I am VERY EMBARRASED

[steve]

Local florist did a crappy job for sure and just like all the other order gather sites the consumer got hosed on the handling charge.

 

[sandytf]

It's a shameful arrangement to come from a local florist. That said, "local florist" from FTD could mean just about anything at this point as there are no quality controls in place anymore.

 

[lori042499]

It looks to me like the florist followed the original recipe and not the upgrade, happens alot at big filling florist shops, the tagger usually a front desk clerk kid goes in and tags what the arrangement is and has no idea what the deluxe is...I have worked at many of these places, it sucks to be a good designer in a place like that because they just want fast and done, not pretty and done right, they worry about the problems after the fact...The person making those canned arrangements was probably a flower arranger and was told to just foloow the recipe and put the proper amount of stems in the glass vase, no design skill needed, again done and tagged is good enough for this discounted order...This statement is the very reason why many of us full fledged designers cannot make money on the discounted orders, our quality standards on product and design lends itself to higher than normal wage earners and labor costs, delivery costs, packaging costs are higher because aftre creating a beautiful arrangement we protectit on its journet from shop to recipient all costing way more than what high volume shops put into this process...The arrangemnet pictured really doesn't look much different tha the picture shown other than the greens are stuffed down and the arrangement is made all around which makes it skimpier looking...so other than not making it deluxe it isn't half bad for what it was a high volume shop recipe cookie cutter no time no skill involved arrangement...Kind of the same as the 24.99 grocery store no fuss no muss wrapped roses tag em bagem get them out the door roses, they are what they are...just the picture lies and the consumer doesn't know that...bad for us, yup right up until they purchase from us then they see...hopefully the do that and not give up on flowers.

 

[FANCIES]

The grocery store rose arrangements look better than that and at half the price. Where I live the grocery stores here do a very big business. I see the grocery stores as ones that do take away alot of the business from the local florist because of the price. In this day and age money does speak and when they can get something for half the price at a grocery store there are many people who do it. I was at our local Safeway store yesterday picking up fruit for a basket and their flowers were flying out the doors. Some of them are even delivering. Fortunately for me, they are not delivering here except for one of them. Anyway, at least people can see what they are buying at the grocery store, as opposed to buying online. Now I know many do not buy flowers at grocery stores but when they start comparing prices from the order gathers as to what they got & than to what they can get at the grocery store, which they see all the time, next time they may rethink their purchase.

 

[sandytf]

Lori,
Just like we can't lump all brick and mortar shops into one category, or supermarket florists, we can't assume this was a big production line shop either. I have seen this and worse come from little shops....ESPECIALLY at the holidays when they may get in inexperienced help. It came from a shop without good quality control....and that could be any number of types of shops.

 

[Rhonda]

Yes, Sandy, I see it from our local "greenhouse/flower shop" when they bring in all their relations to fill orders (none have training).. tis very sad.

 

[Flowermomma]

YEs the grocery store here too does have some very nice roses and some nice potted plants... and they last!

 

[steve]

Do to Vermont enforceing the law as it apply to private contractors. Which means virtually no one qualifies as a private contractor I was forced to use both a temp employment agency and a courier for my additional drives. The courier also handles deliveries for a major brocery chain that has a full florist operation in two nearby stores. One of the stores is huge other being fairly small. They told me yesterday they deliver 250 orders for the two stores together. Were as I deliverd just shy of 500. Of all the other non grocery florist I compete with I doubt that any of them approached 250 so this particular chain did quite well.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

You know folks, I'm an IDIOT for supporting FTD all these years, when others saw the light, so much sooner...I could NEVER be in the LED world, with my brain operation in analogue incandescent until now!
The number of shops AND consumers, that have been "damaged" by this company's greedy antics, was VERY profound this year, RIGHT at GROUND LEVEL...totally caught me off guard.
Had a couple with TWO phones going, one to order, and one to get through to the refund line at FTD!!

 

[CHR]

You know folks, I'm an IDIOT for supporting FTD all these years, when others saw the light, so much sooner...

Mikey - Don't be so hard on yourself. FTD has some great people in Canada, but unfortunately, they have no power to influence the direction of the company. Imagine how hard it is for the FTD reps to get out there and defend the company's moves every day. They're not stupid, but they need their jobs.

We all remember the corporate culture that 'was'. That's long gone and despite years of trust and friendships, the FTD we knew looks nothing like the FTD of today.

You put your 'today goggles' on, recognized the fleet-footed god was just running away with your money (and had zero interest in YOUR company's future). They're gonna do what they believe they have to do, and we all need to do the same.

It's in our own best interests.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

My Canadian FTD people ARE part of my floral Family...I'm STILL going for a divorce!!

 

[theRKF]

Mikey, Any calls from Frank about this, yet?

Word is that Frank Stornelli and Tom Moeller have been calling any (Canadian) florist who has been vocal about the Groupon promo. Several shops who have posted online comments in public have been tag-teamed by Canadian VP Stornelli and Exec VP of the Florist Division Moeller. Of interest to me is that Moeller is in on the calls ... Did HQ feel like Frank needed the backup, or did Frank call in for support (doubt that!)?

 

[BOSS]

... Did HQ feel like Frank needed the backup, or did Frank call in for support (doubt that!)?

Frank's a good guy from what I know of him, maybe he's reached "the point" of not liking to have to lie to his friends.

On the surface, it has always appeared that the Canadian segment was always more responsive, more ethical than the US portion of the company, but the Groupon gig crosses the lines...

While we have seen a slow walk of florists leaving the ranks, I'm fairly sure the flood gates are opening a bit more, and I'm pretty sure they have moved into damage control mode, not only with consumers but florists as well. They *must* be having a much harder time signing up florists to refill the ranks in coverage as more leave, and as more hear the word about the detriment FTD is to a local florist.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Mikey, Any calls from Frank about this, yet?

Word is that Frank Stornelli and Tom Moeller have been calling any (Canadian) florist who has been vocal about the Groupon promo. Several shops who have posted online comments in public have been tag-teamed by Canadian VP Stornelli and Exec VP of the Florist Division Moeller. Of interest to me is that Moeller is in on the calls ... Did HQ feel like Frank needed the backup, or did Frank call in for support (doubt that!)?

Yes.......I asked for professional courtesy, and got it! without interrogation.....