Griffin's Floral & Event Design

Article Four of Six. Why Support Local Florists – “Keeping It Local” Local Tax Revenue

An Overview of Articles to discuss Consumer Fraud as a result of the Internet.  Consumers are being cheated and ripped off, generally paying as little as 20% more and as much as 50% more for their floral gifts when purchasing on-line.  We at Griffin’s Floral Design have become so alarmed by these deceptive practices that we have decided to begin a series of articles to discuss, educate, guide, and help.

This is Part 5 of Article Four on “Consumer Fraud” and deals with why we encourage consumers to support local business vs. Call Centers, Wire-Services, and Internet based companies.  Keeping It Local will offer insight that will encourage future local buying habits when it comes to gift purchases.

Local Means More…”Local Tax Revenue”

Are you sick of Taxes?  Aren’t we all!  Well the statistics are in and  they are overwhelming.  Studies show that when you support local business specifically, you lower the possibility of increased local taxes.  Your local business is forced to pay a number of taxes that you may not be aware of, some include, Federal, State, City, County, Schools, Medicare, Unemployment, Social Security, Workers Compensation, and Sales of Commodities and Services.  If you notice there are ten taxes listed here, of the ten, seven stay within your State/Community.   Simply put, when you buy products outside of your community, you are paying the taxes of other communities, helping them create better schools, roads, parks, and neighborhoods.  In the community I reside in, we no longer have recreational parks supported by local government offices as a result of continually failed tax levies.  We also have damaged and poorly repaired roadways, along with no winter salting and plowing due to the same reason.  Why is this?  Perhaps we can look for the answer above, “Supporting local community and creating jobs”.  No sales results in no jobs which results in no tax revenue. This phenomenon is US wide; the community that continually refuses to pass local tax bonds is often the same community that is building up other communities by continuing to purchase products outside of their local area.  Support Local and Create Taxes for a better community.

Please post your questions, concerns, comments, or articles you would like to see.  We promise to respond. As always, thank you for supporting your local Central Ohio florist.

Sincerely,

Russ Griffin

http://www.floristdetective.com/

http://aboutflowers.com/

http://www.safnow.org/

Posted in: Local Florist Insight by griffins / Tags: 800-Flowers, Call Centers, FTD, local florist, Teleflora, wire service

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Article Four of Six. Why Support Local Florists – “Keeping It Local” – Creating Jobs

This is Part 4 of Article Four on “Consumer Fraud” and deals with why we encourage consumers to support local business vs. Call Centers, Wire-Services, and Internet based companies.  Keeping It Local will offer insight that will encourage future local buying habits when it comes to gift purchases.

Local Means More…”Creating Jobs”

 

 

Please post your questions, concerns, comments, or articles you would like to see.  We promise to respond. As always, thank you for supporting your local Central Ohio florist.

Sincerely,

Russ Griffin

http://www.floristdetective.com/

http://aboutflowers.com/

Posted in: Local Florist Insight by griffins / Tags: 800-Flowers, Call Centers, FTD, local florists, Teleflora, wire services

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Article Four of Six. Why Support Local Florists – “Keeping It Local” – Supporting Local Community

This is Part 3 of Article Four on “Consumer Fraud” and deals with why we encourage consumers to support local business vs. Call Centers, Wire-Services, and Internet based companies.  Keeping It Local will offer insight that will encourage future local buying habits when it comes to gift purchases.

 

 

Local Means…”Supporting Local Community”

So you live in Belleville Michigan, Sarasota Florida, or Chicago, Illinois and you need an oil change.  Are you going to drive to Detroit, Elhurst, or Bradenton for that $25 oil change?  Of course not, they are too far away; you will find your local guy/gal to complete the job for you.  The same would hold true with your dry cleaning, dentistry, family physician, hair dresser, and other similar purchases.  So why wouldn’t/shouldn’t it hold true for your floral purchases, your florist is part of that same community and often lives and supports those same businesses in your community.  Supporting local community keeps the funds in the community, it allows others to earn the income to turn around and continue purchasing from such local businesses.  It’s what keeps the ball rolling.  You wouldn’t hire someone you don’t know to style Aunt Betty’s hair for her memorial service, as that is a very important moment for the family.  In other words,  a local florist will care more about your order hands down than any wire service, call center, or direct ship company.  They live in that community and are forced to face others in the community; your local florist has more to lose than all the rest combined.  All, local florists understand the importance of supporting local community and giving back to local community as they have been so greatly affected by the lack of local support as a result of “convenience” due to the internet.  Keep your money Local, Support Local so they are able to as well.

