what's up with Rio Roses?

[HERO]

Rio Roses plan for www.rioroses.com

For those that don't know I'm a customer and a VERY happy one or Rio Roses and Equiflor. I love the product and I love the company. I have loved everything that Rio and the brand has been doing UNTIL I learned about Rioroses.com and the plan to partner with the Wire Services. I didn't like it because I knew the wire services wouldn't give up the 80/20 or the 7% even if it was good for the industry. I didn't like paying for a product and then discounting it. Tis why I don't fill for OG's and .com's. So I was PISSED when I knew they had to do the 80/20 and was working to get any other set up there was. Pushed for 90/10 at the least, however the two WS wouldn't play ball. So I was set on NOT filling their orders at all. Then I learned about the set up, pricing, look, and quality of the site.

This is exactly what PROFESSIONAL florist need and want. They are looking to do higher end and really outstanding second to none work. The Selection guide is FANTASTIC. The product and work is Phenominal and the prices are profitable for anyone.

Let me as a question, could you fill a dozen wrapped roses for $49.99?

A dozen boxed roses for $59.99, and a Dozen vased roses for $69.99?

Oh by the way a $8 delivery charge on top of that???

I know I can even with the 20% gone, I'll get the 7% back from RIO.

Also I KNOW for a fact that the profit will go right back into advertising to make MY phone ring, MY cash register ring, and MY sales go up ... along with theirs.

Do I have ANYTHING to lose? I don't see one downside, however I don't blame those here for doubting you all have been duped by those that have been your "friends" and "supporters" in the past, however I should of know that RIO is a friend, a supported, and only interested in helping the florist sell flowers, otherwise they have been wasting all their efforts before this.

I can't wait, I know I can fill anything they have on their site, I know I will be getting the majority of the orders for Baton Rouge and If they need a Pink, white, Red, Yellow, Peach, Rainbow, Blush, Creme, Chocolate, orange, or Purple that my weekly order takes care of that and that is all they are selling. Also If I happen to run out, my Power partner retailer has them on hand ... That is how it works, sorry if you can't or won't participate. Not everyone gets to play for this is real life and sometimes it isn't fair.

HERO

p.s. Griff, like your other plan however find the Grower that will do this and the wholesalers that will support it. Rio is the only one CLOSE.

 

[bloomz]

This IS the same Hero that has defended all the FDS decisions that take money away from us because he owns stock in FDS, righty right? ("either way I win")

How much Rio stock you be holdin' David?

 

[BOSS]

I can't wait, I know I can fill anything they have on their site, I know I will be getting the majority of the orders for Baton Rouge and If they need a Pink, white, Red, Yellow, Peach, Rainbow, Blush, Creme, Chocolate, orange, or Purple that my weekly order takes care of that and that is all they are selling. Also If I happen to run out, my Power partner retailer has them on hand ...
HERO

Splain somtin to me Lucy.... Your Power Partner stocks ALL the various varieties? You get an order for Peekaboo...not in stock...what do you do then?

 

[Victoria]

Press release...

RioRoses.com Makes Consumer Debut

Equiflor's consumer Web site is going live this week, with a "soft launch" Aug. 25 and a full launch by the end of the week, according to Leilani Hemphill, Equiflor's vice president of brand development. Equiflor originally hoped for a late June launch, but "technical difficulties" surrounding the company's effort to create a comprehensive database of florists carrying its flowers pushed back the date, says Shane Leeth, Equiflor's national account manager.


The site, www.rioroses.com, formerly an industry portal to the company's Rio Roses brand flowers, will accept orders from consumers and send them to florists who sell Rio Roses. When an order is placed for delivery in an area without such a florist, it is drop shipped. (In June, Floral Management covered the marketing efforts behind the Web site and industry members' reaction to the initiative. Read the story at www.safnow.org/EBrief/RioRoses.pdf.)

