Turning the Tables on the WS

[Dior]

Ftd came with the shop and actually being a navy town that was the majority of our orders the guys would send that way when out to sea. we used to get a nice income off 1800 but they sold out to the local chain store and now we lost all of that income. we have weeded everything to bare bones no extras on all the ws and now one by one we are reclaiming it the way it should be, we have just had the most trroubles with ftd, returning calls ect so that has made the decision alot easier it's just that contract thing we don't know how to go about tackling. Thanks for all the good information we are getting notes togeher. Thanks again!

Oldtown, have you considered buying out the contract on your FTD POS? If you have a line of credit, home equity loan, etc., or available cash with which you can pay off the FTD contract, then you can look into an independent POS system, such as Floristware, and be done with your "marriage" to the w/s. There are also many options now for credit card clearing with way better rates than the w/s, and way better website developers (Ryan) with more unique web designs than the boring cookie cutter w/s offerings.

If you are getting ignored by your w/s rep or the in-house customer service dept, find out who the rep reports to (the regional sales VP in the WA area,) and call or email him/her. Be persistent, don't wait for days to get a reply!

Also, if you then decide to terminate your membership, expect them to entice you to stay...free dues, ads, etc. for several months. If you are not doing well with the w/s now, it's not going to change in the long run, the w/s are all in a continuous decline. You don't need to give a reason, it's your business, JUST SAY NO!

 

[bloomz]

with more unique web designs than the boring cookie cutter w/s offerings.

Excuse me for asking, but you're an Independent Floral Business Consultant that recommends against offering Proven Best Sellers?

Could you clarify that please?

 

[BOSS]

recommends against offering Proven Best Sellers?

Could you clarify that please?

"Proven" **best sellers** are for those not creative enough to come up with their own...

Odd to me that I had a website for 5 years with the "proven best sellers" that has been out preformed by one without them.

I'm just say'n...

 

[Dior]

Excuse me for asking, but you're an Independent Floral Business Consultant that recommends against offering Proven Best Sellers?

Could you clarify that please?

Just like any other program the w/s offer, their websites do not work for everyone. I've seen many w/s website cancellations as well as some that have been active and working for them. My recommendation above is for the florist who is considering leaving the w/s completely, and giving assurance that there are other fantastic web designers out there, with great unusual and unique web designs. Hey, if your w/s website is working for you, party on! I never recommend a florist dump something that is profiting them, w/s program or not!

 

[lori042499]

"Proven" **best sellers** are for those not creative enough to come up with their own...

Odd to me that I had a website for 5 years with the "proven best sellers" that has been out preformed by one without them.

I'm just say'n...

Not that we are not creative enough, some just don't have the man power, photography, now how, writing skills, inside marketing information to know what is a best seller or time to develop the best seller....There is so much that goes into producing one picture for your website and get it done right...that it is just beyond some of us right now to do it.

 

[bloomz]

"Proven" **best sellers** are for those not creative enough to come up with their own...

What you sayin' Willis?

Odd to me that I had a website for 5 years with the "proven best sellers" that has been out preformed by one without them.

I'm just say'n...

Odder than mine performing so well using them?

I'm just sayin....

Just like any other program the w/s offer, their websites do not work for everyone. I've seen many w/s website cancellations as well as some that have been active and working for them. My recommendation above is for the florist who is considering leaving the w/s completely, and giving assurance that there are other fantastic web designers out there, with great unusual and unique web designs. Hey, if your w/s website is working for you, party on! I never recommend a florist dump something that is profiting them, w/s program or not!

I must have misunderstood your comment...I'm not speaking about their websites tho...it was about the products and particularly the images. I don't have a wire service website, but I do feature their products, and they sell quite well, against popular (cough, baloney) theory up in here.
:itchy:

(Now here's a funny side trip for you kidz - I was standing in front of our stuffed cooler yesterday and there was't a single "cookie cutter" in there.)

