you for sharing. I was seriously considering to become a premier when they'll offer it in my area. I'm speachless!!! I'm so tired of fighting with all WS, its like talking to a wall...

 

[vghstaffer]

Ahhhhh, so happy to be wire service FREE!

 

[Chezbloom]

Extortion

Let me get this straight, you filled $3,500 worth of incoming and were paid nothing and on top of that you were charged another $152?
This is criminal. I think FTD knows they suck and florists are catching on so they are going to totally milk every florist dry and then get into 100% dropshipping. Thats what I see in me crystal ball.

 

[lori042499]

Let me get this straight, you filled $3,500 worth of incoming and were paid nothing and on top of that you were charged another $152?
This is criminal. I think FTD knows they suck and florists are catching on so they are going to totally milk every florist dry and then get into 100% dropshipping. Thats what I see in me crystal ball.

Actually this is a 800-flowers deal, I believe. I have been told by many that it is very fee laden and to stay away, far, far away...

It sounds as if you get charged the regular 800 fees for florist to florist orders and the 800-flowers premier charges for their orders...Sounds like double the fees which would make for no money earned...

 

[TOTO]

Your FACTING, not just VENTING!

Thanks for sharing Heather!

It's critical when REAL FLORISTS get burned, they take the time to share it with their industry peers. Your post will save a few florists from becoming just another victim in one of the latest OG scams. In addition, I would think that, your post will also save them THOUSANDS of DOLLARS in wasted cost of goods, cost of labor (FREE) and costs of delivery $ervice, thus saving them from SPINNING THEIR WHEELS for NAUGHT!

I've always said that: " If I want to GIVE AWAY ALL MY STUFF, all I have to do is to stand outside our shop, and hand it out for FREE! After which, I get all the KUDOS and ACCOLADES fore MEE! "

As another florist pointed out awhile ago (Think it was RC):

It's not what you make (GROSS SALES) that's important! It's what you keep (NET PROFITS) at the end of each day, and after you've DONE ALL YOUR DOO!

Thanks again for FACTING while VENTING!

 

[Susanne]

From a legal stand point

Of the $3500 in incoming biz, care to guess how much I got paid?
-$152.

I don't like to use this message board as a venting avenue, .

How many hours do you think it took you to make all the orders from the incoming biz that FTD sent you? I'm going to take a wild guess and say some where between 25-30 hours worth of work went into fulfilling those orders. If you were an employee of FTD, instead of an independent contractor, by law they would have to pay you for your time. Yet, you invested that much time into handling orders which they intercepted and funneled down to you, and your earnings were only $152.00! That's less than minimum wage, that's criminal! If there was a news report that a huge corporation wasn't paying their employees fair wages. The media would be in an uproar. Yet, FTD and the likes get away with this every day, because we florists have signed on the dotted line, and allowed them to get away with it. So, I think we should use this as a place to vent, and educate other florist and consumers. Let me tell you I wish some one had educated me before FTD, Teleflora and taken me for a ride. I finally jumped ship and I am much happier. Hope your ride with them doesn't become more painful, if it does, you know what to do.

 

[Bigted]

Heather, something doesn't sound right here. Are you sure you didn't send out a bunch of orders and those numbers are netted against the incoming? Because, as most of us know, paying a wire service at the end of the month is usually better than receiving a check.


Over 90% in fees doesn't seem realistic--much less legal.

If it is correct, you got robbed!

 

[prestonway]

Just a question...

How did a thread about 1-800 become yet another FTD rant???

 

[bloomtastic]

Let me get this straight, you filled $3,500 worth of incoming and were paid nothing and on top of that you were charged another $152?
This is criminal. I think FTD knows they suck and florists are catching on so they are going to totally milk every florist dry and then get into 100% dropshipping. Thats what I see in me crystal ball.

Yes, that's correct. I OWE them $152. And yes, it's 1-800 Flowers/Bloomnet. Sorry about that.

I don't want to be a part of the wire services, but as of right now they are nothing but icing on the cake for me. I don't depend on the orders, nor would I be hurt if I dropped the service. It keeps us busy on slower days and helps move the product better.

