Teleflora Christmas Coupon Redemption

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hangglidegirl

hangglidegirl

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Sep 10, 2006
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I just found out that Teleflora will not be redeeming my $5 coupons as I did not advertise in the co-op Parade section. When I spoke with customer service I was told that there was an email sent out about this in mid-December. I never saw this email - did any of you?

The customer service rep sounded like he was ready to cry and said that he has taken dozens of complaint calls on this matter.
 
I think that the first notice I saw of it related to the Valentine's day ad...although when I mentioned it to my TF rep, she was CLUELESS!
 
A word of caution with co-op advertising...I had a very bad experience, back when I was still a member. I signed up for 1 holiday, but was unaware that you have to cancel for future holidays or they automatically sign you up again (like the stupid directory).

I think the whole practice sounds shady to me (IMO). Perhaps they weren't getting enough florists to foot the bill for their advertising through their membership fees, so why not tack on another charge.

Sorry, I'm still a little bitter.
 
Barb:
It was a small print notice attached to you Nov/December statement (cannot remember which one). I messaged about it here on FC.

The whole thing seemed to be that too many florists were accepting the coupons & redeeming them without participating in the advertising program.

Last time we particpated in it, it was around $159/holiday. It's probably gone way up since then.

This will bite them and us in the foot. We, the florists, will not accept a coupon that we cannot redeem --- or, alternatively, we will give the customer a $5.00 discount just to keep the sale.

This was & is having a negative impact on TF -- just as they tout to us that they are "all for the florists".

Yea, Right!!

Cheryl
 
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CHERYL BAKIN said:
We, the florists, will not accept a coupon that we cannot redeem --- or, alternatively, we will give the customer a $5.00 discount just to keep the sale.
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I would and do often... folk's come in with either a Dot.coN coupon or a competitors... I'll take it...to get the customer! Even if I can't redeem it...
 
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Either pay the co-op charge to 'earn back' the coupon discount or accept the coupon at your cost.

If the co-op fee is $160, you''ll need 32 coupons redeemed to 'break even'.

I'd definitely recommend accepting the coupon whether you get reimbursed or not. Are florists gonna send customers to TF.com over 'lost' $5? That would be some serious 'shrinking thinking'.
 
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Cathy & Mark,
I too honor the coupons at $5.00 off to make the sale, and keep the customer. Not everyone does though.

The math is a no-brainer.

I think the Horrific cry is just beginning to be heard via the coupons from Christmas that were not honored by TF & are now being returned to the florists -- just in time for VD.

Cheryl
 
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We too received the coupon notice saying they would not redeem them. It was my naive understanding that the coupons were a vehicle to drive consumers into a teleflora shop and buy teleflora product. I was apparently mistaken, the coupon now seems to be a cash back to off-set your co-op advertising. We will still accept the coupons (I will not turn the customer away) but I will explain to the customer it is only for an in-store purchase and they can use it on our in- house designs that are a much better value.
 
I thought it was the other way around: you had to have purchased TEL holiday codified product in order to be able to redeem the coupons.

I don't know... TEL is turning more and more into a Dictator every day. We're nearly done with them... Tired of their superiority complex... megalomaniacs...

- Herb
 
Herb,
Originally, way back when, you were supposed to purchase the TF (or FTD) product to accept and redeem the product.

FTD always verified that you did purchase the product thatyou turned incoupons for. TF apparently did not, and really could not, since they have always allowed shops to split cases of products, and still be codified. Problem came about that they really had no way of tracking who had bought the product and who had not.

So, people were turning in coupons to TF for which they had not purchased the product. When the coupons were $2.00 off, I don't think this was a big deal. When it went to $5.00 it became a bigger deal.

Then, fast forward -- all kinds of shops were dropping their coupon section and parade magazine advertising. Big drop in Revenue to TF -- at $159+ per ad per shop (I was quoted $199. by a shop just today).

So, new rules from the King for the peasants:
You must buy the codified product, and you must participate in the Ad campaign to redeem coupons, Effective with the Christmas season (12/2008).
It's the fine print on the last page of the statement -- written in wee little type -- that you really, really have to read each month to catch the new schemes that they are pulling
Cheryl
 
BOSS said:
I would and do often... folk's come in with either a Dot.coN coupon or a competitors... I'll take it...to get the customer! Even if I can't redeem it...
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First I want to say that we do also....for in store sales.

Let me ask, is there not a fine line on florists accepting this type of "discount order" initiated by a WS (ads/coupon paid by members) and allowing it to continue by the acceptance.... vs. some of the other acceptance of discounted orders? Just wondering where it turns from white to black......
 
clay said:
Let me ask, is there not a fine line on florists accepting this type of "discount order" initiated by a WS (ads/coupon paid by members) and allowing it to continue by the acceptance.... vs. some of the other acceptance of discounted orders? Just wondering where it turns from white to black......
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I don't think so Clay, it's a local customer and a local delivery. I do not accept them for wire out's. Coupon on a $100.00 comes to 5% way less than the 32-3% on incomings...

prestonway said:
So why doesn't TF think the same way?

After all you are a member, hence you are their customer, aren't you?
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First, TF does not think. Secondly, no I am not a member, and have not been for some 20 years...
 
I accepted 2 coupons and called TF and was told the same thing - no redemption without the Co-Op ad. The closest paper that runs the ad is about 50+ miles away.
I figured the $ 5.00 loss was better than losing the sale but I'm sure TF counted on us doing that. In the end, we are on the short end and they come out looking good to the man on the street. Eventually, I believe the wire services will outlive their usefulness as more and more people will rely on the internet to place their orders.
 
We advertise on our LED sign that we accept competitor's coupons (and wire service coupons). It's much cheaper than printing our own coupons in our local paper or advertising in the Parade magazine. We will even accept the wire coupons for wire out orders. We just adjust the coupon out of our wire charge - we still get the 20% and our rebate. The 15-20 coupons we get over a holiday won't hurt our bottom line nearly as much as the ill-will it would cause to refuse them.
 
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CHERYL BAKIN said:
I think the Horrific cry is just beginning to be heard via the coupons from Christmas that were not honored by TF & are now being returned to the florists -- just in time for VD.

Cheryl
Click to expand...

Many area shop-owners are contacting Teleflora to ask that they reconsider. If Teleflora doesn't support their member shops, there won't be any member shops to fill their orders and buy their products.

We all pay membership and marketing fees monthly. I'm told that those fees are allocated to non-coupon print ads, bill boards, TV and radio. Coupon ads are considered separate and for the benefit of the shops listed. But the customer who comes into my shop with a coupon to purchase a Teleflora product or have one sent over the Dove network simply because of my association with Teleflora, I believe, is one who was generated by my membership/marketing fees, and not by the ad which tells them to take a coupon to another local florist.

I've made my opinion known to Teleflora, politely and respectfully.
 
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