Please post your questions, concerns, comments, or articles you would like to see.  We promise to respond. As always, thank you for supporting your local Central Ohio florist.

Sincerely,

Russ Griffin

http://www.floristdetective.com/

http://aboutflowers.com/

Posted in: Local Florist Insight by griffins / Tags: 800-Flowers, Call Centers, FTD, local florists, Teleflora, wire services

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Article Four of Six. Why Support Local Florists – “Keeping It Local” – You get what you pay for

This is Part 2 of Article Four on “Consumer Fraud” and deals with why we encourage consumers to support local business vs. Call Centers, Wire-Services, and Internet based companies.  Keeping It Local will offer insight that will encourage future local buying habits when it comes to gift purchases.

 

 

Local Means…”You get what you paid for”

Flowers are much like produce and meats in the fact that they have fluctuating price from day to day.  Supply and demand, seasonality, and availability play into whether a particular flower like a rose is worth $2.00 today or $6.00 tomorrow.  When you purchase flowers on-line from a call center, direct-ship company, or wire service you are paying for cost average arrangements.  This means that the floral design was priced on year round averages.  For the consumer this is not good, this means that when product costs are low, you are still paying the escalated price.  As discussed in “Are you receiving your value?” , when prices are high, the florist will simple remove product from the design as a result of all the other companies taking their cut.  The 20% going to the call center, and the 10% going to the wire service.  Order from you local florist and they can tell you what is in the cooler at a great price, and what good buys are on the market at that time, especially with a couple of days notice.   A great example is Gladiolas; in the off season they can cost as much as $3.50 a stem, in the summer as low as $1.00 a stem.  What a great design to have 20 stems of Glad’s in a vase for only $30 in the middle of the summer.  If you look on-line, that same design would cost you $65 on-line year round.  You will always get more bang for your buck when picking up the phone and actually calling the local florist in that area.  The phone call takes no longer than completing all the fields of entry on-line.

Please post your questions, concerns, comments, or articles you would like to see.  We promise to respond. As always, thank you for supporting your local Central Ohio florist.

Sincerely,

Russ Griffin

http://www.floristdetective.com/

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Local Florist Insight by griffins / Tags: 800-Flowers, Call Centers, FTD, local florists, Teleflora, wire services

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Article Four of Six. “Keeping it Local”  Why support your local florist?  The Middle Man

This is article Four on “Consumer Fraud” and deals with why we encourage consumers to support local business vs. Call Centers, Wire-Services, and Internet based companies.  Their will be five parts to this Article to allow for short and quick reading.  Keeping It Local will offer insight that will encourage future local buying habits when it comes to gift purchases.

Local Means …”Less Middle Men”

                Flowers are commodities that require many middle men before they reach their final destination.  Years ago the chain of travel was; grower (Ecuador), broker (Miami-customs), wholesaler (Columbus), florist (Us), consumer (You).  The chain has drastically changed over the past ten years.  Now you see grower, broker, wholesaler, call-center, wire-service, florist, and consumer.  Two more middle-men have been added to the equation.  As discussed in “Are you receiving your value?” Consumers pay on average 30% more when using a call-center or wire service and receive 30% less as a result of “where the money goes”.  If you take out the middle man you will receive more products for your money.  This is a nothing new; it’s business 101, lower COGS results in higher profits and greater value for the consumer.  The game played by call centers, direct ship companies, and wire-services alike is that you are receiving fresher, product at a better cost eliminating the middle man (namely the florist), oh by the way,  you also get a free .99 vase that they say is $5-$10.  This is furthest from the truth; they almost always charge you both a delivery fee and a service fee, and sometimes and expedited delivery fee.  These charges often cost you double what you would have paid by just calling a “Real Local Florist”.  Save yourself some dough, factor out the middle man and call your local florist.

Please post your questions, concerns, comments, or articles you would like to see.  We promise to respond. As always, thank you for supporting your local Central Ohio Columbus Florist.

Sincerely,

Russ Griffin

http://www.floristdetective.com/

http://aboutflowers.com/

http://www.safnow.org/

 

 

Posted in: Local Florist Insight by griffins / Tags: 800-Flowers, Call Centers, FTD, local florists, Teleflora, wire services

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