TF vs FTD...

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BloomingFlorida

BloomingFlorida

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Apr 12, 2009
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Gulfport
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Florida
Ok, so we hate having 3 wire services, but the previous owner thought he could be successful as a wire-only type store. LOL. We have been actively marketing and advertising and have successfully increased our local traffic, but not enough (yet) to abandon/fire the wire services. However, we are considering scaling back.

We have both TF and FTD. I've noticed that most shops recommend dropping FTD and keeping TF (worse of 2 evils?), but I don't think I understand why.

Our post last month about the TF fees (that prompted the SAF discussion last month) helped us get some of those fees canceled and/or reversed. Now the July statement comes in this morning, and viola! new fees.....

We took control of our domains and websites (wife is an IT tech), and have been anxiously awaiting the reduction in fees. Alas, now that we don't have our website through TF, a new fee for F-A-F pops up, eFlorist Non-Member Access Fee to the tune of $40. WTF???

On the flip side, we dropped almost every added feature with FTD, and they didn't add in new fees. It just seems that TF wants a certain dollar level over and above the membership fee.

On top of that, they have the most expensive containers, and the stupidest looking containers.

So why does the majority here at FC prefer TF over FTD? Are we the only store that gets hit with a new unknown fee whenever we cancel a feature? We're pulling our hair out over here....

K&A
 
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Personally, I rode the TF wave for over 9 months (free for 9 mos) then paid for the next 6 months, sent my voluntary termination and rode another 9 mos with no monthly fees. I would have stayed with them if they had #1 - kicked out the part time shop in my town (no flowers in the cooler - no inventory in stock - no trained designer and their "designs" were/are disgusting) #2 - after that shop was gone, put me at $49/mo.
They were given two years to investigate that shop, 2 reps went there found brown Christmas designs in a cooler in July, coolers not running, and basically no stock on hand. No "inspection" recommended suspension from TF - Why?? They fill all the OG orders....through TF. The last word from a Rep was "we can test them?" to which I explained testing is only as good as a knowledgable recipient..... and "filled to value" is an excuse.
TF currently doesn't drop ship or market against their member shops (mostly)....... and anyone can choose to split cases of containers as long as you have a friend who's TF.
MHO
 
Hmmm.... I guess I'd fire TF in your case....but you have to evaluate all the in's/out's to see which one's making them more money, hence you less money...
 
I agree with your descision to go with just one wire service, after all it is just that, a "service" that you provide to your customers for sending orders. I have had experience with both services, both having their pros and cons. I often thought as a Canadian florist that TF was the better choice as they had service in many of the smaller communities that FTD did not, but with so many shops now understanding the need to return to shop to shop orders again, that is not such an issue. I think you could safely base your descision on price,( and who you fell the best about dealing with) because as I said, it's a service to your customer and at the root of it all, I think it is an apples to apples comparison. But I am sure there are many thank will disagree! I am presently with an FTD shop, and have no more or less issues now than I had with a TF shop. Just my two cents.
 
For me the decision was easy TF has way more shops in small towns
I sent alot of orders and need this coverage
also at this time TF dosent drop ship
They do compete with the 800 site and encourage my customers to buy
from TF..... Just my thoughts Golferdude
 
We dropped FTD and kept TF but it's a toss up. At the time I was getting annoyed with FTD more than TF and then they started the whole fining a filling florist who doesn't reject an order in time and that just ticked me off so much that I quit, In my opinion an order correctly sent will not be rejected and it's the sending florist who should be fined for stupidity.It sounds like in your case TF is annoying you the most so dump them. They really both stink so having one less to deal with will feel better. I am working towards being wire free for 2010. Good luck!
 
A few have mentioned that TF doesn't drop ship, hence, they must be more 'pro'florist', but then what is he difference with them supporting From You Flowers? Not to mention that they also support, through allowing use of the FTD logo and others on some of the TF owned/based websites used by OG's?
 
TF has a larger member network which means better coverage when sending orders.

