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I just hate to be the Voice of Reason up in here - I'm not sure it suits me.

It's WWW.interrose.co.uk

Honestly I see no trickery involved - it's very clearly stated who they are, where they are, and what they do. I also saw no claims about being "fresher than a florist" type of carp.

Just a different delivery mode - is it *possible* this is part of the future and we could learn something about it?

I don't see that the entire flowers in a box deal needs to be demonized, just the ones that are dissing florsts to sell their products. There is a faction of people that ARE going to purchase that way and I feel I somehow need to position myself in that market, but haven't figured out quite how yet.

Heck RC is foraying into that market, remember? It's a sales channel that's not going to go away, and I want to know more about it.

Heck I have McMann's book in my office I read, hoping to learn from him (I did - the #1 thing I learned from that book was his insistance on providing his sales people with the absolute best technology possible to service the public - this was 10 or more years ago, and now they like MAS - go figure, I beat him to the punch on that one)

I originally voted Red but after re-thinking it this morning changed to green. I don't think this member needs to be ostracized for the sins of proflowers - if he's found an ethical and upfront way to tap that market, well I'm all ears.

As matter of fact, Nick, if you don't get cleared to be here, please contact me at [email protected] and we'll chat

thank you
 
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I have to agree with you bloomz...if we only vote people in who are like minded and are doing things the way we are comfortable with or agree with, then what can we possibly learn? we may not agree with each other's way of doing business (or other differences) but that doesn't mean we can't learn from them.
for example.. many people on FC have mixed feelings about Art Conforti and his business model... however, he is an excellent marketer..and we all have a chance to learn plenty from him.. and others (if we all quit cutting off our noses to spite our faces)
 
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I took a look at the website and agree it is a much different deal than proflowers. They actually see wrapped flowers...There is nothing that says they are coming straight from the farm and fresher than the florist. It even shows the storefront. I think this is an avenue we can learn from as well as they can learn from us....now if they keep posting it will all be perfect...


This person is way different than your regular order gatherer...they may just be the wave of the future....
 
Gee -

I thought we had more than one voice of reason here. ;)

I have not voted, but to Twiggy, JB & Lori -

How would you feel about this company being listed in our florist directory, or them using our FC blog to promote their products to consumers?

Membership here has real benefits and avails participants of some very trusted tools to promote their businesses.

Would having them based here in the US and not in the UK make a difference in your opinion? If that's the case, then we should have invited Rio Roses, let them call themselves a 'florist', and drop links to their 'bypass the locals' site, too. How about Calyx & Corolla? GrowerFlowers.com? No doubt they know a lot about marketing flowers and may give us tidbits of information.

I keep scratching my head as the definition of 'real florist' gets redefined almost weekly up in here. :confused:

Students and beginning florists are made to feel unwelcome (I totally disagree with that - they are our future) and yet some want to embrace OGs and drop-shippers 'cuz they might teach us something? Thank you very much, but I've plenty of opportunities to learn from them outside the place 'powered by florists.'

My head hurts.

Added: When a new member presents him/herself, I look at what they have done in the industry prior to showing up at the FC door. As a vendor, have they served florists and helped improve our businesses? As a 'florist', be it student or established professional, has their track record (what ever we can gleen) shown their interests to be in common with those of the FC community at large - and not just a vocal few.
 
Red Rose Society,
Do you only ship flowers?
Do you have a retail space that consumers can choose to pick up flowers / balloons from you?
 
CHR said:
Gee -

I thought we had more than one voice of reason here. ;)

I have not voted, but to Twiggy, JB & Lori -

How would you feel about this company being listed in our florist directory, or them using our FC blog to promote their products to consumers?

Membership here has real benefits and avails participants of some very trusted tools to promote their businesses.

Would having them based here in the US and not in the UK make a difference in your opinion? If that's the case, then we should have invited Rio Roses, let them call themselves a 'florist', and drop links to their 'bypass the locals' site, too. How about Calyx & Corolla? GrowerFlowers.com? No doubt they know a lot about marketing flowers and may give us tidbits of information.

