Teleflora's new "cookie cutters"

[Rhonda]

And we are right back to the "bait and switch" debate from months ago. I just copied down the recipe for TFWEB418 - Citrus Splash.
Pictured it shows all these flowers in the FRONT of the bouquet even though it states "all-around bouquet".
3 carnations, 3 yellow roses, 2 orange roses, 2 st. green buttons, 1 st. orange spray roses.
The customer sees one thing and receives another if followed by recipe and costs are kept in line.
And for the small shop without daily delivery of flowers? Ya gonna keep these flowers on hand hoping to sell another 8 of them to sell all those bunches of flowers you had to get to use 3 or 2 or 1 stem of?

 

[kt4ye]

I loathe the smiley mug, I loathe Joe Boxers smiley underwear, I loathe smiley soaps, socks, sheets, shovels. You get the idea.



And don't get me started on precious moments.

V

We sell a CASE of those smiley mugs every 2 weeks. I'll LOATHE them as soon as they stop selling!

Bill

 

[kt4ye]

And we are right back to the "bait and switch" debate from months ago. I just copied down the recipe for TFWEB418 - Citrus Splash.
Pictured it shows all these flowers in the FRONT of the bouquet even though it states "all-around bouquet".
3 carnations, 3 yellow roses, 2 orange roses, 2 st. green buttons, 1 st. orange spray roses.
The customer sees one thing and receives another if followed by recipe and costs are kept in line.

You have hit on MY (OUR) PET PEEVE. All the TF "all around" arrangements are PHOTOGRAPHED in a SINGLE SIDED configuration. Count the flowers, compare with the recipe and you'll see.

I have called this to TF's attention as high up the ladder as I can reach. They acknowledge the problem but DO NOTHING to fix this deceitful practice.

I have instructed all our designers to make these as Single Sided with just enough "stuff" on the back to make it presentable. I have advised TF of this, too.

Bill

 

[RWK]

As a continuation of what I posted earlier - The new TFWEB specials "cookie cutters" are touted as "PROVEN BEST SELLERS" I really want your opinions and commentary on what factors go to make an arrangement a "PROVEN BEST SELLER"?

 

[lori042499]

As a continuation of what I posted earlier - The new TFWEB specials "cookie cutters" are touted as "PROVEN BEST SELLERS" I really want your opinions and commentary on what factors go to make an arrangement a "PROVEN BEST SELLER"?

All of TF's arrangements are touted that way...

I would consider best sellers as an arrangement that is sold over and over again...

a few for my shop are basket of light, gentle thoughts, warm thoughts, celebration of light, white garden

These are the most ordered arrangements off my website...

 

[RWK]

Lori - Are the arrangement names you mentioned WS designs or are they your original designs?

Which sell better for you ? WS designs or your original designs - Why do you think one sells better over the other one?

 

[CHERYL BAKIN]

RickY;
We sell some of the same ones as Lori very, very well.

People want to shop from a catalogue -- just like they do at Staples, J C Penny's Sears, or any other retailer who has an on-line presence.

While our customers can order on line, and many of them do, a large portion of them choose to call us -- often on our toll-free # -- to ask a question, check on a color, or just give us the order.

Teh internet catalogue, for us, is a sales tool. It is a starting point. It is not the end-all, be - all of all that we do, or can do.

We like it because the pictures are of high quality -- much better than I, in a rushed state of mind most days -- can accomplish with my digital camera.

Yes, we are like many...learning to take better photographs. It is evident in our instore photos of our weddings, for instance.

Am I ready to put these pictures up on line yet??? Naw, my quality is just not there yet....getting there, but not yet. Until I feel that my pictures do justice to our work, I'll stick with the WS images,

Thank you very much for making it much easier for me to sell product. The product picture is a reflection of your work. If your picture image is "amaeteur" then the customer may think that your work is the same way.....and will move on to someone who displays a more professional appearance in their pictures. I'm here for them!

Cheryl

 

[Joe Mioux]

RickY;
We sell some of the same ones as Lori very, very well.

People want to shop from a catalogue -- just like they do at Staples, J C Penny's Sears, or any other retailer who has an on-line presence.

While our customers can order on line, and many of them do, a large portion of them choose to call us -- often on our toll-free # -- to ask a question, check on a color, or just give us the order.

Teh internet catalogue, for us, is a sales tool. It is a starting point. It is not the end-all, be - all of all that we do, or can do.

We like it because the pictures are of high quality -- much better than I, in a rushed state of mind most days -- can accomplish with my digital camera.

Yes, we are like many...learning to take better photographs. It is evident in our instore photos of our weddings, for instance.
Cheryl

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord and pass the LOOT!

