Who are our competitors?
- Thread starter kt4ye
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Connie
New Member
duanermb
New Member
Bill,
I am so glad someone has finally brought this into the lime light. First the Grocery store,walmarts, sams clubs and all the other none florist are truely the ones that cut into the bottom line of the Local florist. I came from a very large Wholesaler that caters to this group of none florist and with doing this they have very low margins so that the big corporations will except the price, in the mean time the Flower shop then get charge a much higher mark up to make up for what they cann't get from the grocery etc. The big none florist of the industry feel that since they order so much they should not have to pay. This is why when you go into these places and look at the prices you ask yourself's how can they sell 3 bunches of alstro (or what ever the flower) at these's prices when I pay that amount for one. It is very discoraging when not only is the Wire services taking so much from your pockets but also all the are now supporting your biggest compitition the NONE FLORIST. So what does the Local Flower Shop have to do, I would have to say there should be some kind of test to be aloud to be in this industry and if that means some shop will not make it then that may happen but at this rate if the None florist keep progressing the way they have over the years the Local flower shops will become dinasors. Just like the small Mom & Pop hardware store's where are they today? They are gone now its Home depot and Lowes. What used to support many families for years have now become a challange to support its self. I hope this has opened some eye's on this situation. Keep fighting and giving outstanding service and just maybe someone will come up with an idea to fight the Giants.
I am so glad someone has finally brought this into the lime light. First the Grocery store,walmarts, sams clubs and all the other none florist are truely the ones that cut into the bottom line of the Local florist. I came from a very large Wholesaler that caters to this group of none florist and with doing this they have very low margins so that the big corporations will except the price, in the mean time the Flower shop then get charge a much higher mark up to make up for what they cann't get from the grocery etc. The big none florist of the industry feel that since they order so much they should not have to pay. This is why when you go into these places and look at the prices you ask yourself's how can they sell 3 bunches of alstro (or what ever the flower) at these's prices when I pay that amount for one. It is very discoraging when not only is the Wire services taking so much from your pockets but also all the are now supporting your biggest compitition the NONE FLORIST. So what does the Local Flower Shop have to do, I would have to say there should be some kind of test to be aloud to be in this industry and if that means some shop will not make it then that may happen but at this rate if the None florist keep progressing the way they have over the years the Local flower shops will become dinasors. Just like the small Mom & Pop hardware store's where are they today? They are gone now its Home depot and Lowes. What used to support many families for years have now become a challange to support its self. I hope this has opened some eye's on this situation. Keep fighting and giving outstanding service and just maybe someone will come up with an idea to fight the Giants.
The easy solution? WITHOUT FILLER FLORISTS THEY CAN NOT OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS.
The hard part? Although many, many, many florists are getting this and becoming WS free, it is happening at such a slow rate that by the time florist actually put a dent in them, they will have hurt the industry further, the local florists further, and bankrupted more florists. All really sad. There are so many florist that break out into a cold sweat at the thought of not having those orders daily. Then there is the POS system that they overpaid for and now have a binding contract to buy. Why, oh why, oh why? They pressured me so hard to buy that POS system and I said no, no, no. Now I know why they pressed so hard. It is part of their rape strategy. The losses should convince florists but they don't have the confidence to say bye bye.
If by some lapse in judgement I found myself with that POS system, I seriously would box it up, have the rep sign for it and take it back, or ship it back. Then fire the ws, and file bankruptcy on their darn POS! And then move on having learned a valuable lesson.
The hard part? Although many, many, many florists are getting this and becoming WS free, it is happening at such a slow rate that by the time florist actually put a dent in them, they will have hurt the industry further, the local florists further, and bankrupted more florists. All really sad. There are so many florist that break out into a cold sweat at the thought of not having those orders daily. Then there is the POS system that they overpaid for and now have a binding contract to buy. Why, oh why, oh why? They pressured me so hard to buy that POS system and I said no, no, no. Now I know why they pressed so hard. It is part of their rape strategy. The losses should convince florists but they don't have the confidence to say bye bye.
If by some lapse in judgement I found myself with that POS system, I seriously would box it up, have the rep sign for it and take it back, or ship it back. Then fire the ws, and file bankruptcy on their darn POS! And then move on having learned a valuable lesson.