I keep scratching my head as the definition of 'real florist' gets redefined almost weekly up in here. :confused:

Students and beginning florists are made to feel unwelcome and yet we now some want to embrace OGs and drop-shippers 'cuz they might teach us something? Thank you very much, but I've plenty of opportunities to learn from them outside the place 'powered by florists.'

My head hurts.

Added: When a new member presents him/herself, I look at what they have done in the industry prior to showing up at the FC door. As a vendor, have they served florists and helped improve our businesses? As a 'florist', be it student or established professional, has their track record (what ever we can gleen) shown their interests to be in common with those of the FC community?
Click to expand...


They have a store front...they are a business and seem to be doing well. I have no problems with competition, I do have problems with people opening up internet based businesses that do not know the floral industry or its intricacies that want to charge people to give their orders to people who do know the industry. We get discounted orders and have to deal with the problems associated with those intiricacies and it gets tiring...There is a real market for this boxed stuff, this webpage actually shows wrapped flowers instead of arrangements, they seem legit and willing to chat about their business model and about ours. I could be way off base, whos to say....pro flowers, calyx and corrolla all of the others would join and we would never hear from them again as did all the people from bbrooks and 800flowers, not sure why they don't talk but they usually add nothing to the mix and that is probably why they were voted in in the first place. Maybe this one will be different...

As far as students and beginners, I have no problems with them being here, they can learn alot. The problems I have with beginners is they claim to have opened a store and then want us to tell them how to run it from cutting a flower to type of bucket to use and temp of water, they shouldn't be owning a flower shop at all....nevermind wasting our time asking these questions...

All I can tell you is I base my decisions and votes on what people tell me in their interviews...They are all going to do business whether they join here or not...whether it be out of their spare bedroom, a storefront or the internet. I try to pick people who have a personality that may give as equally as take info from here...if they seem to be here just to take for selfish reasons or have nothing interesting to say, I think they will not change and vote them off the island...All I know is I am going to stop voting for anyone, because you're @@@@ed if you do @@@@ed if you don't and it takes up alot of time...I now know why Ryan doesn't want the job back because it is a pain in the ass...
 
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I like boxed flowers ....

I shall upload my full editorial piece on it in the blog section when I find it but the fact is flowers in a box can be good and be a very useful system for florists who either don't want to be part of a relay or, more importantly whose customers want that particular florists work delivered somewhere other than the florists usual catchment area.

And I will be the first to admit that over the years I have received the most divine gifts of both plants and flowers by courier BUT the difference is they were individual hand crafted items not production style bunches - hell they weren't bunches at all.

However where boxed flowers falls down in my mind is when the order is placed via the Internet and completely circumnavigates a florist with cut fingers be it as a sender or an executer and is nothing more than blooms wrapped in paper.

At that point the company becomes something that I would be wary of as they are cutting out the chance for an independent B&M florist to make money on the transaction or for the industry to showcase its skills so that a value is perceived in the creation.

Yes Nick has a shop but it came after the internet side so it's not like a florist who has developed their Internet business. Not brill in my book but slightly more acceptable than a person who sets up a site from their back bedroom.

Yes, these days, boxing flowers is something that all florists could and should look at if delivery systems allow - and I admit I've changed my tune on that one.

Yes we need to learn from everyone and anyone because that's how businesses survive.

BUT we also need to get some clarity in who is good and who is bad and at the moment I am very confused.

JMO
 
I remember many many many discussions on this board about those florists who advertise as being local in the yellow pages... when they are from somewhere else on the planet.

I don't care if someone has a store front. I would prefer to buy flowers from a local shop and that's how I base my voting decisions.

I'm sure Nick is a very nice person and enjoys success in the business, but my personal opinion disagrees with the flower shipping issue.

V
 
I warmed to Nick too...

Victoria said:
I remember many many many discussions on this board about those florists who advertise as being local in the yellow pages... when they are from somewhere else on the planet.

I don't care if someone has a store front. I would prefer to buy flowers from a local shop and that's how I base my voting decisions.

I'm sure Nick is a very nice person and enjoys success in the business, but my personal opinion disagrees with the flower shipping issue.