The Aug. 25 soft launch allows the company to troubleshoot and test the site. By the end of the week, however, the site will be fully functional, appearing in search engine results. Industry marketing efforts surrounding the site have not been put on hold, Hemphill says, with Equiflor seeking retail partners through ads in trade publications. The company will not advertise the site to consumers until it is fully functional, Hemphill says.

Equiflor's decision to market directly to consumers caused "a lot of speculation," in the industry, Leeth says, and messages questioning the company's motives have appeared on Web florist boards. Hemphill and other executives maintain, however, that Equiflor is not trying to pull orders from florists and that drop shipping will be a last resort, with most orders going through the company's retail partners, who receive a minimum cash value of 7 percent of gross dollars filled.

- Julia Hoffman
[email protected]

 

[Paul]

So it's just one more order gatherer for our list.

Who will be next to imitate this brilliant business plan? I wonder what type of flower growers (Callas? Tropicals? Orchids?) will be the next to do us a favor by charging a premium wholesale price for so-so product and then trying to grab our customers on the internet before they come into our stores so the grower can make another 20% on the retail flower price (plus whatever other perks they have negotiated) by marketing through the wire services. Double dipping. I am in awe of their business acumen! Some people really know how to make money! And how to say Sc--w You! I guess that's what is now meant by "saying it with flowers!"

 

[12BucksFor2Dozon]

... Also I KNOW for a fact that the profit will go right back into advertising to make MY phone ring, MY cash register ring, and MY sales go up ... along with theirs.
....

And there, alas, is the *exact* attitude that permeates the entire floral industry and dooms any attempt at reforming it from within...MY MY MY! Dog eat dog, baby! i win, U LOSE.

So thanks, HERO, for being so upfront and honest about it...it is refreshing to hear the unabashed truth right from the source.

 

[HERO]

Easy enough ...

Splain somtin to me Lucy.... Your Power Partner stocks ALL the various varieties? You get an order for Peekaboo...not in stock...what do you do then?

Ok Ricky, the order won't come as Peekaboo, the order comes as pink, white, yellow ... etc.

HERO

p.s. Next ?

 

[HERO]

Little Neocon love why don't you have for me ...

This IS the same Hero that has defended all the FDS decisions that take money away from us because he owns stock in FDS, righty right? ("either way I win")

How much Rio stock you be holdin' David?

I'm sitting in the house right now that FTD stock help to build, and it cozy, sorry you couldn't do the same, however not fillin' the company orders anymore because it don't make sense.

but as to your original question.

None, I just like what the company is doing, right now they are all alone, even you loveable SAF is sitting and watching them, like eveyone else.

HERO

p.s. If I could buy stock, I would.

 

[HERO]

Who are you?

And there, alas, is the *exact* attitude that permeates the entire floral industry and dooms any attempt at reforming it from within...MY MY MY! Dog eat dog, baby! i win, U LOSE.

So thanks, HERO, for being so upfront and honest about it...it is refreshing to hear the unabashed truth right from the source.

Dude, I don't know you, you don't know me .. take my post however you want to but don't question my commitment to the industry, I one of the few if only top 200 shops that wants to go to 100/0 sending.

Make your assumptions, but know of what you speak, cartoon boy.

HERO

p.s. I hate spongebob.

 

[Rock]

Hi Her... David!! How've you bin?
You may not know 12Bucks but you must remember me; don't you?
Are American Ducks really different? Here in the True North, Strong and FREE if it looks like a duck and makes a noise like a duck, by *uck, it is probably a DUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Qvack, qvack, qvack.................
You just gotta start listening; you know BOSS and BLOOMZ right? Aren't they smart fellas? I think they are and there's many more here too! WHY do you support another blatant Order Gatherer??? What does "could you fill a dozen wrapped roses for $49.99?" got to do with anything? It's still DISCOUNTED! It's still helping create another OG and helping keep dinosaur WS's in business!!!! We have to get rid of these people NOT SUPPORT THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE ROCK.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS Keep you blood pressure down, now...