Not that we are not creative enough, some just don't have the man power, photography, now how, writing skills, inside marketing information to know what is a best seller or time to develop the best seller....There is so much that goes into producing one picture for your website and get it done right...that it is just beyond some of us right now to do it.

Eggzactry - when someone up in here spends a couple mill on market research, maybe then I'll come around, but the darn thing just ain't broken, so....?

But the quesions is, was, I was perplexed that a Floral Consultant would advise against PBS's on websites.

:handball:

 

[Eric S]

Hostage by POS

Our last payment was paid to Teleflora for our Eagle system this past August.

They came in to see if I wanted to go into a new system in September and of course our existing system will need some upgrades in order to continue to recieve the "new versions" if I didn't go into the new system with them. (About $4000 in upgrades).

You have to understand that you will be paying for a "newer system" forever with any Wire service. There is no pay off or a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[inferno63]

Our last payment was paid to Teleflora for our Eagle system this past August.

They came in to see if I wanted to go into a new system in September and of course our existing system will need some upgrades in order to continue to recieve the "new versions" if I didn't go into the new system with them. (About $4000 in upgrades).

You have to understand that you will be paying for a "newer system" forever with any Wire service. There is no pay off or a light at the end of the tunnel.

The WS has the perfect business philosophy to run a cell phone company!

 

[Chezbloom]

The proven best sellers are not broken. Some of TF's designs are downright lovely. Its the WS themselves that done broke down.
At least for us who do not send a lot of orders and who dont enjoy the web being inundated with dOG's on every corner. Not you Bloomz. I'm talking about the dOG's and OG's that probaby are on here but never ever post anything. Also, I am not a photographer, I use a $67 dollar digital cam I bought on Ebay. I usually use a white background and git r done. The lighting is horrific here but with some quick tweeking in Photoshop, I can usually get a new pic up in about 30 minutes. If you have time to post on FC you have time to photograph your own designs and git em on up there for the world to see. Its your art gallery, you're the curator, designer etc.

 

[inferno63]

The proven best sellers are not broken. Some of TF's designs are downright lovely. Its the WS themselves that done broke down.
At least for us who do not send a lot of orders and who dont enjoy the web being inundated with dOG's on every corner. Not you Bloomz. I'm talking about the dOG's and OG's that probaby are on here but never ever post anything. Also, I am not a photographer, I use a $67 dollar digital cam I bought on Ebay. I usually use a white background and git r done. The lighting is horrific here but with some quick tweeking in Photoshop, I can usually get a new pic up in about 30 minutes. If you have time to post on FC you have time to photograph your own designs and git em on up there for the world to see. Its your art gallery, your the curator, designer etc.

Quite a lovely collection of photos on your site too!

My camera was purchased on overstock.com and is a refurbished Pentax Optio E50. It was $80 and it works out just fine. The editing makes or breaks the pic in my opinion. The simple cameras can work just great with a little photo editing.

 

[dhamil6490]

bloomz - you gotta ask yourself, what does "proven best sellers" really mean? Proven to what standard? Best sellers compared to what? Anyone can make a claim like that. Right now I can claim that a little $35 tulip vase we make for walk-ins is my best seller. I just sold one. So what? It doesn't compare to the other orders we filled today for value, size or design. "Proven Best Sellers" is a marketing claim used to make florists think they will fly off the shelf, and customers feel like they're popular with everyone. I think we would all benefit if the WS would clarify what they mean.

 

[bloomz]

I don't know quite how to answer that other than I can tell when something sells well and when it doesn't. Isn't that proving it? The ca-ching of the cash register?

Here people call them cookie cutters like it is some kind of insult or like Boss so errantly suggested, lacking creativity of shop owners.

I call them proven best sellers because I know long green is spent on market research and what consumers want to buy.

Being a wire service member I get a (not so) free ride on that market research.

I've most certainly learned that florists in general have no idea what people really want to buy - they try to sell what they themselves like.

I include myself in that category by the way. When it comes to what I should do with my life (and my business) - I'm usually the last one to ask.

So I follow the leaders.

Works just fine for me.

And that's why I'm sitting on this toilet cookie up cookie dough, because it works.

