FTD.com changes
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I think it's a case of all of the above. FTD is "marketing", the consumer is not reading the ads, and the brand is tarnished.
I am not feeling the new spit and polish is geared to florists. The new boxing and cleaner logo is designed to appeal to customers, and the pages are clearly designed to encourage buying. My last preview of an FTD page showed me nearly a 50% boxed to florist ratio. Combined with the gift segment and nonfloral related items, I think we can see where this is headed.
With the emphasis on ecomomy purchases, and the tightening of the customer wallets, I think the focus from FTD will remain on the boxed and dropped shipped items. While their stated mission may be to rebuild the brand I think the florists end will be the last part of that focus. Almost moving the florist arranged designs to a "luxury" type of purchase. This may not be completely intentional(?!) but the promotion of the boxed gives the perception that you are saving money on labor, florist labor. By the time the FTD focus comes to us, it may be too late. The fact that we (florists) are on the near bottom of the priority list, and the ever increasing underpriced FTD.com orders, it does not give me comfort, or a reason to have faith in the brand.
Yes, we can play shell games and get better value to our memberships, argue fees, cancel and rejoin, reject, forward, deny, delay, and whatnot, but it feels more and more like moving money around --not making it.
Taking aside the typical W/S argument of it, would you advise a new shop to go FTD today? Would you go FTD today -- if you were starting from scratch, no history, no bias, no top 100?
I am not feeling the new spit and polish is geared to florists. The new boxing and cleaner logo is designed to appeal to customers, and the pages are clearly designed to encourage buying. My last preview of an FTD page showed me nearly a 50% boxed to florist ratio. Combined with the gift segment and nonfloral related items, I think we can see where this is headed.
With the emphasis on ecomomy purchases, and the tightening of the customer wallets, I think the focus from FTD will remain on the boxed and dropped shipped items. While their stated mission may be to rebuild the brand I think the florists end will be the last part of that focus. Almost moving the florist arranged designs to a "luxury" type of purchase. This may not be completely intentional(?!) but the promotion of the boxed gives the perception that you are saving money on labor, florist labor. By the time the FTD focus comes to us, it may be too late. The fact that we (florists) are on the near bottom of the priority list, and the ever increasing underpriced FTD.com orders, it does not give me comfort, or a reason to have faith in the brand.
Yes, we can play shell games and get better value to our memberships, argue fees, cancel and rejoin, reject, forward, deny, delay, and whatnot, but it feels more and more like moving money around --not making it.
Taking aside the typical W/S argument of it, would you advise a new shop to go FTD today? Would you go FTD today -- if you were starting from scratch, no history, no bias, no top 100?
I know of no other product where assembly and tools (provided by the assembler) are required that does not disclose that material fact. It IS disclosed to the recipient with the care instructions included in the boxes.
If a consumer wants a drop-shipped box of flowers, they should buy them. But please don't use professionally designed product images to induce them in the first place unless you call them 'kits' or label them with 'assembly required'.
Not the same issue. You are not required to cook the burgers and assemble them nor are you expected to sew that suit together. Both require tools not provided with the purchase. Same with boxed flowers displayed as arrangements.
It's a little bit like labeling Victoria's Secret's ad with "picture shown is a professional model, representative of what the underwear CAN look like, when worn by a REAL PRETTY MODEL. Your underwear will be reflective of your own apperance."
That's a very interesting point, actually.
In other words, FTD does have an incentive to not deceive customers, because deceived customers will be unhappy. I believe that, too. I think they are trying to walk a fine line between deceptiving and promoting. Often the line isn't as clear as people think.
I think one factor is the percentage of consumers who are misled. Thus it's not OK to put an ad in eBay showing a picture of PC and then deliver zillion parts of PC.
FTD says the thing will be shipped in a box. Althoguh they didn't say it's not assembled, but how many people would think the whole arrangement will be shipped in a box, pre-assembled like the picture shown? Not many IMO.
Exactly. That's what I am afraid of most. ProFlowers (also FTD and 1-800)'s boxed flowers are promoting an idea that arranged flowers are waste of money, so to speak. That's the real threat, and we have to be proactive, because it's coming. Very soon.
Someone gave me this link:
http://www.oberers.com/shippable-flowers.html
He is always a step or two ahead.
http://www.oberers.com/shippable-flowers.html
He is always a step or two ahead.
IIRC that page has been 'coming soon' for about a year. My guess is that Randy has yet to perfect a way to deliver consistent quality in a box.
He started this a year ago? That's something. That's when most of us were talking about how to bash ProFlowers.
PhillyPhlorist
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Randy has a nice idea, but clearly it isn't as simple as it looks!
Back to the FTD packaging... Very good move on their part for the following reasons:
- increases Brand recognition (FTD logo, color, etc.)
- increases Perceived Value BIG time... we ALL know it's in the presentation. NOW, will it actually LOOK that way when you get it? Only one way to find out for sure...buy the thing for yourself! You Tube it...