 

[NPFloral]

Rock.... can you say ...."nail on the head?!?" woohoo!! You're EXACTLY right. I said essentially the same thing earlier on in this thread. You can look at it from any angle, even inside-out and up it's azz, RIO HAS BECOME OUR COMPETITION. Plain and simply, someone else wanting a piece of OUR pie!

Tim--the ORIGINAL North Port Floral

 

[BOSS]

Devil's Advocate

Taking Ryan place as the Devil since he's out of town...

Wondering if folks would look at this much differently if it were a 90/10% gig, with the 10 being considered advertising?

Go ahead and shoot, already got my flack jacket on this am...

 

[Rock]

Mark,
I don't think you'll need that flack jacket....
Since we've weaned ourselves off the OG DRUG (starting to sound like ToTo) they only way I would accept that is if the 10% (or less) would go to the site WHO REFERRED the customer directly to me, either my site or to my phone number with me handling the complete transaction and paying what I guess really is a finders fee. That way they are MY customer not the referrers'.
What do YOU think about 90/10?
Rock on...
PS I thought Ryan had horns the last time I saw him :>

 

[Griff]

Don't think it matters...

Wondering if folks would look at this much differently if it were a 90/10% gig, with the 10 being considered advertising?

BOSS, you have to remember that all these companies are using the WS to transmit their orders. The ONLY game they can play is 73-20-7. It could never be anything else because these guys are unwilling to even invest in a cheap sending system with FAX. What everyone seems to omitted in their math calculations is who gets the 20%. If the receiving florists get 73% less the transmission charge and the WS gets the 7%, then Rio gets the 20% and even if they give 7% back as a rebate, well you do the math. You really can't refer to them as a OG until you get a chance to see the meta tags on their website to see where they are going to show up. I'm sure that if we all wake up one of these mornings and look at all the florists listed for our own specific towns and cities on the internet and find a rose grower there along with everyone else, I guess it isn't going to matter what price they are showing roses at, or even if your prices may be lower, chances are the consumer has one more possible source of flowers to look at and the local real florists is faced with yet another company that could possibly send the local guy another discounted order. Oh well...

When any company wants to sell a product they have to establish some type of advertising budget to tell and show perpective buyers about their product. This is a very strange industry. A grower has created a small percentage of his selling price on every rose to cover his cost of advertising. The grower wants to sell the product to the wholesaler and then possibly help the wholesaler sell the product to florist. I'll be @@@@ed..... if I understand why florists are so willing to continually pay any additional advertising charge for a product that already included an advertising charge just so they can add THAT cost to all their other advertising expenses to sell a product they created their business to sell in the first place. As TOTO would say, that's another one of those mysteries of life.

 

[mcf]

my two cents

I've been following this thread and have been reluctant to put my neck on the chopping block, but since Hero did, I guess I can too.

I believe in Equiflor & Rio Roses and have worked with them for a number of years. I attended University twice and am on a first name basis with several on the Equiflor team. As for our market the product has been excellent and support from our wholesale power partner is incredible. Rio Roses has supported us several times a year to assist us in branding Rio here. The way I see it is if you can get people to ask for Virginia roses instead of white roses, you can get them to ask for Rio. While I'm not wild about the new plans for the web site, I'm willing to reserve judgment until it launches and we see how it goes.

Change is never easy in the floral industry. However, each change has positive and negative points. Remember the grocery stores? We thought they would destroy traditional flower shops. Did they? Yes some, but not like we anticipated. Did they increase flower consumption? You bet. Did they create new flower buyers? Yes. Do those new flower buyers go to the grocery store for funeral flowers or flowers as gifts? Some, but not all. Most go to a traditional flower shop for their special arrangements.

Think Martha Stewart...she sold many on do-it-yourself arrangements, but she too created new flower consumers. There's usually good and bad in every change.

OK, Flame away. I'm ready for it. I'm not sticking my head in the sand on this issue. However, I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised with this new change in the floral industry.

 

[sfox]

Your two cents

What I got out of your post was that you are training your customers to ask for roses by their names. And you are convincing your customers that Rio roses are good roses.