V
Click to expand...
I instantly liked Nick and take no pleasure in saying "NO",I, like you Vic just can't get over the flower shipping/boxed delivery issue.
"But it was a close call"...
 
Ok;
here's my take.......
I think that Nick is a very smart "marketeer" who has grown into his business.

In his early post, he stated that he started with Roses and balloons. Now, he does other types of flowers....and he owns/runs a regular flower shop.

How is this different that how some of our stores/businesses have evolved?

We have all started with 1 idea -- maybe weddings, parties, silks, etc. Over time, as our experience grew, we grew our business into other areas of the floral business. What he has done is, IMHO, no different.

His method of delivery IS different.
His method of satisfying the customer IS different.

However....my situation this past year is not a lot different than his.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

On several occasions, we have had a corporate client who came to us with large (read $$$) orders. Most recently, they were all flower orders, going all over Western Pa/top of west virginia & eastern Ohio. Covered about 200 geographic miles. The catch for us getting the order was that WE HAD TO DO THEM ALL -- AND THEY HAD TO ALL BE THE SAME. (NO FTD or TF). They were willing to pay additional revenues for Courier or Messenger or Donkey wagon if need be. They wanted the product made by my shop. Customized letter went with each delivery. We did them all -- delivered, messengered, couriered them and satisfied a great client.

Another large corporate client sends Gourmet, snack and fruit baskets each christmas. Again, must be done in my shop. The first year, we Wired the one down that goes to the South, and we saw pictures of what was delivered. (For $125.00 I think you should be able to fill a Gourmet & fruit order.!) After that fiasco, we make them all -- courier and deliver and Fed ex if need be --- to get our product where it needs to go -- and by doing so, keep a very good client happy.
(As I said, the $$ on these 2 orders alone are large).

While I do support my fellow florists all across the country, I need to make sure that what I need delivered is what actually gets delivered.

With "old FTD" you had assurances & guarantees. Today with both FTD/TF, you had no assurance.

We need to listen & pick Nick's brain. I for one, am at least willing to listen, and am not too old to learn new things!

Regards,
Cheryl
 
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Thanks Cheryl! Somebody else gets it!

We've done the same thing with corporate products - they wanted custom ones sent all over the country with their chatz in it with their name on them.

So we drop shipped 150 of them all over the place.

Send me to the 'lectic chair - guilty as charged.

and welcome Nick.
 
This is a tough thread !

Been sitting here reading over and over trying to get the right feel.
It's hard !
True, Nick seems like a nice guy, and maybe, just maybe he could bring something to the table for all of us. I see the possibility !

On the other hand, I also see the potential for disaster.
Supporting a boxer really isn't in the cards for me.

Nick, if you're still here :

You're asking for the chance to be here and would like to be heard before a decision is made. I'm guessing that you have some ideas that would justify your acceptance.
I'm willing to sit back on this for a bit to see what you've got, but as stated above, " Supporting a boxer really isn't in the cards for me ".
( GUESS THIS IS WHERE A DELAY WOULD COME IN HANDY FOLKS )

To go one step further :
As a boxer, I'm certain that you have visions of growing, and that presents an area of concern.

I, like Bloomz would like to hear what you have to say, but I, like many others here, will still need some monumental convincing to change our opinions, if it's even possible.

Time to put the cards on the table.


 
OK Nick - I see yer a registered user now - so please don't do me/us that voted for you wrong and start sharing!

I'd be curious to know what kind of problems you run into shipping fresh product - is it in water or dry? That kind of stuff. Also - you feature quite a variety of roses on your site - do you have to stock them all? Like those Happy Roses are very spendy, and we can't afford to just stock them in hopes someone will buy. Kewl tho they quite are - they are esoteric and will appeal only to a certain type.

Again - if you don't feel comfortable sharing in an intimidating environment - please do contact me by email.

OR, just grow a bit thicker skin - it's often necessary up in here - as you've already seen. I quite often share stuff people don't want to hear.

Thanks and regards

jonathon
 
Nick,

I find it refreshing to see that the flowers you show on your website are wrapped. I am assuming that the customer gets what they see in this situation...I am also quite interested in the shipping process and how it recieved by the recipient.

