Direct2florist.com
, WF&FSA and Steven & Son Wholesale Florist Join Forces
to Support Traditional Retail Florists
The profitability of traditional retail
florists has been decimated by an over abundance of discounted orders
and an increasing number of consumers going to the Internet to purchase
flowers.
Through WF&FSA, wholesalers are taking action and investing in a
program to help traditional retail florists receive orders that are not
discounted and to make them competitive on the Internet. The traditional
retail florist remains the key customer base for wholesale florists in
the United States and Canada.
Direct2florist.com allows consumers worldwide to place orders online
directly with a local florist, and provides florists with orders that
have not been discounted. Founded by former British florist John
Stirling and his son Simon, Direct2florist.com has been operating
successfully for nearly a year.
Direct2florist.com is available to florists in the United States and
Canada thanks to a unique partnership between Direct2florist.com and WF&FSA.
WF&FSA will manage the program in the United States and Canada.
“WF&FSA sees Direct2florist.com as an opportunity to help
traditional retail florists,” said Dave Garcia, WF&FSA President
and President of the Pete Garcia Company in Atlanta, GA. “The fate of
floral wholesalers is closely tied to that of the traditional retail
florist. Direct2florist.com will have an impact on the profitability of
retail florists. Florists will instantly be e-commerce capable, will
receive 100% of the flower value, have complete control of products they
sell, prices and delivery areas, and they will get paid when the order
is delivered. The risk to the retail florist is minimal and the
potential gain is tremendous.”
“Direct2florist.com could very well become the #1 consumer flower
ordering website worldwide”, said John Stirling, President of
Direct2florist.com. “We are delighted that WF&FSA will direct
efforts of the Direct2florist.com program in the United States and
Canada while we work to expand Direct2florist.com worldwide.”
Direct2florist.com does not replace what florists are already doing. It
is designed to supplement and enhance current marketing efforts of
retail florists. It immediately makes retailers fully e-commerce
capable. If a florist already has a website but can’t take an order on
it, they can just link directly to their page on Direct2florist.com.
A consumer anywhere in the world can go to Direct2florist.com and select
a country. In the U.S., the consumer can then search for local florists
by city or zip code.
The
consumer will see photos of participating florists serving that area and
up to 40 products that each florist offers with a delivered price. Once
the consumer selects a florist and the product, they submit a credit
card for payment. They pay the florist’s delivered price plus a
nominal transaction fee.
The florists are immediately notified that they have an order. The
florist is told what was selected, who it goes to, what message should
be included and when it should be delivered. The florist then confirms
receipt of the order with Direct2florist.com. When the order is
delivered, the florist notifies Direct2florist.com and payment for the
delivery is sent to the florist.
Consumers will pay a nominal transaction fee with each order. The money
from the transaction fees will run the operation and will also be plowed
into consumer promotion, which will be industry guided. The consumer
promotion will be designed to drive more consumers to the site and to
traditional local florists.
Cost to the retail florist is minimal. There is an annual membership
fee. The introductory offer is $200 a year which is less than $17 a
month. The 12 month subscription does not start until the florist
receives their first order.
Signing up is easy and straightforward. Florists can have their page up
and running in minutes. To sign up, visit www.Direct2florist.com.
Click on the words “Florist Signup” at the bottom of the page, then
click on the U.S. or Canadian flag and follow the instructions. Only
traditional florists will be allowed to participate.
WF&FSA believes that Direct2florist.com has a strong consumer
message; however, Direct2florist.com will not discourage consumers from
buying flowers from other sources. All floral purchases are good for the
industry.
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