TF automatically puts a site on the web with your shop name

[cherrie]

OK, I know I am naive, but wt....?
I posted awhile ago about a find a florist link on my google stats (don't know the correct term?). I found out a couple of days ago what this is all about.
If you do not have a paid Teleflora Site, they are so kind as to automatically as to put a TF site out there with your name on it. They do not ask you. They say it's for all of the shops out there who do not have a site, to have a web presence.
I say - how about asking first???
I'm pissed, thinking about how much direct business I have missed.
Or that, my own personal design work & branding is nothing like Teleflora's.
My rep told me that they don't do the commission split, but the get the service charge, I'm sure charging me $4.00 per order, and I do not want to be associated with Teleflora's designs.
You all better call your reps and check.

I hate Teleflora's condescending attitute towards it members.

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

It's been like that for years.....you can opt out......or for a price you can have it link to your web site.

 

[lori042499]

Oh and BTW you are not necessarily getting those orders...they go into the TF.com cue and get sent out to various shops in the delivering area, from what I understand about it....and they do take the split...although they probably don't consider it because I believe they offer a coupon of some sort(not sure about this)...the orders belong to tf.com at that point even though the consumer was duped into thinking they were picking an actual shop or yours. I think that TF must take it down if you tell them to...and I would if you aren't getting the orders, god knows who they are going to and what kind of complaints you may get...with them thinking they ordered from your shop in the first place.

 

[Chezbloom]

If you are talking about the "View our Storefront", tell them to take it off NOW or you will contact your lawyer. That is what I did and it took 2 times but they removed it. I think it is reason for a class action lawsuit against TF. But no one agrees with me. In case you have not noticed. I wish TF would die.

 

[inferno63]

Hold real still and smile while Teleflora smacks you.....

It amazes me how blatantly they step on a florist and tell them it is for their own good! It is just another strategy cooked up in a meeting where they can compete directly against their members. All the while they are saying "Save the Florist"....I feel ill.

 

[CHR]

They DO do the commission split and retain the sending fee. Orders sold through the 'storefronts' come in from Teleflora.com. IIRC it's listed on your statement as a 'free' storefront. TF sets the products and prices.

Lots has been written about this issue here at FC in the past. Famously, Eric placed a test order on his own shop's 'TF storefront' and despite his shop being open and the Dove working, his order was transmitted to and delivered by a competing shop.

The storefronts are a classic case of 'opt out' with TF never getting permission from members to gather orders using their shop names and business information.

 

[lori042499]

They DO do the commission split and retain the sending fee. Orders sold through the 'storefronts' come in from Teleflora.com. IIRC it's listed on your statement as a 'free' storefront. TF sets the products and prices.

Lots has been written about this issue here at FC in the past. Famously, Eric placed a test order on his own shop's 'TF storefront' and despite his shop being open and the Dove working, his order was transmitted to and delivered by a competing shop.

The storefronts are a classic case of 'opt out' with TF never getting permission from members to gather orders using their shop names and business information.

But they will insist that they do not compete with us, that they do this for us....because if they let people just order, it might just go to another service, never in their wildest dreams do they think that it might just go to the actual shop that the person actually picked with a name and address, heavens no.....because how would they possibly find us, big BS on all this...

 

[makescents]

They are not the only one doing this... I am with Floral Source.. generally happy with everything they do - BUT they did this to me...

I called in the said same as TF did - for shops with out web presence.. Blah.. Blah - Then they said "it give you a higher ranking in your area then if you had your own site.." I said "How can I get higher? I am already #1" They were stumped and took it down pretty quick..

BTW they do not have an option to link straight to my site.

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

BTW they do not have an option to link straight to my site.

Maybe floral source can't link to your site but Teleflora's findaflorist.com does. You do have to pay a monthly fee if you don't have a TF site or opt out of their free page.

 

[Flowerchatter03]

If you are a TF florist and don't want them to add a storefront to your name, you can certainly opt out HOWEVER you will be REMOVED from the listing. Meaning you could be a TF shop but no one searching in "find a florist" would find you.

You can add your own website address to "find a florist" for a fee. I think it's either $24.95 or $29.95 times 12 equals a lot of money per year.

 

[makescents]

Simple bottom line - TF - FTD and all others DO NOT want our own sites linked to their sites...

That would be them not STEALING our money - Lord knows that if "THEY" stopped stealling OUR hard earned money...

I would have to believe it would be "The end of the world!"