Here we have some problems with fedex and dhl(shipping companies) leaving perishables in extreme weather(hot or very cold). Do you have these problems, also? If so, how big a problem is it in regards to replacements and such?

I think that is enough for now don't want to over burden you with questions...
 
thankyou xxx

Hi everyone,

Thanks for allowing me to become a registered user! I realize know that i unwittingly opened a can of worms for you all.

As far as i am concerned I aim to be honest and become a real participate in your forum.

Apart form floristnews.co.uk this is the only forum i have ever joined, and the reason for joining is to learn more about my choosen profession and be the best florist/flower in a box operator i can be!!!

Cheers again and :iwuvyou: all!!!!!

I will begin to answer your posts and questions in this thread!!!
 
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lori042499 said:
Hello and thank you for your application,

I have three questions:

What is the website url?

Do your customers know they are getting flowers in a box from what they read or see on your web page or are they unaware because of what they read or see, because all they see are beautiful flower arrangements?

Do your customers know the address where your business is located or is that hidden?
Click to expand...

Dear Lori,

Hi, sorry it has taken me a while to reply, i have been taken aback by all the hundreds of posts in this forum that became available to me when i become a registered uses and basically have been reading them instead of replying to you guys.

Anyway i have lots of websites and have even just started a blog and they all belong to www.theredrosesociety.org.

My first website i ever built was www.virtualroses.co.uk which hasnt changed at all since i built it in 1999. (we have sent over 150,000 of them)

All the remaining websites have been organicly growing ever since and my learning curve seems to be more exponential than ever!

My main website is and always has been www.interrose.co.uk, we started selling roses online in 2002 and i confess to being a complete florist virgin back then.

My principles have always been to have a clean vivid web site and to be clear about who we are and where we come from and what we do.

We have never ripped anyone off and offer a 100% customer satisfaction policy.

So hopefully that is a little more meat to my bones for you all!!!
 
bloomz said:
I just hate to be the Voice of Reason up in here - I'm not sure it suits me.

It's WWW.interrose.co.uk

Honestly I see no trickery involved - it's very clearly stated who they are, where they are, and what they do. I also saw no claims about being "fresher than a florist" type of carp.

Just a different delivery mode - is it *possible* this is part of the future and we could learn something about it?

I don't see that the entire flowers in a box deal needs to be demonized, just the ones that are dissing florsts to sell their products. There is a faction of people that ARE going to purchase that way and I feel I somehow need to position myself in that market, but haven't figured out quite how yet.

Heck RC is foraying into that market, remember? It's a sales channel that's not going to go away, and I want to know more about it.

Heck I have McMann's book in my office I read, hoping to learn from him (I did - the #1 thing I learned from that book was his insistance on providing his sales people with the absolute best technology possible to service the public - this was 10 or more years ago, and now they like MAS - go figure, I beat him to the punch on that one)

I originally voted Red but after re-thinking it this morning changed to green. I don't think this member needs to be ostracized for the sins of proflowers - if he's found an ethical and upfront way to tap that market, well I'm all ears.

As matter of fact, Nick, if you don't get cleared to be here, please contact me at [email protected] and we'll chat

thank you
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for your support, i think we are going to be quite good chums!!! can i ask what does RC and MAS stand for. totally understand if i do not need to know!!!!!!

BTW, i was selling roses online oblivious to everyone and everything around me..... i simply wanted to sell roses online and came up with the best most bespoke way i could think of at the time....

cheers!!!!! Nick
 
twiggy said:
I have to agree with you bloomz...if we only vote people in who are like minded and are doing things the way we are comfortable with or agree with, then what can we possibly learn? we may not agree with each other's way of doing business (or other differences) but that doesn't mean we can't learn from them.
for example.. many people on FC have mixed feelings about Art Conforti and his business model... however, he is an excellent marketer..and we all have a chance to learn plenty from him.. and others (if we all quit cutting off our noses to spite our faces)
Click to expand...

dear twigs,,,,

thanks for your vote.... and who is art conforti?????? i really am new to this!!!!!

nick
 
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