Think my husband may have found a very good reason for the bounce rate on my website.

[lori042499]

I had changed a few things on the itemized pricing structure on my TF website and asked my husband to shop it and tell me what he thinks....He can still shop my website and see things I can't because #1 he is a huge internet shopper and #2 he is a consumer not a florist...

He brought to my attention that when someone bypasses the zipcode it automatically defauslts to a wire out and adds local delivery, wire out fee and the web convenience fee..He sait it was alarming to him to choose a 50.00 arrangement and have it be almost 90.00 on the next page...he said if he was really shopping here he would have left....

The website does correct itself if I don't lose them at this point, I believe I may be losing people at an alarming rate with people thinking these are bogus charges...Probelm is if I take out the wire charge from the default it won't charge a wire fee unless I list every zip in the country with specific amounts...I need to call TF and discuss this with them and see what to do about it...

A problem I see with the programming of the website, not sure if it is intentional of not..

 

[aileen_c]

Lori, That is great that your hubby found something that may have been costing you business!! Curious to find out the results once the problem is addressed.

 

[nmwinn]

Lori,

I had the exact same problem with my site after I changed some zip code specific pricing. TF can change the structure of the checkout process so that the user has to enter the destination Zip Code before it allows them to add the item to their cart.

You can call web services or do it via email.

Hope that helps!

Nicole

 

[CHR]

web convenience fee

?? Why the need for such a fee? I know some of the OGs get away with it, but IMO it's a barrier.

If it was created to offset TF's per-order fee, then the simple solution is to get a hostinf company with a more favorable cost structure.

BTW, some of the big OGs charge more when a customer calls instead of placing an order online because there are direct (time) expenses when taking orders over the phone.

 

[Dorothy]

We've had the same problem with the Wire Fee being charged for local delivery. I've asked TF several times to charge the Wire Fee ONLY for orders outside our delivery area. You just reminded me to check whether they finally recitified this! Trouble with our Postal Codes is that there are SO DARN MANY - We have nine in our little town when there used to be only ONE!

 

[lori042499]

?? Why the need for such a fee? I know some of the OGs get away with it, but IMO it's a barrier.

If it was created to offset TF's per-order fee, then the simple solution is to get a hostinf company with a more favorable cost structure.

BTW, some of the big OGs charge more when a customer calls instead of placing an order online because there are direct (time) expenses when taking orders over the phone.

Yes it is to offset the 3.50 TF charges me per order...My husband pays web convenience fees with 90% of his transactions so I don't see it as anything people will balk at, I did however think that charging it wrapped up into the delivery fee made those look really really high...I pay a convenience fee on concert tickets to have them sent to my email to print out myself, I am saving the company postage and ticket printing and they are charging me to do it myself, it is something people are willing to pay...I did look into Ryan's websites without per order fees and found that I was not willing or able to put the time into the back office stuff, I am overwhelmed already and adding more stuff that I don't get to my plate is just not going to make my situation any better...I am afraid to say that all the crap that goes along with websites is baffling to me and i don't have the money to pay someone to do it for me...My other option was going to be to wrap up delivery and convenience fee into the flowers and be just like the OG's noone seems to mind paying them for their stuff all wrapped up in one, I gotta think they know more than me where they sell a whole lot more than me on their sites...they are catching peoples attention and getting them to buy a whole lot quicker tha my site is with the same pictures...

 

[LJVF]

?? Why the need for such a fee? I know some of the OGs get away with it, but IMO it's a barrier.

If it was created to offset TF's per-order fee, then the simple solution is to get a hostinf company with a more favorable cost structure.

BTW, some of the big OGs charge more when a customer calls instead of placing an order online because there are direct (time) expenses when taking orders over the phone.

I agree with all of this, this was one of numerous reasons why I abandoned my ws site for an independent hosting co.

With that said, orders placed online, IMO are just as much a convenience for me as it is for my customers. Time is money.

I've noticed more and more consumers are becoming more web savvy. With the help analytics software I noticed an increasing rate of cart abandons at the order dollar total page. I removed the "web convenience" and just recently lowered the delivery charge and am seeing immediate results.

Lori, good catch by your husband, I think the changes will definitely help, especially in the long term.

 

[lisa greene]

I just checked mine, it does add the wire fee and the delivery charge but nothing else.

 

[steve]

If you insist that you need to cover the TF $3.50 charge then I would bury it in your price structure of your arrangments. By have it stick out like a bill board you are calling attention to it.

 

[David]

He brought to my attention that when someone bypasses the zipcode it automatically defauslts to a wire out and adds local delivery, wire out fee and the web convenience fee..He sait it was alarming to him to choose a 50.00 arrangement and have it be almost 90.00 on the next page...he said if he was really shopping here he would have left....