WHat ever happened to people helping people, the way FTD was started? I get it, we are all in biz to make a profit, but is it worth making that profit at someone els's expense like this? $1900 in fees, plus a $449.99 "premire" service fee which I have no clue what is for. And seriously, they are charging us to do biz with one another?!?!? For heaven's sake someone call the FTC.

 

[bloomtastic]

Heather, something doesn't sound right here. Are you sure you didn't send out a bunch of orders and those numbers are netted against the incoming? Because, as most of us know, paying a wire service at the end of the month is usually better than receiving a check.


Over 90% in fees doesn't seem realistic--much less legal.

If it is correct, you got robbed!

I did send out a few, but I've ALWAYS received a check at the end of the month and yes, the statement is correct. I divided everything out and added it all up on my own and still came up with the same thing. Almost $900 in Bloomnet activity--I didn't buy $900 worth of product from them and convienently there is no listing on the statement--a breakdown of what the $900 is for. Plus, the $449.99 that I don't know what is for, in addition to the $1900-- which does include the couple hundred in wire outs, but still. It's highway robbery. $3500 worth of biz out the door and I saw nothing for it.

 

[TOTO]

Ah, because they're all LIKE the same now?

Just a question...How did a thread about 1-800 become yet another FTD rant???

Might be JUST MEE, but in today's NEW FORE PROFIT WS environment, they're all pretty much the same now.

Back in THE DAY, and pre 1984, we only had ONE OG SKIMMER PLAYER who launched his interceptor 800 scud missiles, to come in between WE REAL FLORISTS and OUR CUSTOMERS. Sadly, and back in THE DAY, FTDA was his enabler and despite the fact that, he was in VIOLATION of our own FTDA Member Rules and Bylaws.

"No FTDA member can create a SEPERATE and DISTINCT LIST of FILLER FLORIST MEMBERS, and to the EXCLUSION of ALL OTHER FTDA Members!"

That, in my umble opinion, was THE BEGINNING of THE END of WHAT ONCE, WAS!

As the years went by, many others simply MIMICKED what they had done since, they began to understand where, ALL OF THE REAL PROFITS were to be made in the WIRE SERVICE GAME, sending, NOT FILLING!

Add to that, the OG SKIMMER REBATE WAR, and wee florists wound up with a long term financial formula for disaster, regarding what was once, our fair and equitable WS BALENCE OF TRADE. You DOO for MEE and then, I'LL DO FOR YOU! When you do for me, I make the 20% sending commission plus my WS $ervice charge plus my rebate, and I'll stick that into my profit coffers. And then, when you send me your incoming WS order at net 71%, the profits I kept on the outgoing, will then get cost shifted over to the highly discounted side, and that allows me to afford to fill your incoming discounted orders.

However, and with the MIDDLEMAN OG SKIMMERS, all of the PROFITS dry up and go away, and all you're left with is the LIABILIY on the filling side.

After which, the remaining two major WSs left, merely followed suit by launching their own CONSUMER WEBSITES, thus attempting to eliminate the REAL FLORISTS from their one on one relationship with their own 100% sale customers.

It's a sad epitaph of what once was, versus what they've morphed into now, but no real florist can survive when filling their DOT.CON orders at 50 cents on the net dollar when all of their WS wampum smoke and mirrors clears.

In Heather's case, she not only WORKED FOR NOTHING, she lost lots of money BIG TIME in her COGS (cost of goods) COL (cost of labor) and COD (cost of delivery).

Heather got SMART real quick and she will make adjustments accordingly, TOOT SWEET! I suspect that, she will KICK THAT LIABILITY to the curb, and priories her shop and her profitability, as HER JOB ONE!

However, let's all be frank and truthful over the reality of what's happened to OUR FLORAL INDUSTRY and what was once, our so called WS partners.