What is Rio doing for you? Is their Brand bringing in new customers to your store? Are they spending their time, which is money, to educate your customers? What are they giving your for the higher price you are paying for their product?

 

[BOSS]

BOSS, you have to remember that all these companies are using the WS to transmit their orders.

Yes Sir... I remember... my reference to 90/10 was not meant to include the wire services, but the 10% going to RIO on top of their already higher than average wholesale cost to cover the cost of "generating" NEW orders...

Sorry if I was not clear...

My comments communicated directly to RIO indicated the major flaw in their plan as I see it, those being their association with the wire services, as well as the comission structure...among other things.

 

[HERO]

Hi Her... David!! How've you bin?
You may not know 12Bucks but you must remember me; don't you?
Are American Ducks really different? Here in the True North, Strong and FREE if it looks like a duck and makes a noise like a duck, by *uck, it is probably a DUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Qvack, qvack, qvack.................
You just gotta start listening; you know BOSS and BLOOMZ right? Aren't they smart fellas? I think they are and there's many more here too! WHY do you support another blatant Order Gatherer??? What does "could you fill a dozen wrapped roses for $49.99?" got to do with anything? It's still DISCOUNTED! It's still helping create another OG and helping keep dinosaur WS's in business!!!! We have to get rid of these people NOT SUPPORT THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE ROCK.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS Keep you blood pressure down, now...

Hey Pebble ...

I know what Canadian geese are and there are pains in the ass here in the states around my lake ... ugly mother@@@@ers too. Honk Honk.

Boss and Bloomz, sure they are smart, but Boss changes his opinion more times than Madonna changes her "look" and Bloomz has smoked more illegal substances than Exxon refinery.

My point is Rio is doing good for this industry, who else is???

I didn't like 12 or sponge head questioning my loyalty to this industry. I don't like anyone doing this. What are you doing in your corner of the world to stop what you call, what is killing this industry. Posting here just lets off steam. Thats it, I applaude florist detective and those that have started it. I applaude John Van B. for his site. I applaude those doing more that just talking.

I think Rio is good for our industry and they are the only grower or farm doing anything to help make my and whoever else carries RIO to sell flowers.

Keep buying the least expensive and most common roses out there, I for one like the concept of branding and marketing supported by my vendor.

Remember FTD, no one @@@@@ed about the 7% ( or 5% back then ) to build a brand and what do we have now, one of the 50 most reconized brands in the world. Maybe we can do this again. *** Please don't start an arguement about what FTD is now, been there done that. *****

I am betting on it, what are you doing, besides quacking like a duck.

HERO

p.s. We'll just have to wait and see now won't we, and I'm the only one that really can be wrong. It took FTD 85 years to start competing against us.

p.s. My point about the $49 wrapped rose is that I sell them right now for $14.95 ... you could discount it 50%, I make money, not really a discounted order with my math.

 

[HERO]

Ummm ... have you ever been to your wholesaler when Equiflor/Rio was there?

What I got out of your post was that you are training your customers to ask for roses by their names. And you are convincing your customers that Rio roses are good roses.

What is Rio doing for you? Is their Brand bringing in new customers to your store? Are they spending their time, which is money, to educate your customers? What are they giving your for the higher price you are paying for their product?

I just recieved a box of materials today, Flower food, Stickers, Paper, etc.

Yes, since the 5 years of doing the Rio program I have gone from one box of red roses to 3 and 1 box of colors to 3, and 1 box of 17 dozens to 4. The roses are great and the branding is a big help. Can this be done over night, NO. However it can be done with trickle down effect.

If you haven't tried it, and it is a commitment, I suggest you do if you believe it can be done. Simple as that.

HERO

p.s. Call me if you want more details. Under my Profile.

 

[CHR]

Remember FTD, no one @@@@@ed about the 7% ( or 5% back then ) to build a brand and what do we have now, one of the 50 most reconized brands in the world.

Yes I remember. They built that brand on 7% clearinghouse fees.

Not 20, 27 or 29%. I think that's the point of many florists concerned with the current offer.