I don't understand how it jumped 40.00. I tried and see 7.99 delivery and 3.50 web fee. I would get rid of the web fee. I see nothing wrong with 10-15 for outside delivery fee/service charge.

I

I've noticed more and more consumers are becoming more web savvy. With the help analytics software I noticed an increasing rate of cart abandons at the order dollar total page. I removed the "web convenience" and just recently lowered the delivery charge and am seeing immediate results.

I think this is why strider sites put the charge first.

 

[steve]

One more thought on your web convience fee if you are like most of the shops here at lease half your customers who go to your web site choose to call the order to you directly. Thus they have avoided paying the handling fee but have managed to get you on the phone and have you manually take the order which depending on how the conversation goes will last from about 3.5 mins to 5 or 6 mins How much is your time worth?

 

[lori042499]

I just checked mine, it does add the wire fee and the delivery charge but nothing else.

The additional fee is new to the tf fee structure. You can customize any of your delivery zones with extra fees, Like if your hosipitals have a fee for room delivery you can add it in or if there is a toll road to get to a certain zipcode you can add that in, or if there are just extra costs to certain deliveries you can set them up as such so your customers more understand what they are paying for instead of rolling it all up into giant delivery charges...

 

[lori042499]

I don't understand how it jumped 40.00. I tried and see 7.99 delivery and 3.50 web fee. I would get rid of the web fee. I see nothing wrong with 10-15 for outside delivery fee/service charge.




I think this is why strider sites put the charge first.

David, we changed it...It used to default to adding the wire service fee or 12.99 on any order without a zip enetered and a 10.99 delivery fee and the web convenience fee of 3.50 pluse tax...It adds up quick and becomes a sticker shock situation, so we were playing around to see what happens if we remove it...I just need to make it so a zipcoade is mandatory before moving into the sale..hopefully TF can do this, I know there fake storefronts do...so they should be able to make mine do it...

 

[lori042499]

One more thought on your web convience fee if you are like most of the shops here at lease half your customers who go to your web site choose to call the order to you directly. Thus they have avoided paying the handling fee but have managed to get you on the phone and have you manually take the order which depending on how the conversation goes will last from about 3.5 mins to 5 or 6 mins How much is your time worth?

To be honest, I would rather them call me, I think they get way better service and are happier customers in the end. I think that websites have taken away from our biz instead of made it better even though I am all about having a website because it is the in thing, I don't think websites do most shops justice and we are losing touch with customers because of them and the emotions in ordering flowers are going out the window...

 

[theRKF]

Lori,

I have to confess that I'm baffled. You've talked about how business is down, yet you're punishing potential customers by charging a "convenience fee" and making the online ordering process more costly and difficult. At the same time, you don't want to switch providers because you don't have time to manage your website, even though it would cost you less?

Why not switch, use the money saved from TF to hire Teresa from www.FloristWebsiteHelp.com to make the updates for you (very reasonable prices), and come out ahead of the game?

Paying more to lose customers just doesn't add up for me.

Ryan

 

[lori042499]

Lori,

I have to confess that I'm baffled. You've talked about how business is down, yet you're punishing potential customers by charging a "convenience fee" and making the online ordering process more costly and difficult. At the same time, you don't want to switch providers because you don't have time to manage your website, even though it would cost you less?

Why not switch, use the money saved from TF to hire Teresa from www.FloristWebsiteHelp.com to make the updates for you (very reasonable prices), and come out ahead of the game?

Paying more to lose customers just doesn't add up for me.

Ryan

Ryan the convenience fee was always there it just was wrapped into my delivery charge...people are not paying anymore than they have been they just see an accurate depiction of what they are paying...I could wrap all the fees into the arrangements like the ogs and not worry about anyof it and probably get more orders that way but i don't like that kind of shenanigans, hwever the worse the playingfield gets the more I am thinking that the shenanegans is how we will all have to go in order to get ahead on the web...

There is no money saved from TF to pay anyone to do the work...and it isn't that I do not have the time to devote to a website, I do not have the know how, the comprehention or the uninterupted time i need to deal with all the things my website needs...as Daryll stated in another post, we all need dedicated web masters it is like having a whole other store front to deal with and we all know how much of a full time job that is...What people fail to understand is that when you get rid of a ws you dn't necessarily have any extra money, because even though it costs you money for the service you do get orders that offset it...if the service goes away it was as if it didn't exist at all...most of the time WS is a break even situation, I would have to pay someone else for my website anyway and my computer system...


