Wire Service Template Sites

[bloomz]

And, Joe, I think it is a GOOD thing that you are successful with the WS website. I just think that if someone of your status can be successful with the WS template, my goodness, what could you do with your own creative flair?

I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit there...

 

[Joe Mioux]

Joe,
These are just the questions that we should be asking. Obtaining answers to these questions would be a gold mine in marketing a website. I would love to see some good stats and surveys on just these questions. But, really how many florists make decisions about anything based on what the answers are? Are we trying to please ourselves or the consumer? I want to please the consumer and am willing to drive around the block a few times to get in their heads. There has to be a way to get these kinds of questions answered in a rock solid way. And in that lies my frustration with marketing. I want to dance in the consumer's head. I am always trying to pick their brains and gear my decisions along their brainwaves without copying what is already out there. If anyone knows where we can actually find good consumer stats on this, I would love to know.

And, Joe, I think it is a GOOD thing that you are successful with the WS website. I just think that if someone of your status can be successful with the WS template, my goodness, what could you do with your own creative flair?

I was looking around at various FC'rs websites last night. Yours is one of the best independent sites I have seen. Obviously, there are a few things I would do differently, but yours has the most "in house" designs. That is important because you are showing your customers your design skills.

I've got to side with Joe here for a bit......A retail consumer might not view a WS template site in the same way that we florists would. However, it has been mentioned that the caveat with most WS template sites is they utilize the entire selection guide......and they use WS pricing guidelines.

It takes work to maintain and operate a WS template site........and the WS may decide to override your changes......This happened frequently when my old employer had an FTD template site......we would go in and make the necessary changes.....and then the 'powers that be' at FTD would go in and overide our changes.........particularly at holiday time.

Now, There are a lot of great websites out there......I consider RC's (Oberer's) one of the best.....for a simple reason......Most of his featured arrangements are seen in home style settings......on a dining table, coffee table or side table. you might see a table lamp, or a lace doily accenting.


Choosing an independent host.....like Strider/ Media99/local host......can make a big difference in how well you are able to manange your site.

I will say that a WS template site......that can be managed by calling site management on the phone.....may be the way to go for someone who is internet illiterate......whereas an independent host may be the best option for someone with more internet/ web savvy.

couple things:

First, I am not sure about FTD, but I can make a lot of permanent changes, annual changes, semi annual changes and perennial changes with TF's.

Second, this one might not be popular, think of it as an alternative thought or marketing strategy. Having some standardized pricing actually helps me with the outgoing wire business. I have customers who use my website for their outgoing wire order business. I realize this doesn't make much sense, but they would rather have me find a florist than them spend their time finding a florist.

Third, there are a lot of hidden costs with running one's own website. I suppose you can look at buying a website vs. leasing a website the same way as buying or leasing a car. Both will get you to same place but, it just a matter of when you spend the money.

joe

 

[theRKF]

That is great w/ the family pics....or are they models?

Who says they can't be both? Those kids could make a mint modeling

...yes, very nice. You do have to have a fast connection to upgrade w/ your add-ons. Strider also?

Nope, not ours.

also, what happens when two competing flower shops buy the same template from the same independent website provider?

You're right - that's why we make an effort to see this doesn't happen. We try to make sure a template is not reused in the same city.

It takes work to maintain and operate a WS template site........and the WS may decide to override your changes......This happened frequently when my old employer had an FTD template site......we would go in and make the necessary changes.....and then the 'powers that be' at FTD would go in and overide our changes.........particularly at holiday time.

Choosing an independent host.....like Strider/ Media99/local host......can make a big difference in how well you are able to manange your site.

I will say that a WS template site......that can be managed by calling site management on the phone.....may be the way to go for someone who is internet illiterate......whereas an independent host may be the best option for someone with more internet/ web savvy.

Rick, I'll refer you to Knife's Wife's post earlier about her TF site being constantly over-written, and the labour involved in managing it. Also, the costs associated with web hosts who penalize florists for success by charging per order fees.

We recommend that florists who are not web savvy - or just too busy running the rest of their store - to contact Teresa at Florist Website Help. She has very affordable rates and can handle all the maintenance on your site, write content and blog posts, handle pictures, pricing, etc, at your direction. (and still save money on a successful site vs. one with per order fees)

Ryan

 

[steve]

I converted from an FTD site to an independant about 5 years ago. And intially I maintain both the new site and FTD's but from the get go my new site place higher in rankings and gathered more orders and I very quickly canned the FTD site. Beyond that I have a real problem with any wire service hosting my site with my customer information on it.Times are tough and I would not put it pass them to utilize that information.

 

[BOSS]

Beyond that I have a real problem with any wire service hosting my site with my customer information on it.Times are tough and I would not put it pass them to utilize that information.

Ding Ding Ding.... We have a winner...

Not to mention the cost savings of an independent site

 

[inferno63]

Thanks Joe....I am self taught so I know that I learn more everyday. I have some formatting issues that I am working on with tech support. Unfortunately since I am using email for the tech support because I can't tie up my phone for 2 hours at a time, it is taking some time to iron out those issue but it is under way.

I am always (I stress, ALWAYS) accepting of suggestions and critiques. I have found great ideas from many people regarding my site. I am open for ideas.

 

[avenuegardensflorist]

...



...if we chose to add an additional website provider(strider)?
could we use the ftd credit card clearing program as our
payment provider on the strider site?

