Willingness to fill incoming orders

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bloomz

bloomz

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I've noticed with the economy a huge increase in willingness of shops to fill incoming orders - including us.

I'm going to agree with an astute colleague in New York City that told me last week they are not going to say no to any order if they can make a single dollar on it.

Has anyone else noticed that?

I think the (Bush) economy is forcing a reversal of the "Just say no" mentality.
 
still refusing Kays and Weasley, JustF, FST - all of those this week or last.
 
I know - his damage is far from complete.

Some of his wreckage is gonna take generations.


But I digress...

Anyone else noticed a huge increase in willingness?
 
I am still being dilligent on companies I believe are bad news with skimming...because I just can't afford to deal with the shiit when it hits the fan nor do I want to be in the middle of all that jazz. I have been filling marginal orders just because the flowers are here and need to go in something...I have to carry them and the need to still move...

However, I am finding that I am getting a whole lot of late day way out of my city requests, no delivery included, boxwood trees for 35.00 and no delivery, poins for 20 dollars no delivery and sepcial requests for containers....I find this very hard to take....We are all in the same boat, be smart about your cheap WO and let your customer know that some things are just not possible for what they want to spend...Make a call or two and see what the florist on the other end is willing to do for you severely on a budget customer, that's what we get the service charge for.....You will probably be able to get what your cusomer wants at the price they need if you are smart about how you do it...

Florists will be happier filling your cheap orders knowing they used something they wanted to move and customers will be happy with how they got what they wanted at a price they could afford and got it with a smile and no song or dance...
 
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wire services

We just had an order gather call us more than 3 times to talk about an order they want for delivery today.
OK we can do it, they call back
" it is 44.99", we say fine,
they call again, "it is with lilies and roses they want it to look big."
I explain to them the delivery is 9.00 to that location, the lilies are 6.00 a stem, the roses are 5.00 so the arrangement although tasteful will be small.
He says "OK so you will fill it to the full value"
. NO !!!!!!!!!we will need to take the 9.00 out.
we want to make sure your customer understands that it will not be large.
He says "let me talk to my manager".
He calls us back, "my manager said not to call the sender and that you will fill it to full value, we are sending over the computer to you now"
At this point it is 3pm.
Low and behold we get the order from everyone’s favorite order gather... BIG SURPRISE.
So we call and again explain the whole cost of del and product and that if we fill it we will fight them on any complaint that it is small. They say, "fill it to the full value"
.. we say no so I forwarded the order to a shop closer to the delivery location.
Then at 4 they call to see if it was delivered yet because the send is at the house it was to be delivered first thing in the morning?!?....
Like I have nothing better to do than play the game with them.
If they had given up some of the huge delivery charges they got then the order would have gone ~the sender would have been happy
 
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Ok, not filling order gatherer crap of any kind nature or price, here.

on the contrary this i what has bewildered me this week.

Sent an order for $75.00 open order Christmas centerpeice...rejected because they will be closed on Wednesday.

Sent a few orders for $75.00 poinsettias that were rejected ...florist aren't carring poinsettias this year.

$60.00 Get well arrangement, no prefereces just something nice. Rejected because they did not have enough flowers in stock... it wa for the next day.

I have never had so many rejections from florist before. Maybe though they are too busy filling those crap orders from the OG's, who knows.

Joan
 
My understanding of the term "fill to full value" means that the filling florist will not deduct the 20%-25% (owed to sending shop or O.G.) from the amount. My understanding that using part of the amount of the order for our normal delivery charge is not only accepted but expected. In the past (and even now with some shops) it was common practice to deduct this percentage from the order before filling, ie. the term "fill to full value". I do believe that all wire services require the filling florist to give "full value" on orders received. Any total we are given includes delivery charges, it's our job to decide how much is left for the product after we subtract our normal delivery...this is "filling to full value" since we have not subtracted the 20% owed to sending shop/OG. Hope this helps, Janet
 
Knife's Wife said:
Ok, not filling order gatherer crap of any kind nature or price, here.
Click to expand...
Us either. ;)

Honestly, if a shop is going to go the 'fill anything at any price' route, they'd be far better off dropping prices for local customers. Email blasts, signage, phone calls - any way to quickly communicate that a sale is on and we want your business.