Like I said I am completely overwhelmed and need to do what I can the way I need to do it that makes sense for my life..I don't expect anyone to understand because it is stuff I don't even understand, all I know is taking on more bills is not something I can do right now and taking on more work that I don't grasp is out of the question, fixing what i do have and learning is my best option...right now..

Oh by the way, thanks for the info on Theresa i will bookmark it and keep it for future reference..

 

[twiggy]

To be honest, I would rather them call me, I think they get way better service and are happier customers in the end. I think that websites have taken away from our biz instead of made it better even though I am all about having a website because it is the in thing, I don't think websites do most shops justice and we are losing touch with customers because of them and the emotions in ordering flowers are going out the window...

Lori- I just have to disagree with this- you would rather have a call-- but your customers would rather have the convenience of shopping online- many times after hours (or before hours)

online shopping is not just 'the in thing' it's here to stay, and it's up to us to decide what kind of experience we want our shoppers to have - just as we put effort into the ambiance of our b&m shops we need to put that same effort with our online shops.

there are many many online shops that simply seduce their customers with their floral images- taking ordinary shoppers a step further and turning them into fans of their shop. That kind of splashy imagery isn't for every market- we all have a responsibility to our customers (and our own businesses) to decide what is right and put our best foot forward with our online presence.

 

[steve]

Lori one of many benifits of a web site is the customer sees and knows what the arrangement is going to look like that they are spending there hard earned money on. Customer satisfaction should in most cases be higher. I really sense that you find it hard to change from the way things have been but but the way people buy flowers is going to change rather you embrace it or not.

 

[lori042499]

Lori- I just have to disagree with this- you would rather have a call-- but your customers would rather have the convenience of shopping online- many times after hours (or before hours)

online shopping is not just 'the in thing' it's here to stay, and it's up to us to decide what kind of experience we want our shoppers to have - just as we put effort into the ambiance of our b&m shops we need to put that same effort with our online shops.

there are many many online shops that simply seduce their customers with their floral images- taking ordinary shoppers a step further and turning them into fans of their shop. That kind of splashy imagery isn't for every market- we all have a responsibility to our customers (and our own businesses) to decide what is right and put our best foot forward with our online presence.

I know this, it doesn't mean I like it...I know I need a website, I know I need an online presence hence the reason I spend endless hours trying to learn and understand all about it...I don't like it because I think that so many flower shops fall short(mine is top on this list) in their efforts due to lack of knowledge, lack of money to excute properly and lack of dedicated time to work on the real storefront and the web storefront...The shop suffers because the owner is spead too thin and the consumer suffers because they may be missing out on a great flower shop experience because the online presence doesn't accurately reflect the actual store...or the staff inside...This is why I would rather people call me...I do so much better in person on the phone than I can get across on line...

 

[lori042499]

Lori one of many benifits of a web site is the customer sees and knows what the arrangement is going to look like that they are spending there hard earned money on. Customer satisfaction should in most cases be higher. I really sense that you find it hard to change from the way things have been but but the way people buy flowers is going to change rather you embrace it or not.

Ok, here is the deal I may be young in age and have embraced the internet for so many things...I do a whole lot on the internet and wouldn't be able to live without it...I know the benefits of the internet and how it helps our businesses...I know it is the way business will be done primarily in the future like it or not. Have been telling my employers all of this for the last 10 years...

The whole problem I have is this...Just because you see pretty pictures on line, I don't think that you can get a true flowershop experience online...The problem is anyone can put any pictures up and call themselves a florist and who's to say they aren't...It is hard to tell who can and cannot put the flowers together as seen, you certainly cannot tell if the flowers you want to buy are fresh by a picture. It is a huge trust thing. I don't buy my flowers online because of these same issues, I like nothing more than hand picking my flowers, it is part of my day that I like the best..I think that consumers are getting gyped on the best part of buying flowers...the internet is ruining our businesses by taking out the emotional, sensual and personal ties to it. The same as the younger generation is getting more and more distant because they now do everything digitally they have trouble communicating in real life and it is sad...

I know the world is changing, I am changing with it, but just because it changes doesn't mean I have to like what it is becoming. I got 6 orders over the internet yesterday and filled them happily, do I like the fact that I didn't get to make a connection with the people ordering, no...am I happy that they ordered from, Yes...am I glad I had a website to get those orders, yes...I probably wouldn't have gotten them otherwise, I took 6 wireout orders from people in Boston, Salem, Hyde park, RI and NH will I get any orders from these people in the future, probably not, will the have a regular florist that they can trust for all their business, probably not. Do they care, probably not...Do I care, hell yeah!!!! It takes away the best part of being a florist, the human connection....

hey I think I just figured out why I have been in such a funk...The internet sucks the life out of us all...except for message boards, maybe this is why I am here so much..