There is an area that I deliver to that I am marketing heavily right now. There is one florist in that area and they used to be WS free but recently signed on with one of the big 3. Times are tough and I think that is why they decided to sign up for WS. They are a bit smaller operation than I am and servicing about the same area. So I know what their fate will be in the numbers. They are going to see a crunch in cash flow, tighter margins, and more scrap expense. Their costs will go up and their reputation will deteriorate further. The ironic part of this whole thing is that when you look up a florist in that area on the WS website, the WS features one of their competitors 18 miles away! Then they are listed smaller underneath. So the biggest logo is the WS, then the PAYING featured florist, and then them.
YA! Sign me up for that! NOT!
YA! Sign me up for that! NOT!
In todays times what used to be easy is no longer. CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE . I hear so many times its easier, its what i'm used to or this is the way I have always done it. If people dont start thinking about how to save, do better or change ( which sometimes is very hard) they wont make it weather the None florist or Wire services drain them. I know some people are reading this saying if its not broke why fix it, well.... if your one of the shops that are struggling then it is broke and you can fix it go outside your comfort zone ( or what used to be a comfort zone) think outside the box and start looking at what needs to be done to change what is happening to you and your business. Big is not always better sometimes its worse but I dont know any shop that is to big not to be able to flex and bend when it comes to the customer now try doing it for your selfs.
LJVF
Well-Known Member
I don't know if any of you caught my Hallmark/ProFlowers thread during Valentine's week, but Hallmark actually has a dedicated phone and catalog where they can order ProFlowers directly from their store.
I took a photo of this, pardon the quality, it was taken quickly with my camera phone.
BTW, someone groaned me for that post and to this day I have no idea why. :dunno:
I took a photo of this, pardon the quality, it was taken quickly with my camera phone.
BTW, someone groaned me for that post and to this day I have no idea why. :dunno:
I gotta believe that somebody pushed the wrong button! This deserves an "attaboy" instead!
Palms
Well-Known Member
I cannot stand negative marketing. Thanks for alerting us to this Darrel and people who groan people unncessarily need to get a grip.
I am sure this statement could be challenged as unless it is actually 50% cheaper than florists (and which ones? this is a very broad statement)which i very much doubt it is, then it is telling a lie. Not sure what the rules are over there but i would get trading standards involved in this.
Do you have a trading standards org?
I am sure this statement could be challenged as unless it is actually 50% cheaper than florists (and which ones? this is a very broad statement)which i very much doubt it is, then it is telling a lie. Not sure what the rules are over there but i would get trading standards involved in this.
Do you have a trading standards org?
prestonway
Well-Known Member
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this ad.
Read it carefully.
It simply states "up to 50% off of florist prices".
Easily proven, & nothing to get ones' knickers in a knot over...
I may be wrong but I don't think you understand what LGVF is trying to point out , correct me if i'm wrong but the way I take this is that they are not a florist by trade but they are taking another bite out of the true Florist in this industry. Proflowers is not a wire service that the florist benefits from it is a company that sends flowers from a staging warehouse, slapped into a box with or without a vase and then put on a Fed Ex truck and shipped to the consumer. The consumer receives the box and has to put it together for them selfs. The product may or may have not been taken care of the way the local flower shop would take care of them and then if and only if the consumer feels they recieved something worth the value do they ever order flowers again. If the consumer doesnt feel the value is there they may never order flowers again weather its from Proflowers/ftd/tel/1800 or anyone else. In the mean time everyone in the industry loses. On that note this ad was being ran on Valentines Week one of the largest and most profitable holidays for the florist to sucure money for the slower months of the year.
A sales rep from Sam's Club came into my shop a while back and tried to get me to join. His catalog cover was flowers from top to bottom.
I asked if they sold flowers, and he said yes. And then I asked, "why would I pay to join the competition?" And he asked, "what?" "Why would I pay to join the competition?"
He looked at me with this crazy lady you don't sell toasters-watches-toilet paper what do you mean competition look.
I had to explain to him that as long as Sam's Club sells flowers he's my competition and all flowers shops' competition and there was no way I'd join.
I'm still not sure he got my rationale.
I asked if they sold flowers, and he said yes. And then I asked, "why would I pay to join the competition?" And he asked, "what?" "Why would I pay to join the competition?"
He looked at me with this crazy lady you don't sell toasters-watches-toilet paper what do you mean competition look.
I had to explain to him that as long as Sam's Club sells flowers he's my competition and all flowers shops' competition and there was no way I'd join.
I'm still not sure he got my rationale.
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