Your favorite products at a bargain price....

[Luc]

In my statement from Teleflora this month, I received a yellow sheet detailing us "favorites products at bargain price."
I know FTD also does this and you would think that both companies would see that their holidays products are getting too pricey to have in a shop.

I know from myself and a few more florist I talk to, they are getting to costly to have in a shop resulting in a sale. It is also a fact that some of those products are just plain UGLY.

I am also going to venture in saying that we don't need 5 Valentine specials, 5 easter specials when we all know that most people go for roses at valentine, cut flowers and plants at Easter.

THe other thing is the Bull*@@@@ the telephone people used on selling these items to us. Like it's almost sold out, it's a great seller, or it's a hot buy this holiday season and we see them on sale in this flyer.
It may a good price point in the USA at around $50.00 to $60.00 but in canada those arr. are at $75.00 - $85.00 which are not a good price point.

So I hope the people who think about these products keep in mind the whole picture.
I always thought that going to CHina or twiwan to get these containers done, is more economical. I am going to ASS*ume that teleflora and FTD has a great markup on these items.

Those are my opinions!!!!!!

Speaking out again,
maybe putting my foot in my mouth
Luc

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Ummmm LUC.....

just to "clarify" your last statement about China and Taiwan....these are NO LONGER the "cheap" production house that once existed in an impoverished area of the world, with very low income levels!!
Though THERE ARE poor areas of destitution on this planet (way too many) the "traditional" manufacturing countries, that we USED to turn to for cheap production, are they themselves, now running at capacity, and along with that fact, the prices are rising very rapidly there as well, as well as labour costs, and product/utility costs.
The infrastructure of these countries is no longer bamboo houses, with mud roofs, they are becoming very modern countries, that resemble North America, of the 40's and 50's, and greed is ALSO playing a big part there as well!!
China is NOW, the NET largest consumer of petroleum products, and it's per capita income is spiking rapidly, SO,
DON'T go counting on a huge oversupply of cheap manufatured products in the forseeable future, so that yo, as a retailer, can keep your prices down!!
BEING BIG, and selling cheap, is only inviting disaster, and unless you are a WalMart, forget about staying in business and not recouping all your expenses!!
Wire services are caught between a rock and hard place....they do an aweful lot of work bringing holiday "specials" to market, and THEY assume all the risk 2 years in advance, hoping you'll buy the product....hoping they've guessed correctly what will be popular, and a good seller, and are doing this on an ever decreasing margin of profit, and a larger increasing margin of losses.
The Franklin Mint is an ideal example, of relying on cheap manufacturing...and where are they now??
Mike

 

[Audra]

I know from myself and a few more florist I talk to, they are getting to costly to have in a shop resulting in a sale. It is also a fact that some of those products are just plain UGLY.

I am also going to venture in saying that we don't need 5 Valentine specials, 5 easter specials when we all know that most people go for roses at valentine, cut flowers and plants at Easter.

You're right, many of them are ugly and there are far too many of them. FTD has slowly gone back up from 3 to 5 possible this Christmas and Teleflora has waaaay too many. All you can do is hope you're carrying what your customers are looking for and go from there. We carried a Teleflora Valentine's product last year - what a disaster that was - won't do it again. Easter specials are starting to do well here again so we'll see...

Audra

 

[theRKF]

I don't care how many the WS want to produce ... we'll carry 2-3 and be happy when they sell out. It always comes down to carrying what your customers want to buy.

Ryan

 

[LORRIE]

Very intersting- last year we got to participate in the "survey" Tel did on products coming out in 2005.
A surveyor showed up at the shop one morning (3 days before Valentines I might add- not good planing) and sat with me for 45 min looking a pictures of possible containers and arrangments and then I got to vote on them. Prices were not included. I thought that it was good that at least they thought enough of the local florist to ask... we'll see what happens!

 

[Audra]

I don't care how many the WS want to produce ... we'll carry 2-3 and be happy when they sell out. It always comes down to carrying what your customers want to buy.

My bad, my wording was vague. I believe the Big Two have too many codified specials - we don't carry all of them. We just pick what we want to carry and hope we've anticipated what people want that year. We've been quite fortunate, we haven't gotten stuck with specials in the last few years but that's more the doing of the sales staff than it is of promotion by the services.

Audra

 

[Luc]

Hey Lorrie, SO does that mean we can complain to you for valentine day stuff?
THe only one I got was the Romeo...The rest for me SUCKS.
Luc

 

[theflowersmith]

We only got the striped ceramic from FTD. It's here already and quite nice. I went to convention to see for myself before purchasing. Went in with another florist and split on 3 TF containers. I agree that there are way too many.

 

[theRKF]

My bad, my wording was vague. I believe the Big Two have too many codified specials - we don't carry all of them. We just pick what we want to carry and hope we've anticipated what people want that year. We've been quite fortunate, we haven't gotten stuck with specials in the last few years but that's more the doing of the sales staff than it is of promotion by the services.

Audra

Not that your wording was bad - just that some florists feel obligated to carry ALL the specials. (Obviously, Audra, I know you know better )

The flip side of the "too many" opinion is this: What is each WS carried 2 only? Or 3? Different shops, different regions ... different tastes. Selection is good, even if I don't like all the options. I still know people who buy & sell well the items I don't touch.

As to the efforts of your sales staff vs WS ad efforts, I do feel TF stuff is better advertised (IMHExperience), but I never rely on it. Market the hell out of everything your carry and it will sell.

Ryan

 

[BOSS]

THe other thing is the Bull*@@@@ the telephone people used on selling these items to us. Like it's almost sold out, it's a great seller, or it's a hot buy this holiday season

Speaking out again,
maybe putting my foot in my mouth
Luc

Nope, Luc no foot in mouth...

The "argument" above is used EVERYwhere and has been for decades... One of my biggest grips to "suppliers" over the years...sure the stuff is selling at wholesale, BEFORE the holiday, but thats NO quarantee it's gonna sell when the time comes for me to deal with it.

The other one I like, is that "so&so" (my competitor) bought XX of these, so you must have them too, well BULL SH*T!! If my competitor has them, what the H*LL do I want them for ??? I want something different AND better!!!

The days of having more than 2-3 "codified" containers per WS are or soon will be long gone (again IMHO)... GIMME Candy Cane Lane in an upgraded size for C1, I'll (and so will every forlist) sell the heck outa it!

Combo packs for ME!! HO HO HO!