TF does not actively compete against you the same way FTD does with its FTD.com drop ship program.

Find A Florist is an opt-in program and you can definitely get that fee removed immediately. Someone in your shop authorized it or someone at TF signed you up by mistake. If you did not order it have those fees removed and make it retroactive.

joe
 
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BloomingFlorida said:
A few have mentioned that TF doesn't drop ship, hence, they must be more 'pro'florist', but then what is he difference with them supporting From You Flowers? Not to mention that they also support, through allowing use of the FTD logo and others on some of the TF owned/based websites used by OG's?
Click to expand...

from you flowers also gets transmitted via FTD so..... its really moot.

and if you are member of a wire service you pay for the privelege of using those logos.

joe
 
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TF does not drop ship .......... yet.

At the SCFA convention, the TF rep in conversation, dropped hints that dropshipping is not out of the realm of probability.
 
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Now, TF or FTD - if I had to choose one........even though they dropship and compete with me.......I would choose FTD.....for one reason only.

They do have the most well established international transfer system in place,

Other than that one reason......international delivery......there is really no other reason for me as a potential retail shop owner to align myself with FTD.

TF - the fees are sky high, the one advantage to TF over FTD......one simple reason, education.......the education center in OKC, the education specialists on staff is the one reason I would choose TF.

As with FTD, as a potential business owner, other than education, there is no reason for me to align myself with TF.

Now, at SCFA, the bloomnet/bloomlink rep told me that now, Bloomnet is the only wire service with a sending only option.......but you will pay some hefty fees. Sending only and the fact that for the most part......bloomnet containers are fairly inexpensive compared to TF and FTD and you can get them in smaller quantities.......As with TF and FTD, other than those two reasons......as a potential business owner, there is no reason for me to align myself with bloomnet/bloomlink either.
 
Good grief - is this the thousandth time this question has been asked, discussed and beat to death?

Or is it ten thousand?
 
have been open a year and a half and after many years dealing with the wire services have opted not to let them run my business and take much of my hard earned money. with the computor i see no need for them and have still serviced my customers directly with talking to the flower shop personally and using my credit card .
 
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You should sit down and look at your numbers and see which is more profitable. We were both FTD and TEL a few years back, and I wanted to drop FTD and stay with TEL, but when I actually crunched the numbers, it made more financial sense to stay with FTD. They were also willing to work with us on having a reduced fee with multiple locations and TEL was not.

Since then, I haven't been exactly thrilled with FTD. We still have customers coming in and looking for the TEL holiday containers. We have a hard time finding coverage for all our outgoing orders. Obviously, the drop-ship program has started up.

That said, I'm sure I would find things about TEL that I dont' like either if we still had them. It's really too bad that the wire services couldn't be good business partners and make it a win-win situation with the member florists. I know there are a few whose business models make them able to use the wire services profitably, but they are few and far between. My goal is to be wire service free by 2010.
 
wire services

I know many shops don't think they can run without a wire service but let me tell you they can . The fees and the percentages they charge are not in the best interes of the flower shop. They are the ones that make the most off of the sweat worry and hard work we put into our business. Most of their containers are to pricey and have way to many they would like you to carry. Some shops do lots of orders thru the wire service but unless they are shorting the customers of the full value they are not making anything on them for the perc. the wire service takes and the price of doing business in a down economy.
 
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Joe Mioux said:
and if you are member of a wire service you pay for the privelege of using those logos.
Click to expand...

Should be the other way around. :brandreco

As business continues to drop I have to say that looking at our TF statement and seeing if we can continue to offer this as a "service" for our customers. I am afraid that it may be time to leave.

Its just not cost effective anymore.
 
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wire services

a new name for them could be will i let the flower mafia run my business or am i going to take charge and make the money for myself . Flower shops have been way to dependant on them for to long . If everyflower shop in the us dropped them just think of the innovative ways we could come up with to run our own business and give the customers our own designs and containers compared to what these wire services want you to carry.
 
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