TF Wire Service ?

[domineaux]

It seems for over a year with Teleflora we have never received a single order that actually originated from the Teleflora site. ( We don't have a TF Site any longer)

We have received orders from some very suspicious (OG) looking sites. We now (sad to say) take photographs of every WS order unless we have experience with the sending member. It is not uncommon to get a protest a week or so later on what we delivered (quality,appearance,etc).

Now we submit a picture to TF with the recipe, if there is any dispute. This is pretty lousy way to do business, IMO.

Frequently, we get orders from Teleflora members with the fixed amount including the delivery. When we check item on TF it appears delivery was not included at that price. In other words, delivery was charged for but not passed onto us.

Currently, we are using FSN and orders are few and far between. TF orders are not paying their way, since we came of the so-called promotion rates. TF will shortly be a thing of the past with us. Currently, we are evaluating the benefits vs the drawbacks. The drawbacks appear to be in the front. LOL

 

[cs1]

If you are saying you had a TF template site and never got an order off of it you must have just stuck it out there and never tweaked it. I had a TF site until this year and got tons of orders from it. No matter what site it is you have to constantly update, tweak, work on SEO etc.

I noticed this pattern too from some of the gatherers, we quit filling them unless they gave us what we actually charge for the item, not their price.

If you are in the habit of taking pictures you could take one of every order you fill and send it to the sender. Would be a great way to collect email addresses and it sounds like you are already setup to take the pics.

 

[domineaux]

If you are saying you had a TF template site and never got an order off of it you must have just stuck it out there and never tweaked it. I had a TF site until this year and got tons of orders from it. No matter what site it is you have to constantly update, tweak, work on SEO etc.

We never got an order that orginated from "the Teleflora.com website".

Our TF website we never got an order that went through the shopping cart part of the website. We did get orders from the site, where buyers called our phone number in upper left corner of the site.

The SEO on our little TF generic site was pretty good, but it was our efforts that made it so... not Teleflora. TF offered to credit the charges for the site for almost a year, if we would continue with them. We declined, basically because we felt it really wasn't in their capacity or they would have already taken care of the problems.

I noticed this pattern too from some of the gatherers, we quit filling them unless they gave us what we actually charge for the item, not their price.

This was just an annoyance, because we had to contact the sender florist and explain. Of course, they knew the order wasn't right. Most of the time when we made the calls they cancelled and ran the order back through until someone else accepted the order (my guess).

If you are in the habit of taking pictures you could take one of every order you fill and send it to the sender. Would be a great way to collect email addresses and it sounds like you are already setup to take the pics.

It was not because we wanted to take pictures of every order. It was about having to show and tell, when we got spurious complaints. We have set up for taking photos pretty well, but it's not a professional arrangement.

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After studying all the products and the generic type website TF built for us we realized a few things. All the referral information, and product names used on the site include Teleflora. We realized TF was getting more out of the site than we were. All those references to Teleflora on all the products, etc. just improved Teleflora.com ranking on the search englines. That probably isn't a problem for the most part, but it would have been more palatable, if we had ever gotten an order from "the Teleflora.com website".

One friend said the following, but I'm not making any claims regarding this... OK.

1) Several of the florists that sent orders through TF, were actually owned by TF.
2) This way TF could make the additional 20% off the order.
3) Since we only accepted orders to be delivered to customers we never knew the original purchaser
4) Therefore there is no way to know who actually created the order.
5) That is probably the reason we never got an order that originated from "the Teleflora.com website".
6) Why wouldn't TF do things like this to make the additional 20% on the order.

The Teleflora.com website is highly ranked, which means they get tons of traffic. Therefore, why is it we did not receive ONE SINGE ORDER that originated from the Teleflora. com website. If we had received an order from the Teleflora.com site we would have only paid the standard 7% TF charges.

This kinda stuff makes sense to me, but I'm not saying it's so.



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So, is everyone that has a generic TF site just promoting TF ranking on the search engines. All the product descriptions are laced with the word Teleflora. The semantics are as relevant to Teleflora as possible.

Maybe TF should be paying us to have their little generic website with all those Teleflora pointers, in lieu of us paying them.
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[cs1]

Our TF website we never got an order that went through the shopping cart of the website. We did get orders from the site, where buyers called our phone number in upper left corner of the site.

The SEO on our little TF generic site was pretty good, but it was our efforts that made it so not... Teleflora. TF offered to credit the charges for the site for almost a year, if we would continue with them. We declined, basically because we felt it really wasn't in their capacity or they would have already taken care of the problems.

That's crazy. I track quite a few more calls from my site than I do orders that go through the cart as well.