 

[RC in Dayton and Cincinnati]

Just out of curiosity for those who make and sell wire service arrangements. Do you make them according to the recipe given by the wire service? If so do they end up looking as nice as the photo?

RC

 

[RWK]

I really am trying to learn here....If one of the reasons for using WS images over another source is quality of the photographs......what about professional pictures from other sources.....like the John Henry selections......or the collection of arrangement images from Florist Review.....just to name a couple.

Arrangements from an industry publication.....like Flowers& from Teleflora for instance.....or Florists Review could be scanned, edited with photoshop or another editing program, and placed on a website.

They would still be professional photographs of quality designs, just not WS designs.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Just out of curiosity for those who make and sell wire service arrangements. Do you make them according to the receipt given by the wire service? If so do they end up looking as nice as the photo?

RC

I can make those arrangements as good as I could make any of your arrangements you highlight on your websites.

joe

 

[Joe Mioux]

I really am trying to learn here....If one of the reasons for using WS images over another source is quality of the photographs......what about professional pictures from other sources.....like the John Henry selections......or the collection of arrangement images from Florist Review.....just to name a couple.

Arrangements from an industry publication.....like Flowers& from Teleflora for instance.....or Florists Review could be scanned, edited with photoshop or another editing program, and placed on a website.

They would still be professional photographs of quality designs, just not WS designs.

Ricky,

It is a matter of time.

Some shops have the time and resources to create their own signature designs, while other shops are too busy doing other things, like selling weddings, gathering orders (i.e. capitalizing on the internet), or growing plants for wholesale and retail.

It is a matter of time!

joe

 

[LJVF]

I really am trying to learn here....If one of the reasons for using WS images over another source is quality of the photographs......what about professional pictures from other sources.....like the John Henry selections......or the collection of arrangement images from Florist Review.....just to name a couple.

Arrangements from an industry publication.....like Flowers& from Teleflora for instance.....or Florists Review could be scanned, edited with photoshop or another editing program, and placed on a website.

They would still be professional photographs of quality designs, just not WS designs.

The reason I like ws cookies are because:

1. The quality of the image
2. The name of the item
3. The description of the item
4. Most importantly they sell (at least for me they do)

The wire services hire people who excel in marketing, these are professionals. The design, the name, the description and the quality of images all play an important role in the selling of products. They have a team of experts whose sole purpose is to create (or in some cases "steal") a design and package it into something that will have mass appeal. This is something that the average ma and pa will struggle with.

Not all cookies are created equally, some sell better than others. I tell you those silly happy face mugs sell like there's no tomorrow. Even more so in these depressing times. I sold 3 today and it isn't even on my home page. I push the ones that fit the image of my shop and also the ones that sell.

My customer base is loyal to my store because we deliver quality and provide excellent service, but they also appreciate the popular "cookies" they have to choose from.

 

[RC in Dayton and Cincinnati]

I can make those arrangements as good as I could make any of your arrangements you highlight on your websites.

joe

Joe,

That's not answering the questions.

I'll ask again.

Do you make them according to the recipe given by the wire service? If so do they end up looking as nice as the photo?

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

Do you make them according to the recipe given by the wire service? If so do they end up looking as nice as the photo?

No.
Yes.

.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Joe,

That's not answering the questions.

I'll ask again.

Do you make them according to the recipe given by the wire service? If so do they end up looking as nice as the photo?

No, frankly I think most of those arrangements, especially the deceptive one sided arrangements are skimpy.

I generally enhance them.

joe

 

[RC in Dayton and Cincinnati]

Tracy,

I take it you add extra flowers to make the designs look good. Are you still able to price according to WS guidelines?

 

[Joe Mioux]

No, frankly I think most of those arrangements, especially the deceptive one sided arrangements are skimpy.

I generally enhance them.

joe

and yes, given the way I buy flowers can still turn a profit.

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

No.
Most of the TF designs' pricing on our website have been adjusted to what we need to work with. Even if I follow their recipe, using our standard retail stem pricing, labor & container, our price is still higher than theirs.

 

[RWK]

I am glad you are asking that question Randy.

I remember reading an article that had an interview with Rich Salvaggio who admitted that the photographs of arrangements are not always what the completed real life arrangement will look like.

IIRC - the arrangement in question was Valentine design....the container was a small bubble bowl with pink and red hearts on it. The picture showed a tightly massed design with only about 6 stems in the bowl. The flowers pictured were more than 6 stems of material. It was told that the flowers were arranged in a small saucer SITTING on top of the bowl with only a few stems placed in the bowl. This was done so that the details of the container were showcased.

For those who use WS images......How do you justify a deceptively showcased design......one that is pictured differently than the recipe would present?