Undercover Boss

[CHR]

It's interesting they're promoting the franchises again. They laid off some of the top staff in that division last year.

The West Coast Franchises (Conroy's) have been closing at a fast clip over the last couple years.

It's my understanding those Boston franchises are spokes of the LFC hub and were required to be opened as part of the LFC agreement. Anybody got any updated info on this?

I don't know the franchise cost today, but a Conroy's franchise was about about $500K in the 80's - for fees, building, inventory and training. The franchisor (now 1-800-flowers) gets 10.75% of gross sales.

Ooop - just found a page about the franchise costs on the 1-800-flowers site. Total minimum cost: $201,500 - $478,250*

So the kid Jose' will get a 5-10% or so discount on a franchise with Chris' $25,000 pledge.

 

[BOSS]

It's my understanding those Boston franchises are spokes of the LFC hub and were required to be opened as part of the LFC agreement. Anybody got any updated info on this?

True. Original proposal was for 10 retail outlets, in years 3-4-5 of the agreement, within service distance of the LFC. Not sure they are holding to this number. Call into the LFC owner, I'll find out...

 

[Eric S]

I don't know the franchise cost today, but a Conroy's franchise was about about $500K in the 80's - for fees, building, inventory and training. The franchisor (now 1-800-flowers) gets 10.75% of gross sales.

Don't they get more then that if the order is sent to the franchise through bloomnet? Wouldn't that explain why the conroys have been closing? Plus the fact that not to long ago many of their business listings online pointed to 1800flowers website. I would imagine that 800 flowers would get that money and only if the order was sent to the franchise. But we all know that when they where signing up independent florist then they where sending those same orders to the conroys comeditors. Like me!

 

[lori042499]

Don't they get more then that if the order is sent to the franchise through bloomnet? Wouldn't that explain why the conroys have been closing? Plus the fact that not to long ago many of their business listings online pointed to 1800flowers website. I would imagine that 800 flowers would get that money and only if the order was sent to the franchise. But we all know that when they where signing up independent florist then they where sending those same orders to the conroys comeditors. Like me!

I am really not to sure why the heck anyone would want a francise for flowers...that 10% of gross is on every freaking thing sold out of the shop even your own stuff to your own customer...that makes it real real hard to make any money...but you do get their brand recognition...not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...I know that here in Melrose, many people don't like the chains and won't shop with them...

 

[concord]

I think it'd be great if someone created a facebook page "The real truth about 1800flowers" we all could post our bad experiences.

There is already a FB page called 1800flowerssucks or something to that affect.

 

[concord]

watched the show after hubby remember it was airing. We were amused, just a big puffy infomercial for 800flz. where were the fulfillment and the call centers. I would have loved to see Chris take over the phone to handle a complaint.

Jim came across as arrogant and belittling.

the whole program came across as a staged infomercial, which was surprising because I have caught a couple of the other shows and they didn't come across that way.

I wonder if the other shows came across that way to people in those industries though. Maybe all the trash collectors in the country were just as annoyed at The Waste Management Info- mercial as we were with this episode. I know I won't be watching anymore "reality " shows. Never did like them and this didn't change my mind!

 

[conchandler]

I wonder what criteria must be met for a company to be featured on this programme. Do they pay a fee? How much say do they get on how it's edited etc?

Inquiring minds and all that...

V

V, I was wondering that as well...do the producers give them any rights to edit content, etc. etc. Find it hard to believe that Jim thought he was being anything but a jerk.