I receive email offers from several florists (we've ordered direct from them with a CC so we get their campaigns) and the deals are on. One shop was offering 25% off on any local order placed today or tomorrow. With 1800TFDT offering "free sending" or up to 30% off, it's better to keep local customers and move the product you already have at a discount to them, than to give an even bigger discount to your direct competitors, the OGs.

Plus, let's face it, the biggest source of complaints are generally incomings.
 
Yes, me too

Bloomz, as long as I can fill wires in with payroll that is already schedule, orders or not, I will very gladly fill incoming orders.

I have always said that the concept of florists exchanging orders, whether by telegram, telephone, toll free numbers is what sets our industry apart.

The only time we have to reject an order is when we do not have the specific container and there is no second choice. I do not spend my time being a detective to see who sent it.

But the day I have to hire additional payroll, add cooler space, add workstations, add delivery equipment, then I will have to re-evaluate my wires in side of the business.
 
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But WHAT PLANET are you on JB?

bloomz said:
I think the (Bush) economy is forcing a reversal of the "Just say no" mentality.
Click to expand...

How many times do folks have to explain that, the CRASH of the HOUSING MARKET triggered by an OVER INVENTORY which began with the NINJA LOANS backed by the Government's Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, caused this mess?

And the fact that, it was a DEMONCRAT, Jimmy Carter, who started the CRA (community reinvestment act) back in 1977.

After which, the great stain maker, Slick Willy expanded it.

Oh, here's a newsflash: Back in 1977, and after Jimmy Carter did nothing about the long lines for purchasing gas and the price tripled going from $.25 to $.75 per gallon, I purchased a 1977 Honda Accord, LX Hatchback, Manual 5 Speed with a four cylinder Mitsubishi engine. Back then, my daily commute was 90 miles per day from home to work and back again.

The car was rated at 46 Miles per gallon, Highway. I used the Mobil 1 synthetic oil and wound up getting 51 Miles per gallon Highway. After which, the Government EPA forced the automobile manufacturers to put all the emission crap on the engines, and to the point where we can't even see them anymore.

And now, 31 years later, when any car gets 20 miles to the gallon, we're all supposed to be happy with the CAFE standards the EPA imposed on the auto industry after it was they, who dropped our MPG by 60%.

Ever wonder why, and after the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, the DEMONCRATS, who were in control of Congress for the next 25 years, did nothing to help our country become free from foreign oil imports?

In 2004, when George Bush and other Republicans, tried to pull in the reigns on the BAD lending practices of Fannie and Freddie, DEMONCRATS like Barney Frank (House Finance Committee) and Maxine Waters would have none of those restraints or controls placed on them. They loved their TAXPAYER PAID PERSONAL ATM's.

http://www.thenextright.com/lagomor...annie-mae-freddie-mac-scam-that-caused-our-ec

This DISASTER began with DEMONCRATS and continued to be PERPETUATED by DEMONCRATS coupled with other GREEDY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS who were only doing what they were told to do; Hand out Freddie and Fannie mortgages to poor people in poor neighborhoods who didn't have to prove if they had any income, assets, or even a job.

After all, who cared if those mortgages were ever paid? Didn't matter to the banks or other lenders since, they were all backed by the Federal Government, I.E.; We, the SHEEPLE!

As Maxine stated in that video: "Through nearly a dozen hearings where, frankly, we were trying to fix something that wasn't broke..."

Followed by Barney: "I don’t see anything in the report that raises safety and soundness problems." (His boyfriend Herb Mosses, at Freddie told him so)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432501,00.html

George Bush's Economy? Next time, Try to begin that fairy tale with "ONCE UPON A TIME, in the land of THE DEMONCRATS............."

This is the FRAUD which was perpetrated by your special friends, and a few RHINOS TOO, like Phil Gramm.

The scary part is that, many of these VIDEOS on YOU TUBE which outed these guilty parties are starting to disappear now. Wonder why?

I'm saddened to say that, the FREDDIE and FANNIE debacle makes Enron and Worldcom look like pikers, and what may be even worse, is in the possibility that, the DEMS may never be able to put that Genie back in the bottle, after they had Schumer pull the cork back in June of 2008.

The BIGGEST JOKE on ALL OF US, is in the fact that, the very same people who created this MESS, are now in charge of FIXING THEIR MESS. Yeah, that's gonna work out just fine, as long as the CHICKENS aren't afraid of the FOXES, still in charge of guarding their Henhouses.

