My Long Awaited Wire Out Announcement

So it took me a lot longer to get the free time to make this post than I wanted, but I wanted to do it while my head was clear from the craziness of the day. For the past 10 years, I have offered a service to wire out flower orders to anywhere in the US. There are many methods to doing this, my company of choice was Flower Shop Network, which I let expire last year. Recently, I stumbled across an online listing for local flower shops, which included every bogus 1-800 number you could think of. When I found my business, I was shocked to see a 2 star rating, so I had to read the review so I could figure out who wrote it. Read it for yourself...which by the way I don't FTD anything...

1 stars

kathy.felix.94 12/12/2012

My boyfriend ordered flowers for my…

My boyfriend ordered flowers for my birthday. This florist called another florist to FTD them to my work. The flowers that arrived were cute but certainly not valued at $72.00. 3 carnations, 2 roses and a green filler with 2 tulips in a plain glass. When I brought them home from work - he flipped at what they were for the price. He took them back to Savvannah's and she did not want to hear about it. Said to complain to the florist who sent them. I called the local florist and it seems Savannah kept almost half the money for herself. Very disappointed and unsatisfied. Will not order again from this business. Shame since we always support local businesses and actually live in Elmer. 

 Well, let me tell you, irate is an understatement. This woman has NEVER been in my shop, has NEVER gotten any flowers from  my shop, and has never placed an order, called here, physically walked into my shop, or spoken to me, EVER. She has never seen a single arrangement from my shop .Her boyfriend always insisted on sending flowers to her work, which is in Cherry Hill, and clearly, we don't go that far. I have told him every single time to call a shop there direct so he knows what he will get and can talk to the person actually making it, but no, he insisted he wanted to give me the business. Let me stop right there. There is a huge misconception that going to a flower shop to send out a wire order actually gives the shop business. We are only charging $10.95 to send out an order, which doesn't even cover the time it takes to send it out. What I explain to everyone, and Kathy's boyfriend included, is that you have a delivery fee, wire fee, and cost of the flowers. What people do not understand is this. A florist needs to make money, so we have to charge labor to make the flowers, which is 30% in many places, the cost of the container, and then the flowers. The florist I sent this order to is awesome, I work with them all the time, have known them for years, and they do amazing work. But I will say I am pretty sure Cherry Hill prices are higher than Elmer prices. Plus I have no overhead and no rent, so people know they will get something a bit bigger here than they will anywhere else. So Kathy insists I kept the money for myself. Let me educate everyone here. He spent $72. How much do you think the flowers were valued at? I calculate around $50 before labor (the $10 delivery and $10.95 wire fees don't count in the flowers). So for $50, the flowers she got sound like a pretty normal arrangement for that area. So her vase with 2 roses was no where close to $72. This is why there are thousands of complaints with FTD and Teleflora every holiday. People don't understand the process of wiring out or ordering online. I would not touch FTD or Teleflora with a 10 foot pole, because I already know the headaches from being an employee in 3 shops with both before I started my own business. So for the sake of keeping one uneducated person from trying to destroy what I have worked so hard to create, I am refusing ALL wire outs. But I think you'll thank me because I am going back to the original idea I did for years back when I first opened TEN years ago. If anyone calls to place an order to be wired out, I will instead give them 3 phone numbers of local flower shops in the zip code they are sending to. Everyone will make out better, and people won't think I am keeping the money for myself, which I have NEVER done. Let me also clear up one more thing. When Steve brought the vase back to show me, my version of "not wanting to hear about it" was this. I told him to call the shop that delivered the flowers and even gave him the name of the owner, who I know personally. I told him to let them know that he was not happy and to ask for a new arrangement. I also also said to make sure he gives them back the bad one so they would see what it had in it (because they obviously won't know what it looked like). I told him if anyone complains that they don't like flowers, I always replace them, and I am sure they will too. I heard nothing more. So I apparently blew him off and kept the money. Guess what, I don't do business that way.

Since I'd like to simplify things so I can concentrate on other aspects of my business, I think this is a great decision. My loyal customers, who know me and know I am an honest person, will actually make out better, all thanks to Kathy. And I really hope she stumbles across this. Maybe she'll learn something.