I am really debating dropping TF, my membership fees are extremely low..i pay 89.95 a month for membership and 29.95 for the dove network. I think im getting a great deal. but after everything else adds up my bill is around 400 a month.i send and recieve about the exact same amount. i do run my credit cards through them. does anyone know what the surety bond is? its 50.00 a month. Im just thinking that in these tough times that I could drop the service to save about 400 a month. I can still send orders out, by just calling the florist shop and paying with my credit card.. it would just be a transfer of money what does everyone think? if i drop now, and times get better I could start again later. not to mention my credit cards take 3 days to post to my account is this normal?
QUITTing TELEFLORA???
- Thread starter lazydaisy
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twiggy
Well-Known Member
400.00 is a lot to pay every month- just think how you could be investing in your own business! I'm sure you can get comparable cc clearing somewhere else.
What worries you most about dropping them?
I'm WS free, and I have no problem at all calling out of town with my orders.
What worries you most about dropping them?
I'm WS free, and I have no problem at all calling out of town with my orders.
Last week I called them and told them I wanted to quit. They had the area sales manager call me and we went round and round on the phone for about 30 minutes. Saying that alot of florist feel the same way I do but they work around it (talking about what TF advertises I can't afford to make and I dont think my customers deserve to send or receive an arrangment half of what they thought they were purchasing!) Finally I said look I'm not arguing with you any longer. You either cut down our fees or we're done, Our shop is not making enough to pay for you sorry! ( We pay them 700 something each month!! -FYI to all of you starting up - DO NOT purchase your pos system (250 per month) through them, biggest mistake of all- costing me 14K!!!!) And they took off my membership fee of 149.00 per month and 89.00 for our dove fee for 3 months. They say they were already sending me 90% of orders. HA! I made 200 from TF in Jan. I'm in the same boat with you- they send me just enough to pay for their bill and then thats it. Ridiculous! Then they flowers that I purchase for each different arrangment sit in the cooler waiting for someone to come buy them! On the upside at least I get new customers, I send post cards out to all my deliveries monthly, and put a coupon on all the outgoing birthday arrangements.
Be careful
I was among some of the first "Wire Service Free" starting back around 2002. Here's my perspective.
First, eliminate everything you can, like card ads, after hours answering. Get it to bare bones as possible.
Closely analyse your statment. If you use a WS for credit card processing, that is not a cost of belonging to the WS
Make sure you know precisely what your costs are, don't include any optional items. For Instance, belonging to SAF is not a wire service expense, the subscription to Flowers& is not a WS exp.
Now ask your self this. If a wire order comes in, do you create the design and so you did not have any payroll [I assume you pay yourself, but would you have paid yourself less if you did not have to fill the order?
Said another way. If you pay 2 designers for 8 hours a day and they get paid whether they crank out another order or not, and you do not have to pay any overtime because of the WS order, then you did not incurr any more payroll to fill that order.
In these difficult economic times we have to correct/change our mind set. You might find another WS order a welcome sale if you do not have to pay any more payroll, meaning that the payroll would have been there whether or not you filled another WS order.
A final comment. The WS was created by florists to sell more flowers. And they did because the consumer now had more reasons to buy flowers. YES, it is changing today when people have the Internet.
Then I ask the question, if consumers do not need the wire services, how come we are getting wire service orders?
I say, think twice about what you might do. Don't do it based on the hysteria going around today to be wire service free.
Finally, who is going to advertise Easter, Sec Week, Mother's Day. Most of those ads run by the wire services will benefit shops.
One more comment. The marketing concept of florists exchanging orders is probably one of the most successful marketing programs ever designed. Let's not throw it out to get rid of the bad actors.
Think twice, no three times!
I was among some of the first "Wire Service Free" starting back around 2002. Here's my perspective.
First, eliminate everything you can, like card ads, after hours answering. Get it to bare bones as possible.
Closely analyse your statment. If you use a WS for credit card processing, that is not a cost of belonging to the WS
Make sure you know precisely what your costs are, don't include any optional items. For Instance, belonging to SAF is not a wire service expense, the subscription to Flowers& is not a WS exp.
Now ask your self this. If a wire order comes in, do you create the design and so you did not have any payroll [I assume you pay yourself, but would you have paid yourself less if you did not have to fill the order?
Said another way. If you pay 2 designers for 8 hours a day and they get paid whether they crank out another order or not, and you do not have to pay any overtime because of the WS order, then you did not incurr any more payroll to fill that order.
In these difficult economic times we have to correct/change our mind set. You might find another WS order a welcome sale if you do not have to pay any more payroll, meaning that the payroll would have been there whether or not you filled another WS order.
A final comment. The WS was created by florists to sell more flowers. And they did because the consumer now had more reasons to buy flowers. YES, it is changing today when people have the Internet.
Then I ask the question, if consumers do not need the wire services, how come we are getting wire service orders?
I say, think twice about what you might do. Don't do it based on the hysteria going around today to be wire service free.
Finally, who is going to advertise Easter, Sec Week, Mother's Day. Most of those ads run by the wire services will benefit shops.
One more comment. The marketing concept of florists exchanging orders is probably one of the most successful marketing programs ever designed. Let's not throw it out to get rid of the bad actors.
Think twice, no three times!
twiggy
Well-Known Member
Tom's advise is wise- (as usual) really think about it, each shop has it's own set of circumstances that greatly effect this decision.
I started out without a WS and it suits my business just fine- but I do realize that may not work for everyone.