Don't know of anyone in South Dakota who would ever believe that, Tom Daschle would be in charge of anything ever again, after they FIRED HIM!

On a closing note, don't believe the other fairy tale suggesting REAL FLORISTS are gonna fill everything for anything and for anyone at anytime they want it, even if they only make a BUCK on the order.

$20 Poinsettia delivered with a net of $14 less delivery of let's say $8, for a total net to florist of $6 less their COGS?

Or an arrangement of Roses and Lillies for a total of $44.95 with a net of $31.47 less $8 for delivery, for a total net to florist of $23.47 less their COGS? But, the OG OK'D a FILL TO VALUE for a sure fire complaint.

Here's my thoughts on the OG's and DOT.CON's with their less than junk orders coupled with their too low price points due to DA SKIM!

Why don't we all stand outside our shops with a red kettle on a hook and a bell, and ask for donations during this Christmas season. And when we get one, we can hand them a poinsettia or a few flowers, and save on the gas. We can even call ourselves "SALIVATION FLORISTS"

After all, a BUCK is a BUCK, right? Jingle Jangle Jingle, HO * HO * HO *
lol
 
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bloomz said:
But I digress...

Anyone else noticed a huge increase in willingness?
Click to expand...

very much so JB......on both sides...even it's only a buck or two made.....
I had this conversation with Luc, a while back, and he seemed to misunderstand my "message" which simply stated, IF YOU can make a buck or two on an order over and above "expenses"...it's done deal.
I gotta tell you honestly...if an OG sends me enough money (except Weasley & JF) it's gonna get done & delivered
 
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Toto my friend you can explain slice and dice til you're blue in the face but the buck stops with the kids that have been in charge for the last 8 years - who came into office with a fantastic budget and have managed to blow double that.

But back on topic -

Thank you Mikey - I was looking for a practical and rational answer and you and Tom supplied it.

I don't know why points back there are hard to find - I got a bunch of them filled in New York City this week for $15 each, by a very sharp astute florist whom I respect. I think maybe I should quit with the emotional/pride stuff and take whatever order I an make a buck on.

I'd hate to pride myself into obscurity.

I'm with Tom and Mikey - I do know better than to put on extra payroll but my willingness to make a buck precludes refusing orders on some kind of futile principle - at least at this point in time. If they're not skimmed and I can make a buck on them, we will now roll the tires. Time to stop otiose attempts at I'm not sure what in my world.

opinions vary...
 
Knife's Wife said:
Ok, not filling order gatherer crap of any kind nature or price, here.

on the contrary this i what has bewildered me this week.

Sent an order for $75.00 open order Christmas centerpeice...rejected because they will be closed on Wednesday.

Sent a few orders for $75.00 poinsettias that were rejected ...florist aren't carring poinsettias this year.

$60.00 Get well arrangement, no prefereces just something nice. Rejected because they did not have enough flowers in stock... it wa for the next day.

I have never had so many rejections from florist before. Maybe though they are too busy filling those crap orders from the OG's, who knows.

Joan
Click to expand...

I had a refusal on a Tel pic (large fruit basket Tel TF104-3)... we gave them $95. They said their minimum for that item is $105 (fruit min was $50 I believe). If you're codified for fruit, then isn't this the easiest time of year to make $ on them... buying fruit in cases, making several a day, have a great selection of gourmet... need to move Xmas packaging.. I don't get some florists.
 
Ah YES, the KIDS in CHARGE!

bloomz said:
Toto my friend you can explain slice and dice til you're blue in the face but the buck stops with the kids that have been in charge for the last 8 years
Click to expand...

Last I was aware of, the economy was going gangbusters for the past 7.5 years, and while George Bush was in office, not to mention the fact that, the United States has not been attacked again since 2001 by the Al-Qaeda Islamic Jihadist Terrorists.

In 2006, and when the DEMONCRATS had won the majority again in Congress, they did NOTHING to control the out-of-control lending practices fostered by Fannie and Freddie, and by their own design, I'll have you know.

As to $15 Poinsettias, thanks for the nostaglia JB!

You brought back memories of when I was 16 years old and worked part time (44 hours per week) at a Yonkers Florist in 1964.

We were selling 6.5" one plant branched per pot at that price point, and they were flying out the door.