They are ALL OUR COMPETITORS NOW, and not withstanding the fact that, some of us are still sending them our HARD EARNED MONEY in the form of DUES, FEES, and other OPTIONAL ANCILLARY SERVICES, on an annual basis, all they offer any of us now is, HIGHLY DISCOUNTED SKIMMER INCOMING ORDERS at fifty cents NET on our dollars.

As PT BARNUM put it best: " A FOOL IS BORN EVERY MINUTE! "

Is there any HOPE? Absolutely! On the day that, a REAL FLORIST figures it all out for themselves, they will then DUMP their WSs, save their annual dues and fees, and use that money to advertise themselves and their shops in their own local markets and on the Internet. After which, and when they need to provide the service of the transmission of OUT OF TOWN orders for their own customers, they will seek out and find another REAL FLORIST who can DOO THEIR DOO, thus eliminating the WS WRINGERS, and reverting to, WHAT WAS, ONCE WAS!

ONE REAL FLORIST conducting business with ANOTHER REAL FLORIST, and with a guarantee of payment. Luckily and in these days, that's called a company credit card, preferably the one which gives you the MOST POINTS!

And of course, the old adage of "JUST SAY NO!" to any and all of the MIDDLEMAN SKIMMERS, because, and quite frankly, if A REAL FLORIST refuses to ENABLE THEM by filling their JUNK ORDERS, those orders go unfulfilled, and you have effectively PUT THEM OUT OF (YOUR) BUSINESS! It only takes ONE TIME for that to happen, after which, the SENDER will seek out and find a REAL FLORIST they can trust to process their order with due diligence.

I still like IFA for the task at 80% net to filler!

www.myifa.org

It's simple, it's clean, and IT'S CHEAP, at only $20 per month with a one time application fee of only $40.

IFA puts me in touch with another REAL FLORIST and without the MAJOR SKIM of a MIDDLEMAN WS whose time has come and gone! And, only because THEY GOT TOO GREEDY and FORGOT WHO THEIR BEST CUSTOMERS WERE! They DUG THEIR OWN GRAVES so, LET THEM LY (LIE) IN THEM!

As always, this is JUST MY UMBLE OPINION, and I could be wrong, BUT I'M NOT!

 

[prestonway]

Do you just copy & paste this post TOTO, or do you actually type it out each time???

 

[BOSS]

What am I missing here?

Yes, that's correct. I OWE them $152.

as of right now they are nothing but icing on the cake for me.

$1900 in fees, plus a $449.99 "premire" service fee which I have no clue what is for.

What am I missing here... seems like these two statements do not go together...

800 has perhaps the worst statement, you can barely figure out what charges are for...they list amounts without a breakdown, and who knows what some of the charges are for...

The Primier Program is a sham, cooked up by Martha and Bloomnet to seperate florists from more of the green stuff...you'd be better off...:bloomz: ....at least you'd get some enjoyment out of it!

 

[TOTO]

Another ORIGINAL!

Do you just copy & paste this post TOTO, or do you actually type it out each time???

Probably should just COPY and PASTE to save the time EVERYTIME, but I prefer to address the same problem with each new victim, since there may be subtle differences.

FORE MEE, it's a like a MANTRA!

Which makes it easy for me to PULL OUT it all out of my head, and anytime an OLD or NEW WICKED WITCH trys to invade our territory.
:wallhead:

 

[Susanne]

Just a question...

How did a thread about 1-800 become yet another FTD rant???

The word “rant” generally has a negative connotation. My apologies, if any one thought my post was negative. I am not a negative person, but I am honest. I expressed my perspective out of honesty and genuine concern for a fellow florist who was taken advantage of. The wire service companies took me to the cleaners so many times, that I thought about turning my flower shop into a dry cleaning operation. In my post it doesn’t really matter if I used name of FTD, Teleflora, or 1-800, these company names are all interchangeable. They have different names, different fees, different websites, but they all use the same unscrupulous business model. Heather knows she is dealing 1-800, so in my post I placed emphasis on the other wire services like FTD. It may have been my subconscious way of warning her that if she leaves her current wire service, and thinks about joining another service, that the others will take her for the same ride.