After studying all the products and the generic type website TF built for us we realized a few things. All the referral information, and product names used on the site referred to Teleflora. We realized TF was getting more out of the site than we were. All those references to Teleflora on all the products, etc. just improved Teleflora.com ranking on the search englines.

very true, I remove Teleflora from all images on the site. It also tells your customer to go price shop Telefloras site if the see Teleflora on it.

 

[domineaux]

That's crazy. I track quite a few more calls from my site than I do orders that go through the cart as well.

Serious, crazy or not we never got a single order that originated from "the teleflora.com website" nor did we ever get an order that originated on our little Teleflora cookie cutter site that had passed through the shopping cart payment processes.

very true, I remove Teleflora from all images on the site. It also tells your customer to go price shop Telefloras site if the see Teleflora on it.

Did you know it is a requirement of Teleflora that you must leave all the product information intact, including all references to TF, if you use their images and/or product information on your website. That means any website, theirs or yours if you use their stuff on it.

 

[BloomingFlorida]

The Teleflora.com website is highly ranked, which means they get tons of traffic. Therefore, why is it we did not receive ONE SINGE ORDER that originated from the Teleflora. com website. If we had received an order from the Teleflora.com site we would have only paid the standard 7% TF charges.

You still pay back 20% +7% on orders that originate from TF.com. So TF gets: $13.99 service fee + 20% + 7% on all orders. It would be nice if they only charged the 7%, as there is no originating florist, but I guess they need it more. Save the who? Oh! Save the Resnicks!

 

[domineaux]

You still pay back 20% +7% on orders that originate from TF.com. So TF gets: $13.99 service fee + 20% + 7% on all orders. It would be nice if they only charged the 7%, as there is no originating florist, but I guess they need it more. Save the who? Oh! Save the Resnicks!

Interesting, I didn't know that. Guess why? We haven't received an order from the Teleflora.com site during the past year.

That is disturbing to think they have their name inserted all over the cookie cutter site they build and charge you for. They get referrals from your site and they get higher rankings on the search engines. What a way to do business... everyone using a TF cookie cutter site or their images and product information is a TF resource. :dunce

We're seriously thinking of dropping TF after Christmas. As I hang around here I read more and more ways we are TF benefactors. Not quite sure what to think about it. :hammer:

Maybe other WS are worse I'll take some time to read more of the postings in this forums. I'll Probably get an education. There is always that thing about learning from your own experience or learning from the experience of others, the latter is always the better choice. Think a little more reading might be worth the time spent.

 

[roysecityfloristand gifts]

Dom, make sure you get out of TF in a timely manner or you'll be stuck for another cycle. I think the end of January is the next deadline (30 days prior) check that out
unless your staying for ValDay.

There are many horror stories here about getting out of the WS's, I'd suggest you research and read them all. Good Luck.

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Quote of the day!

You still pay back 20% +7% on orders that originate from TF.com. So TF gets: $13.99 service fee + 20% + 7% on all orders. It would be nice if they only charged the 7%, as there is no originating florist, but I guess they need it more. Save the who? Oh! Save the Resnicks!

Good on ya!

 

[BloomingFlorida]

If the order comes from your TF hosted website, then TF only takes $3.50 for 'processing' or something like that. They may also take the $1.50 fee, but I can't remember, as we host our own sites.

By the looks of things, TF will be a thing of the past in our shop in 2010.

 

[domineaux]

Dom, make sure you get out of TF in a timely manner or you'll be stuck for another cycle. I think the end of January is the next deadline (30 days prior) check that out
unless your staying for ValDay.

There are many horror stories here about getting out of the WS's, I'd suggest you research and read them all. Good Luck.

Thanks for that. I know the release dates for the TF directory have to be just right.. or terminating the servie and TF directory have to conincide in some way.

I don't think we've unwrapped the TF directory all year. It just sits on the shelf.

It would be interesting to read how many florists actually read and use it. The directory is supposed to be built into the Dove package, which we are subscribed.

We did not subscribe and contract for the TF POS system... I knew that contract for service was a stinker. We wouldn't be able to quit TF, regardless of sweet or sour service.

It is always best to thoroughly read any document that is important enough to require your signature. Basically, if it is important enough the vendor wants a signature... I'm definitely giving up something. :argue:

 

[Tuberose]

My manager has bought into TF in a big way, product and all, we get tons of orders from TF headquarters, not sure if that has anything to do with it, or if it's because we get very few complaints, not sure how they work that, anyone know? As far as the order gatherers, we must ask for extra $$ too many times, we don't get many of their orders, or it's the rural/20 mile delivery and we get $35 total, when the delivery is $20.

Our TF template gets very few online orders, but we get many phone calls with the customer ordering on the phone, fine with me since we get 100% of the order that way.