- Reduces possibility of a "I didn't know it wasn't going to be arranged" complaints (obvious reason)
- adds a classy look to an otherwise boring product choice.
Had the FTD Pres. in my shop a couple weeks ago. One thing that seems to set him apart from the last two (and yes, I personally have met the last two on several occasions...) is that Rob actually LISTENS to you. FTD corporate clearly has an agenda and are following it...
Anyway, back to the box. First impressions were a positive, and they are trying to "polish" the FTD Brand - no doubt at a cost...
- H.
Make no mistake about it - they are trying very hard to put class into boxed flowers, and will be after taking some of PF's sales. (and ours in the process)
I don't believe they are being deceptive any more in spite of the picture, and go with the logic Goldie posted above about the skinny model.
Expecting them to do anything else is a bit silly, and again trying to tell someone else how they should market a product.
We don't have to like it, and I don't, but we do have to accept it, and I am trying to find a way to roll with the new punchez cuz make no mistake about this either, more competition is coming and coming soon.
I am glad about the separation of the links, as opposed to mixing them together on the same page with florist items, and hope it holds thru the holidays.
But I ain't holding my breath.
I don't believe they are being deceptive any more in spite of the picture, and go with the logic Goldie posted above about the skinny model.
Expecting them to do anything else is a bit silly, and again trying to tell someone else how they should market a product.
We don't have to like it, and I don't, but we do have to accept it, and I am trying to find a way to roll with the new punchez cuz make no mistake about this either, more competition is coming and coming soon.
I am glad about the separation of the links, as opposed to mixing them together on the same page with florist items, and hope it holds thru the holidays.
But I ain't holding my breath.
You nailed it. I don't like it either. Every boxed flowers sold will be a complete loss to us independent florists and wholesalers. That's the problem. Bigger problem is that, as of right now, we as a whole don't have much effective strategy to fight it.
LJVF
Well-Known Member
You're spot on JB, I think a lot of us feel that way. It seems our (traditional florists) nature is to either close our eyes and hope they (the "new" competition) go away or we bunker down and play defensively, by fighting small battles but end up losing a long agonizing war. Seems the best way to combat is go on the offensive and create our own path.
So true.
But how? This challenge from boxed-flower strikes the core of what florists do for living. Basically, it nullifies what florists do. It makes our life irrelevant.
This FTD box will attract a lot of customers, I'm sure. Now, get this - if these customers are satisfied with boxed flowers, they will not come back to us.
Can you see the pie being eaten away? This is no good. I know we have to act now, but I don't know what to do.
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
Goldie:
Can you make a better box?
Can you make the packaging more attractive than the fancy box?
Can you deliver fresher product, in a more timely manner, and a price that is as low as or ...lower than....FTD?
PRICE is what is driving this consumer selection. Don't Kid yourself. The fancy packaging is a way to separate the FTD box from the PF box, and do a better job.
Put your thinking cap on....what can we do that is better????
That's our challenge! We are a crafty and creative bunch...we SHOULD be able to come up with something better!
Cheryl
Can you make a better box?
Can you make the packaging more attractive than the fancy box?
Can you deliver fresher product, in a more timely manner, and a price that is as low as or ...lower than....FTD?
PRICE is what is driving this consumer selection. Don't Kid yourself. The fancy packaging is a way to separate the FTD box from the PF box, and do a better job.
Put your thinking cap on....what can we do that is better????
That's our challenge! We are a crafty and creative bunch...we SHOULD be able to come up with something better!
Cheryl
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
I did just go on the FTD website, to check and see the new box for myself, and what it said.
When you go thru & open all the windows, the box shipped stuff is clearly marked that it ships FTD DIRECT, showing the box, open & closed -- with flowers flat in the box.
Unless you are a totally clueless person, (meaning male ) , I think that it would be almost impossible to make the case that your flowers did not arrive arranged in a vase.
There is also an extensive window regarding shipping thru Fedex or UPS, and when it will arrive (2 day service, std service, etc).
This is NOT a defense of FTD....but they have gone a long way to clearing up some of the misconceptions that have evolved from the PF offerings -- IMHO.
I mostly found the boxed stuff on the "best sellers". I did find a lot of flower selections for florist delivery today in the other areas of the site.
(and no, I did not count them -- brain is too tired).
They still need to do a better job of explaining all the charges, surcharges and fees that show up on and FTD.com order -- and they need to set the prices to a reasonable amount for the florist and they need to include a reasonable delivery charge.
Cheryl
When you go thru & open all the windows, the box shipped stuff is clearly marked that it ships FTD DIRECT, showing the box, open & closed -- with flowers flat in the box.
Unless you are a totally clueless person, (meaning male
) , I think that it would be almost impossible to make the case that your flowers did not arrive arranged in a vase. There is also an extensive window regarding shipping thru Fedex or UPS, and when it will arrive (2 day service, std service, etc).