...and if we kept both sites for a while, have both sites feed the
clearing thru the ftd credit card program?

 

[sandytf]

I know ours sucks too. I have also had problems making the changes to the FTD site. We are working on it, though!!!

 

[theRKF]

...



...if we chose to add an additional website provider(strider)?
could we use the ftd credit card clearing program as our
payment provider on the strider site?

...and if we kept both sites for a while, have both sites feed the
clearing thru the ftd credit card program?

You would not be able to feed directly into FTD's system, but you could integrate with FTD's Mercury POS, clear online through Authorize.net or PayPal, or clear the CC offline with your regular phone CC orders.

 

[Dick Adgate Florist]

I think this thread goes hand in hand with our aging florists thread. Our owner,Mr. A, thinks social networking is putting on his suit and bow tie and going to the local Rotary meeting. Neither Mr. A nor our GM use computers or email. The Wire Service took a while talking them into a website at all. I've tried telling them that we need our own unique website, I might as well be speaking Klingon.

 

[inferno63]

You would not be able to feed directly into FTD's system, but you could integrate with FTD's Mercury POS, clear online through Authorize.net or PayPal, or clear the CC offline with your regular phone CC orders.

I clear right now on paypal for my website but I am working with Fifth Third Bank and once set up, I can clear directly through them and direct deposit just as I do in the store. In the meantime, Paypal is really reasonable and easy to use.

 

[avenuegardensflorist]

I think this thread goes hand in hand with our aging florists thread. Our owner,Mr. A, thinks social networking is putting on his suit and bow tie and going to the local Rotary meeting. Neither Mr. A nor our GM use computers or email. The Wire Service took a while talking them into a website at all. I've tried telling them that we need our own unique website, I might as well be speaking Klingon.

...i can agree with some of what you are saying. Although you refer to 'Rotary' as an aging, not up to date organization, if you took a good look at Rotary you would see some very wonderful things going on in the civic world. Rotary has and is doing wonders in a lot of areas throughout the world. You should check it out.

Now, to cover your assumption of florist owners just falling in to what the wires want them to do you are correct in some areas.

However you are not the one that is responsible when it comes to making sure there is enough $$$$$ in the pot to make payroll AND having to decide on investing in new tech right at this time. Like the poor congressperson just said, only when you have "skin" in the game can real decisions be made.


......klingon dude.:itchy:

 

[bloomz]

Preface: I'm a believer in independent websites as well.

But the thing that blows a bigass hole in our theory is...

Wesley Berry.

Having and using a FTD site doesn't seem to be hurting him one tiny bit.

Quite of few of both TF's and FTD's top members also use wire service sites.

I had this discussion with the biggest florist in Seattle last week - he is convinced that his FOL site is all he ever needs and that it performs better for him than all others he has spoken to.

 

[inferno63]

Preface: I'm a believer in independent websites as well.

But the thing that blows a bigass hole in our theory is...

Wesley Berry.

Having and using a FTD site doesn't seem to be hurting him one tiny bit.

Quite of few of both TF's and FTD's top members also use wire service sites.

I had this discussion with the biggest florist in Seattle last week - he is convinced that his FOL site is all he ever needs and that it performs better for him than all others he has spoken to.

May be all true................................for now.

 

[theRKF]

Preface: I'm a believer in independent websites as well.

But the thing that blows a bigass hole in our theory is...

Wesley Berry.

Having and using a FTD site doesn't seem to be hurting him one tiny bit.

Quite of few of both TF's and FTD's top members also use wire service sites.

I had this discussion with the biggest florist in Seattle last week - he is convinced that his FOL site is all he ever needs and that it performs better for him than all others he has spoken to.

JB,

I get what you're saying - and I think it's easy to swing the pendulum too far and say that indie is automatically better - but I think Wesley's success, in particular, has more to do with the effort expended in getting visitors to the site, and less to do with being a WS template or not.

Ryan

 

[goldfish]

But the thing that blows a bigass hole in our theory is...

Wesley Berry.

Having and using a FTD site doesn't seem to be hurting him one tiny bit.

But WB is all over the place. His site doesn't have to perform well in each city it pops up. They get maybe as little as 5 orders a month in each city, but if you multiple that by thousands, that's a lot.

 

[avenuegardensflorist]

JB,

I get what you're saying - and I think it's easy to swing the pendulum too far and say that indie is automatically better - but I think Wesley's success, in particular, has more to do with the effort expended in getting visitors to the site, and less to do with being a WS template or not.

Ryan

....now that is the million, well i guess in todays world quatrillion, dollar question and is an objective that is fairly difficult for the lay person.

 

[BOSS]

JB,

I get what you're saying - and I think it's easy to swing the pendulum too far and say that indie is automatically better - but I think Wesley's success, in particular, has more to do with the effort expended in getting visitors to the site, and less to do with being a WS template or not.

Ryan

I would concur... and really, how many wire service template sites are as Black Hatted SEO wise as Wesley is, WITH THE HELP OF THE WIRE SERVICE?

 

[bloomz]

Dontcha think if it was black hat it would have bit him in the ass by now?

If it hasn't, well that would mean the black hat warnings are just that, warnings with no bite, which is a possibility.

I think it may be considered black hat to florists, but not to search engines, cuz they sure love to list him.

Here's one flowers-nationwide.com which I believe could be his that shows 274,000 listings.