I started out without a WS and it suits my business just fine- but I do realize that may not work for everyone.
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
make them take off the quality assurance fee..any second town listings you have, no extra space in the directory just a line notation. Do not pay SAF, subscriptions (they'll hit you with the $39.95 one). Do not buy any co-op advertising, don't buy the products. The surety bond should only be a total of $100 or $200 not $50 every month...or did you just join? Actually you're too late for the next directory which comes out in April I believe..check your directory for the next cut off time, it's in fine print in the small directory with all the products and how to's.
santosdesigns
New Member
I just drop TF. It was costing me more to have them as a wire service. Now I just call the florist & use my CC. All my credit cards trans I send thru Heartland Service, they have my money in the bank the very next day. The fee is low to. But yeah drop TF, they are NOT worth the $$.
herndonflorist
Well-Known Member
I agree that you need to look at all the hidden costs associated with being in the wire service, including the Quality Assurance program fees and the 30% freight charged on their overly expensive containers. The fees for each message on dove, and the fees per zip code are not going to help your bottom line. Their credit card processing fees are not the best deal available.
The support provided by the wire service in mediating disputes between florists is useful and perhaps the advertising that they do for our industry is benefiting us all.
I would make sure you drop all excess listings, co-op ads, containers, magazines, dues etc. and then see where you stand.
Good Luck
The support provided by the wire service in mediating disputes between florists is useful and perhaps the advertising that they do for our industry is benefiting us all.
I would make sure you drop all excess listings, co-op ads, containers, magazines, dues etc. and then see where you stand.
Good Luck
master J
Well-Known Member
dump them! best thing I ever did! I now use that money to promote my own brand! I am so happy to be WS free & business is great!:drunk:
I look forward to the day that most florists wake up and stop holding onto something that worked 15 years ago, its time to move on!!!:scooter:
I look forward to the day that most florists wake up and stop holding onto something that worked 15 years ago, its time to move on!!!:scooter:
When you said "my bills", what exactly do you mean? Do you mean the monthly WS expenses add up to $400? Or do you mean you send a check of $400 to TF each month?
I didn't know that WS charges you surety bond. That's sneaky. Anyway, it means that TF considers you a default risk; they obtain a bond from an entity (surety) that guarantees your payment. That's my guess. $50 a month is basically your insurance premium. Surety bond is common among importers (we do import biz too).
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
santosdesigns
New Member
I think with today economy, all us florist like the "Gareentee" that a WS give us with orders, and yes the advertising they have is benefiting to us all. But just think if instead of giving all those monthy fee to TF it can be use for your own mailings, posters, flyers, etc. Plus sometimes the amount they give you for an order is rediculous!
herndonflorist
Well-Known Member
I have found that a large portion of my outgoing orders tend to go to the same location (neighboring large city hospitals or funeral homes etc) we have an established relationship with a couple florists in the city. we call, fax etc with a direct order, they keep our CC on file. done.
we also use IFA
we also use Google local and call. We keep a data base of florist who have done a good job for us in the past. We also use flower chat members if at all possible
we also use IFA
we also use Google local and call. We keep a data base of florist who have done a good job for us in the past. We also use flower chat members if at all possible
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Believe me there is no quality in at least 9 TF shops that I personally know of in a 4 town area around me. None have any trained designers and have no idea how to even green a design. Customers don't know the difference unless they have a recepient that knows good design from poor quality. They sign up anyone (even shops that haven't opened yet)
master J
Well-Known Member
The simple fact is that in the past a consumer had no easy way to find a florist outside of there own town. Now with the internet a florist can be found with a few key strokes anywhere in the world.
Invest your wire fees in your own website, because thats the future....
I'm TF for only one reason, web images and I have now solved that issue, so I will be going wire free.....I think the marketing costs the wire services pay to generate orders will soon catch up to them.....
my 2 cents....value accordingly
Invest your wire fees in your own website, because thats the future....
I'm TF for only one reason, web images and I have now solved that issue, so I will be going wire free.....I think the marketing costs the wire services pay to generate orders will soon catch up to them.....
my 2 cents....value accordingly
TOTO
New Member
Dump em!
Time to move on! The WS's business model is BROKEN and they have become your competitors, not your business partner.
Join IFA (The Independent Florist's Association) to send out your orders. The membership fee is only $40 and the monthly charge is only $20, and ONLY WHEN YOU SEND OUT ORDERS.
It's the 80% NET TO FILLER and the 20% COMMISSION to the sender.
Much better than the 70% to filler, less the additional HIDDEN incoming order acquisition fees in the form of DUES and numerous other anciallary BOGUS charges, amounting to another 35% discount.
http://www.myifa.org/users/signup.php
At the same time, change your credit card processor to a PRIMARY credit card procsssing company like PPI. (Pay Pros).
You'll get your money in your bank account within 48 Hours.
Time to move on! The WS's business model is BROKEN and they have become your competitors, not your business partner.
Join IFA (The Independent Florist's Association) to send out your orders. The membership fee is only $40 and the monthly charge is only $20, and ONLY WHEN YOU SEND OUT ORDERS.
It's the 80% NET TO FILLER and the 20% COMMISSION to the sender.
Much better than the 70% to filler, less the additional HIDDEN incoming order acquisition fees in the form of DUES and numerous other anciallary BOGUS charges, amounting to another 35% discount.
http://www.myifa.org/users/signup.php
At the same time, change your credit card processor to a PRIMARY credit card procsssing company like PPI. (Pay Pros).
You'll get your money in your bank account within 48 Hours.
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