This is NOT a defense of FTD....but they have gone a long way to clearing up some of the misconceptions that have evolved from the PF offerings -- IMHO.
I mostly found the boxed stuff on the "best sellers". I did find a lot of flower selections for florist delivery today in the other areas of the site.
(and no, I did not count them -- brain is too tired).
They still need to do a better job of explaining all the charges, surcharges and fees that show up on and FTD.com order -- and they need to set the prices to a reasonable amount for the florist and they need to include a reasonable delivery charge.
Cheryl
PhillyPhlorist
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Accept it - yup. Like it - possibly...read on, dude.
I have an idea...read on....
Why make a better box? FTD has done that.
Can you see where I am going? ......
Why can't WEEE (in TOTO-esque type) use the SAME box they do to ship cut flowers? Dang, that's nice packaging. Why re-invent the wheel is what I'm saying. But, then again, you would have to belong to FTD
Ok....
My store doesn't do many boxed flower deliveries - 95% of loose cuts go out hand-tied presentation style. But, given the market PF has generated, what FTD is trying to do now, what RANDY has been trying to do for over a YEAR, then why can't WEEE?
Think a moment - make it so that you can get the boxed-flower thing ANY-WHERE... not JUST at PF or FTD.COM...Anywhere. FTD could market SAME-DAY delivery, by codifying the DANG BOX!
"umm. Barb at Marketplace? Yes - I'll take a 24 - pack of the 'FTD Gold Box' package kits, please. Regular pay."
FTD.COM offer them as Florist-delivered, premium flowers, SAME DAY delivered. PF - can't touch that (hammer-time!)
- H.
(Bloomzie - put that in your pipe and smoke it - <grin>)
PhillyPhlorist
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Hey...
I'm serious... crazy - yea, maybe. (Didn't they call Ben Franklin crazy - holding that kite out in a lightening storm - with a key attached!)
But, serious... so much so I have someone to call Monday morning...
- H.
I'm serious... crazy - yea, maybe. (Didn't they call Ben Franklin crazy - holding that kite out in a lightening storm - with a key attached!)
But, serious... so much so I have someone to call Monday morning...
- H.
I think the biggest decision to make is this.
Are we (independent florists) going to promote boxed flowers as gifts?
As many of you know, I have no problem with promoting wrapped bunches of flowers for cash & carry. People buy these products for themselves, not as gifts; therefore, I believe, they won't cannibalize our core business, which is the delivery of gift flowers.
Promoting boxed flowers as gifts most likely WILL compete with our core business. It's a completely different animal.
Let me put this way...
Imagine at the rose section on your website, you give two options for your customer: $60 - pre-arranged, $35 - in a box. If people choose the latter (I suspect many would), our profit will go down. No doubt about that.
Dilemma is... if we don't do this, ProFlowers and FTD will eat us alive, because they are going to capture ALL the market of boxed flowers.
Neither seems good.
Are we (independent florists) going to promote boxed flowers as gifts?
As many of you know, I have no problem with promoting wrapped bunches of flowers for cash & carry. People buy these products for themselves, not as gifts; therefore, I believe, they won't cannibalize our core business, which is the delivery of gift flowers.
Promoting boxed flowers as gifts most likely WILL compete with our core business. It's a completely different animal.
Let me put this way...
Imagine at the rose section on your website, you give two options for your customer: $60 - pre-arranged, $35 - in a box. If people choose the latter (I suspect many would), our profit will go down. No doubt about that.
Dilemma is... if we don't do this, ProFlowers and FTD will eat us alive, because they are going to capture ALL the market of boxed flowers.
Neither seems good.
LJVF
Well-Known Member
So why not offer pre-arranged -$35? Sort of like Oberer's.
What would the consumer rather give as a gift, a $35 in a box from ProFlowers or a $35 pre-arranged from a professional florist? This is something we can offer that they can't. I think there needs to be a shift in thinking in our pricing strategies.
Only one problem, there are an increasing number of un-professional florists posing as professional ones.
One word.
Dollars.
The margins aren't there for florists or FTD when it comes to local delivered boxes. Look at the product content and drop-shipped price points. Realize FTD is shipping all those items out of one location so the economy of scale and efficiency of production is far, far superior to most any local flower shop.
The only way to go cheap is to cut out the middle man, and in this equation, that would be the local florists.
Interesting idea Herb, but I don't think the dollars are there...
Dollars.
The margins aren't there for florists or FTD when it comes to local delivered boxes. Look at the product content and drop-shipped price points. Realize FTD is shipping all those items out of one location so the economy of scale and efficiency of production is far, far superior to most any local flower shop.
The only way to go cheap is to cut out the middle man, and in this equation, that would be the local florists.
Interesting idea Herb, but I don't think the dollars are there...
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