They will do whatever it takes to STEAL our customers and our revenue! Even though they claim to be on our side.. MMM HHMMM YEA right!

 

[CHR]

This is a quick warning......

It's not currently happening to local florists, but perennial bottom feeder 'Local' site MerchantCircle.com is selling out all hotel listings to an order gatherer. The pages list real local hotels with their names and addresses, but the phone numbers displayed and the web links point to an affiliate reseller company. Unless each hotel claims its own listing through MC's interface and 'opts out', the OG collects a commission & fee and passes the booking on to the real hotel.

Not unlike TFs or FSIs 'programs'.

Mike Blumenthal has all the details, including a comments from at least one florist.

 

[Flowerchatter03]

Is this the next big scam? From snake oil salesmen, to pyramid schemes, stockmarket BS and now gatherers for services?

Let me order your lunch for you....for a fee
Let me send your e-mail for you...for a fee
Let me order that movie for you....for a fee
Need a book...let me find it for you....for a fee
Need a holiday reminder....let me do that for you...for a fee

I think most of us can book our own hotels without these witch doctors pretending to be the hotel.

When will this crap be outlawed? It can be something so simple as a disclaimer "we are not your ___________(florist, hotel, pizza guy whatever) we are a referral service and will find someone else to perform this service and charge you ____to do it."

:dunno:

 

[LOTAKIDS]

If you are a TF florist and don't want them to add a storefront to your name, you can certainly opt out HOWEVER you will be REMOVED from the listing. Meaning you could be a TF shop but no one searching in "find a florist" would find you.

You can add your own website address to "find a florist" for a fee. I think it's either $24.95 or $29.95 times 12 equals a lot of money per year.

OH WAIT..... Its 24.95 monthly for find a florist and if you want your no-TF web site linked... which they will not do... it's another $40.00 fee..

Just fought this one and I am getting my $80.00 back for something that was never done in the first place, but another kick in fee when you drop their website.

 

[Chezbloom]

"When will this crap be outlawed?

This crap will never be outlawed.

Only when every single florist stops using TF and FTD and Blmnet will it end. Sorry, red dot me all you want, I don't care. We as florists enable this bullsh*t and it won't stop until we stop it. I no longer feel that as a professional florist, I have to send out/wire out a flower order to another shop. I will help a customer find a shop, I will give out a number. I won't charge them a dime. Maybe they'll call direct, get a better deal and come back to me and buy a bunch of Tulips some day. And please, for those of you who are old and big and send out a lot of orders for big companies, I get it, I get it. I get it. This is just my opinion.

 

[inferno63]

"When will this crap be outlawed?

This crap will never be outlawed.

Only when every single florist stops using TF and FTD and Blmnet will it end. Sorry, red dot me all you want, I don't care. We as florists enable this bullsh*t and it won't stop until we stop it. I no longer feel that as a professional florist, I have to send out/wire out a flower order to another shop. I will help a customer find a shop, I will give out a number. I won't charge them a dime. Maybe they'll call direct, get a better deal and come back to me and buy a bunch of Tulips some day. And please, for those of you who are old and big and send out a lot of orders for big companies, I get it, I get it. I get it. This is just my opinion.

Right on, Sista!

 

[Eric S]

If you are a TF florist and don't want them to add a storefront to your name, you can certainly opt out HOWEVER you will be REMOVED from the listing. Meaning you could be a TF shop but no one searching in "find a florist" would find you.

You can add your own website address to "find a florist" for a fee. I think it's either $24.95 or $29.95 times 12 equals a lot of money per year.

You can add your TF site but the last time I checked they said no indy sites.

Anyone know if they can or have they added a non TF site to the directory yet? I liked to see them link to a FTD site. That would be funny!

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

You can add your TF site but the last time I checked they said no indy sites.

Anyone know if they can or have they added a non TF site to the directory yet? I liked to see them link to a FTD site. That would be funny!

I know of one, won't mention the name in case teleflora changed their mind again (he's a member here as well).............at first they listed anyone that was a Teleflora member, our shop was listed and I listed all A1Florists members as well. They then changed their minds and started dropping them as they located those listings unless they wanted to pay.

 

[CHR]

You can pay and have a direct link to your indy site. Many in Art's group (Beneva) are listed there with direct links to their non-TF sites. IIRC the fee is around $600 or $700 annually. Since most of those guys are RTI users and larger senders, the price may be different.

Don't know of any links to FTD hosted sites but my guess is it could be done.