 

[BobbiR]

Like you list--may try it in my Teleflora Rep!
They can not live without us!!!

 

[Dior]

What you sayin' Willis?



Odder than mine performing so well using them?

I'm just sayin....



I must have misunderstood your comment...I'm not speaking about their websites tho...it was about the products and particularly the images. I don't have a wire service website, but I do feature their products, and they sell quite well, against popular (cough, baloney) theory up in here.
:itchy:

(Now here's a funny side trip for you kidz - I was standing in front of our stuffed cooler yesterday and there was't a single "cookie cutter" in there.)



Eggzactry - when someone up in here spends a couple mill on market research, maybe then I'll come around, but the darn thing just ain't broken, so....?

But the quesions is, was, I was perplexed that a Floral Consultant would advise against PBS's on websites.

:handball:

Hi Bloomz, Yeah, sorry you misunderstood my quote, I defininitely wasn't talking about the arrangement photos, aka, proven best sellers on the websites, I was talking about the website template/layout/design itself. As far as proven best sellers, I would never recommend For or Against them, every florist knows what sells in his/her shop and what doesn't. I found it amazing when I repped for the w/s, I'd go to one shop and they sold the PBS's like hotcakes, the next shop I went to, had a basement full of the containers...the reasons could be many, another topic for another day!

 

[bloomz]

Thanks Dior - that's what I was thinking.

If you're in a town with lots of the same ws websites, *maybe* it will make a difference to not have one (tho recently one of the biggest florist in Seattle told me that isn't true)

If you're in a smaller town, no so much

But I like indy websites and mine is unlike anyone elses.

I do know what you mean about buying containers from wire services. A common theme in bankrupt shops is a back room full of unopened boxes of codifies.

Now some, like Toppers for instance, who joined here recently, have highly custoized wire service sites that I know are also unlike others.

But the images just can't be beat IMO, and my sales of them prove it.

but up in here boy do opinions vary - you gotta watch who you listen to cuz it seems like everybody has an agenda, including me, tho I'm not exactly sure what mine is.

warm regards and blessings

 

[Dior]

Ha, ha, ha, you are so right about opinions, Bloomz...I'm glad I don't work for the pet care industry, I'd walk into a pet shop and stupidly tell them to get rid of all their puppies and only sell English Springer Spaniels, just because I'm ga-ga over the breed, meanwhile deep inside knowing full well and appreciating that ALL dogs are gorgeous!

To each his own, so they say!

God bless, have a nice weekend.

 

[giljohnson]

Wow, I canned FTD two years ago but I've stayed with Teleflora because I'm commited to the Daisy System but now I'm looking for a replacement for that system so that I can back away from Teleflora.
If all the State Florist Associations banded together and made similar demands on all the Wire Services AND the Order Gatherers we could easily win back our business.
In your case, whatever FTD does, you've won. Congratulations

 

[BOSS]

I've stayed with Teleflora because I'm commited to the Daisy System but now I'm looking for a replacement for that system so that I can back away from Teleflora.

Welcome to FlowerChat Gil...

I ran Daisy for 12 years without support...and most Daisy users I know did for some time too...

Check out MAS or any of the other independent systems... you'll find the right fit...

 

[dhamil6490]

gil - take a look at FAS, Floral Accounting Systems. Independent, simple, good tech support, not too expensive, beta-testing a Windows version so I'm told. 800.830.6160. Tell them Blumen Garten sent you.

 

[avenuegardensflorist]

Our last payment was paid to Teleflora for our Eagle system this past August.

They came in to see if I wanted to go into a new system in September and of course our existing system will need some upgrades in order to continue to recieve the "new versions" if I didn't go into the new system with them. (About $4000 in upgrades).

You have to understand that you will be paying for a "newer system" forever with any Wire service. There is no pay off or a light at the end of the tunnel.

....so did you upgrade w/ TF? .....I didn't think so.
I am in limbo land knowing I need to do something w/ a pos.
Some good options out there but hesitant b/c of the economy.