What's that like, 44 years ago my friend?

Could only be Sal or Jeff who did you a PERSONAL FAVOR in the BIG APPLE I suspect, and even if you had 100 of them all going to one location, what's that after the VIG, $105 for 100 plants? Must've been the 4.5" pot sizes, ey? Now that's gonna make a STATEMENT!

$15 in the year 2008? OMG JB! How LOW can YOU GO?

I even remember, back in 1985, getting in Interflora Orders for a Single Rose delivered at a $25 gross, with a net to filler of $21.13. Back then, it was a 10% sending commission on orders of less than $30 and only a 5.5% clearing House Commission. Ah, the Nostaglia of making money!

The H-E-L-L with that idea! I'm gonna get my red kettle on a hook and a BIG A-S-S Bell, and stand outside the shop tomorrow, like I said.

And if that don't work, I'm gonna get in line after the big three, and beg Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to give me some of your money too, in the form of TAXPAYER PAID BAILOUT FUNDS.

YES, I will lie (it's ok if you call it politics) and tell them that, TOTO'S UNION SUPPORTED THE DEMONCRATS and VOTED for OBAMA! That should doo it, after which, I'll be flush too, albeit on your DIME, or rather our children's, and their children's future.
lol
 
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Mikey the Flower Guy said:
very much so JB......on both sides...even it's only a buck or two made.....
I had this conversation with Luc, a while back, and he seemed to misunderstand my "message" which simply stated, IF YOU can make a buck or two on an order over and above "expenses"...it's done deal.
I gotta tell you honestly...if an OG sends me enough money (except Weasley & JF) it's gonna get done & delivered
Click to expand...
I've downsized so much that I can't afford to fill OG orders, or hq orders below my mo. With several florists closed, we've been fortunate to get more local orders and big funeral and sympathy orders.
 
CHR said:
Us either. ;)

Honestly, if a shop is going to go the 'fill anything at any price' route, they'd be far better off dropping prices for local customers. Email blasts, signage, phone calls - any way to quickly communicate that a sale is on and we want your business.

I receive email offers from several florists (we've ordered direct from them with a CC so we get their campaigns) and the deals are on. One shop was offering 25% off on any local order placed today or tomorrow. With 1800TFDT offering "free sending" or up to 30% off, it's better to keep local customers and move the product you already have at a discount to them, than to give an even bigger discount to your direct competitors, the OGs.

Plus, let's face it, the biggest source of complaints are generally incomings.
Click to expand...

So you are advocating eliminate 10 pct of total business (just a number for illustration -- my incoming is below that number) and discount the remaining 90 pct of that business by 25 pct?

Lets' look at an example.

$100K now goes to $90k then you say discount that $90K by 25 pct which leads to $67.5 in revenues

Now lets keep the WS business. $100K is comprised of $10K WSin which yields 6.3K in revenues (WS fees plus the commissions given) PLUS the $90K stays the same.

What is better $96,300 or $67,500 in revenues?

This really doesn't have anything to do with COGS since that is variable.

Also: and even more importantly! Your fixed costs remain the same so that extra $30K in revenues will contribute to paying your fixed overhead, insurance, building/equipment depreciation, property taxes, utilities etc.

Joe
 
Interesting discussion....

Here according to MAS *accepted* in-comings are down 25% for the first 12 days of December...mostly due to low dollar amounts and or that I carry no WS containers.

I see every incoming before it prints...and I have noticed a dramatic drop in orders from FTD.com and 800F....of course it's still drop ship time, so the numbers for the next 12 days will tell a tale too.

We're giving out OFN'S to anyone that asks, and anyone that want's to simply send "something" and not spend $50.00....

In-coming orders will continue to decline as I have said many times in the past. Consumers are smart, and many florists are fed up with the "system", myself included. The economy of 2009 will dictate that many consumers will not have the extra cash to send anything, flowers included. I'd bet that Hallmark will see a rise in card sales, and the USPS will see an increase in mail as folks transition to the cheapest way to send a thought...

The failure of the auto bailout will increase pressure on the economy, the market will decline today and things will continue to go down hill, including flower sales. Don't take this as me "doom and glooming" it, it's reality. I'm very optimistic that I will be here in the end... no problem...

Many florists can not survive without in-coming orders, and those that can't survive on their local business alone, will be the first to go...!
 
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