What does having a wire service have to do with having skilled designers?

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CHR hits it on the head

Friend CHR writes my mind ( That's Quakerese)

The problem today is too many arrangements are being offered by agents beyond the local florist's control. The efficiencies of scale aren't there anymore. In the sixties we offered 2or 3 of our own specials supported by local picturial advertising. We sold anywhere from 75 to 500 of each. This we could do profitably with special purchases and less skilled workers.

Today with wire services advertising 6 or so suggestions to the consumer and OG's promoting anything. It's hard to count on making more than 6 of any arrangement. Selling 30 of our own special will not justify the cost of local advertising.
 
The cost of filling orders just can't be focused on the designer cost only.

Every bit of the process of being a florist has to be considered.

When customers call me look for "Dozen roses" and they bauk at the price I can usually explain to them that its more then just inserting in 12 red roses.

The process of getting the roses to your store shipping or your wife going up to the LA Market at 2AM.
The process of storing these roses electricty and a place that usualy requires money to rent.
Cleaning and Prep.
The cost of having the vases greens and filler on hand.
Designing The Product.
Delivering The Product.

Its so much more then the labor.

When I would fill orders for Gift Tree and was sending out Gourmet and Fruit Baskets it seemed to me that all I had to do was throw this product in a basket and deliver it. But I had to have much more product on hand gourmet fruit and baskets which tied up cash. A place to properly store the product dry storage and a refrigerated unit. Someone to buy the product and keep tabs on inventory.

The whole operating process goes up and to recieve deeply discounted orders and recieve 71% to 73% of the value it is very difficult to manage. There is no room for error.
 
The process of getting the roses to your store shipping or your wife going up to the LA Market at 2AM.
The process of storing these roses electricty and a place that usualy requires money to rent.
Cleaning and Prep.
The cost of having the vases greens and filler on hand.
Designing The Product.
Delivering The Product.

My customers would look at this list, and determine that these are excuses for charging higher prices, not reasons.

Why?

Because the grocery store ALSO has to:

-acquire the product
-store the product
-clean & prepare the product
-stock vases, greens, & filler
-design the product
-some even deliver the product

AND THEY DO ALL THIS FOR A HECK OF A LOT LESS THAN WE DO!!!
 
are we talking about the difference here between Floral Designers and Floral Arrangers?

There is a huge difference tho that Designer term is used way too loosely and too much.

I do agree tho that Floral Arrangers is also a skilled position - or I could claim to be one, and I sure don't.

There's a lot more contractors than there are architects.
 
Relax Doug.
What I mean here, is that there is a massive difference between "Floral Design", and pre-designed "Order Construction. <snip>

I didn't mean to offend anyone or downgrade "Designers" or the design process, just finding confusion in these posts with regards to design/designers.

Another post put a finger (hopefully index) on the terminology. BTW, at another time, I'll explain the origin of the "uni-digital salute." But I digress.

A "designer" is someone that can take (often) vague ideas, come up with a concept based on AVAILABLE raw materials, execute with a design concept, (where necessary) get feedback from a customer or other responsible party, and execute the product in a manner that satisfies the customer AND is profitable for the company.

An "arranger" is someone that takes a pre-made design and executes it using the specified materials at a quality level that is consistent with industry and/or company standards.

Before "backing into" the flower business, I spent the first quarter century of my professional life in electronics. We had a very similar situation. We called our "designers" ENGINEERS and our "arrangers" were called TECHNICIANS if the product required technical skills or ASSEMBLERS if the product had been de-skilled to the point where limited technical ability was required.

For cost reasons, an engineer almost never built a finished product.

All the best,
Bill
 
The cost of filling orders just can't be focused on the designer cost only.

Every bit of the process of being a florist has to be considered.

When customers call me look for "Dozen roses" and they bauk at the price I can usually explain to them that its more then just inserting in 12 red roses.

The process of getting the roses to your store shipping or your wife going up to the LA Market at 2AM.
The process of storing these roses electricty and a place that usualy requires money to rent.
Cleaning and Prep.
The cost of having the vases greens and filler on hand.
Designing The Product.
Delivering The Product.

Its so much more then the labor.

When I would fill orders for Gift Tree and was sending out Gourmet and Fruit Baskets it seemed to me that all I had to do was throw this product in a basket and deliver it. But I had to have much more product on hand gourmet fruit and baskets which tied up cash. A place to properly store the product dry storage and a refrigerated unit. Someone to buy the product and keep tabs on inventory.

The whole operating process goes up and to recieve deeply discounted orders and recieve 71% to 73% of the value it is very difficult to manage. There is no room for error.

The fact of the matter is you have just outlined the costs of doing business, for anyone selling flowers. They are not unique to your shop or to our segment of the industry.

As a consumer how many of us shop at the big box stores, rather than the little guy? If we went to the little guy to purchase something and they were 3-5 times the price of the box store would we as individuals "buy into" this reasoning?

Not for a moment! So why expect our customers to?
 
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I feel dirty every time I shop at Costco, but I grow used to feeling dirty.


I went once a while back to Richie's, the only remaining independent grocery store in town, with the distinct intent of supporting local vs Safeway or Albertsons, and the prices were a fair amount higher.

I don't shop at Richie's any more.

No, I could care less for the reasons for higher prices.
 
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