Susanne Intro
- Thread starter Susanne
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wildflowerschicago
New Member
Amy,
Thank you, glad to be here! I'm still trying to get familiar with the site, and come up with my intro, so excuse me if I'm a little slow to respond.
Thank you, glad to be here! I'm still trying to get familiar with the site, and come up with my intro, so excuse me if I'm a little slow to respond.
After a short time of being a Teleflora & FTD florist, I felt my enthusiasm for the business begin to wilt.
And I am working on ending my relationship with them. However, FTD has me a bit cornered into a contract. I feel like David verses Goliath when I compare my small business to Teleflora & FTD. I didn’t allow that to intimidate me, I still chose to cut ties with them. These two wire services may work well for a small percentage of florists but not me or most of my friends who are florists. (Please take no offense, if you're one of the of florists who actually do benefit from Teleflora or FTD.) But the truth is; they are a huge corporations that leach off the backs of thousands of small "mom and pop" flower shops! They charge you ridiculous fees, and corner you into buying their equipment and codified vases with promises of giving you more orders! When I first signed on with them, I really thought they were helping me grow my business by giving me their wire orders. I finally woke up and realized the orders they are funneling down to myself and other florists; are simply orders that would have come to us had Telefora, and FTD not intercepted them. How did they get these orders? By spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising and mass marketing. Let’s face it, they have the money, and where did most of the money come from...membership fees.... from thousands of florists just like me. I've had a number of conversations with florists who agree that we need to take our industry back. But, how can we take it back, when we are the ones funding Goliath’s like Teleflora and FTD? So here I am struggling to take back our industry one petal at a time. I’d love to chat with all the other "David’s" out there.
And I am working on ending my relationship with them. However, FTD has me a bit cornered into a contract. I feel like David verses Goliath when I compare my small business to Teleflora & FTD. I didn’t allow that to intimidate me, I still chose to cut ties with them. These two wire services may work well for a small percentage of florists but not me or most of my friends who are florists. (Please take no offense, if you're one of the of florists who actually do benefit from Teleflora or FTD.) But the truth is; they are a huge corporations that leach off the backs of thousands of small "mom and pop" flower shops! They charge you ridiculous fees, and corner you into buying their equipment and codified vases with promises of giving you more orders! When I first signed on with them, I really thought they were helping me grow my business by giving me their wire orders. I finally woke up and realized the orders they are funneling down to myself and other florists; are simply orders that would have come to us had Telefora, and FTD not intercepted them. How did they get these orders? By spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising and mass marketing. Let’s face it, they have the money, and where did most of the money come from...membership fees.... from thousands of florists just like me. I've had a number of conversations with florists who agree that we need to take our industry back. But, how can we take it back, when we are the ones funding Goliath’s like Teleflora and FTD? So here I am struggling to take back our industry one petal at a time. I’d love to chat with all the other "David’s" out there.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Welcome to the "party" Susanne.....we're glad you joined us.
I'm heartened to see, that florists across the country are figuring out the WS gig on their own, even before coming to FC...Susanne, you stated the reality very clearly for a :newbie
Enjoy~!
I'm heartened to see, that florists across the country are figuring out the WS gig on their own, even before coming to FC...Susanne, you stated the reality very clearly for a :newbie
Enjoy~!
Connie
New Member
Susanne, you have found the right place. "One petal at a time..." Love it!
Welcome to Flower Chat!
Chezbloom
Well-Known Member
Take back da biz
How do we fight the big WS and OGs? Exactly by doing what you are doing, with a good independant website, you are well on your way, you figured it out and are working on a solution. Thats what we all need to do before TF, FTD, 1800 do it for us and we are out of the picture.
Cheers and welcome to FC, I vote yes to Born to Party!
Parteeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
How do we fight the big WS and OGs? Exactly by doing what you are doing, with a good independant website, you are well on your way, you figured it out and are working on a solution. Thats what we all need to do before TF, FTD, 1800 do it for us and we are out of the picture.
Cheers and welcome to FC, I vote yes to Born to Party!
Parteeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Hello Everyone,
Thanks for your responses, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this battle. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this group. Since I am a newbie, you may see me "lurking" as you call it, during a couple of conversations. I'm just one of those people who want to make sure I know what's going on before I open my big mouth. Anyway, hope your day is prosperous and productive.
Thanks for your responses, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this battle. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this group. Since I am a newbie, you may see me "lurking" as you call it, during a couple of conversations. I'm just one of those people who want to make sure I know what's going on before I open my big mouth. Anyway, hope your day is prosperous and productive.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
That'll be refreshing, since none of the rest of us do....
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
:rofl::rofl:
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