 

[domineaux]

My manager has bought into TF in a big way, product and all, we get tons of orders from TF headquarters, not sure if that has anything to do with it, or if it's because we get very few complaints, not sure how they work that, anyone know? As far as the order gatherers, we must ask for extra $$ too many times, we don't get many of their orders, or it's the rural/20 mile delivery and we get $35 total, when the delivery is $20.

The OG are milking the orders for all the revenue. Most of the OG orders that come to us through TF are for the amount of the arrangement on the site, with no delivery charge added.

When we contact the sender for more money often they cancel the order, which I guess means they run the order through again until someone takes the order as sent.

There must be a lot of florists that don't review the order against what the TF website is selling the arrangement for without delivery. They would wise up I would think, if they review the actual TF site product page first.

It is bad enough we have to give up a 20% commission to an OG, but then they double dip us by not adding delivery charges. Most OG have delivery charges that are paid by the customer at their checkout page. The problem is most florists filling the orders don't know what the charge is, because you actually have to make the order with the OG before you see what they charged. You have to yield up your CC information before you can see what they actually charged.

Our TF template gets very few online orders, but we get many phone calls with the customer ordering on the phone, fine with me since we get 100% of the order that way.

We like this part as well.

 

[Tuberose]

If I'm not mistaken, the $64.95 price for the Xmas Present on Teleflora.com does include the $7.00 delivery fee, went round about this at our shop, not sure about the OG's though, haven't bothered with looking at their sites lately and we haven't gotten many of their orders either.

 

[domineaux]

We turned down an OG order through TF this morning. We cannot deliver for less than $15.00. Gas here is $3.00+ per gallon, which doesn't include cost of vehicle, insurance and driver labor. Our vans get appx. 11-13 MPG.

Effectively, we can't even take an order that is of any quality of product and delivery for less than $60.

It amazes me that the wire services emphasis the $34.95 arrangements. What hoot, I guess in some parts of the country where gas, labor, insurance,and vases are cheap you could deliver a couple miles from the shop for that.

Yet, even then there isn't much profit in a $34.95 order unless you're using old flowers you're about to throw out anyway. :kloguck:

I don't see how cheap arrangements build good will and encourage recipients to buy from you in the future. Since we don't know the purchaser on wire oders the only chance for new business in our area is with the recipent. It is important to seed business with the recipient in our area with all delivered orders. A decent arrangement does provide incentive for the recipent to think of us when they think of an arranged flower purchase.

 

[concord]

My local delivery charge is $8 and i have some towns that are $15 I would think the wire services have the technolgy to know what our delivery charge is and get enough money.

 

[domineaux]

My local delivery charge is $8 and i have some towns that are $15 I would think the wire services have the technolgy to know what our delivery charge is and get enough money.

Yes, you'd think so. It is very feasible, but TF wants to keep the prices down. Our rep told us to go to $10 maximum delivery charge, because she said our senders believed if the included delivery charge was too high the arrangement quality would be compromised.

Delivery charges are handled very secretly on websites. You just don't know what is being charged or applied unless you actually place an order. The delivery is only applied after you have entered your CC and delivery address data.

In large metro areas there are florists that will deliver for a bag of peanuts, because they really don't know their delivery costs. They're just happy to be selling flowers I guess.

Basically, we look at the gross amount of the sale. We then decide whether we can meet a decent quality standard for the arrangement after the $15 delivery is deducted. We reject orders if they don't meet our quality standard. You just can't keep and build a good business when you deliver lower quality arrangements. We include our business card wtih each sentiment card. Hopefully, the recipient will become a customer.

 

[3genflorist]

So true- just flowers order gatherer, call with same, order have refused it, on the dove- price doesn't include delivery- they keep calling us and the other shop in town until they get someone to say yes,....... now why do we all pay for technology....dove to have orders cancelled, called, resent, cancelled , call, call , call , call, call, and yet we need directories for what???? This is nuts! I called tf to complain, they said we will mark this order and hand cancel ,,,, you will not get it again WRONG!!!! Called 5 minutes later with it!!! Very frustrated.

 

[domineaux]

So true- just flowers order gatherer, call with same, order have refused it, on the dove- price doesn't include delivery- they keep calling us and the other shop in town until they get someone to say yes,....... now why do we all pay for technology....dove to have orders cancelled, called, resent, cancelled , call, call , call , call, call, and yet we need directories for what???? This is nuts! I called tf to complain, they said we will mark this order and hand cancel ,,,, you will not get it again WRONG!!!! Called 5 minutes later with it!!! Very frustrated.

We are in large population area and there are about a co-zillion florists. The TF sender/Ordering customer always seems to find someone else to accept an order we reject. It is rare we see the order a second time.