Flower Hut

Flower Power

2011-10-18T10:43:00.000-04:00

Overview:

Through the ages, flowers have been the inspiration of great works of art, poetry and music. We give flowers to express love, joy, congratulations, sadness and grief. In this piece, we will examine the role that flowers play in the world and in our lives. We will consider the meaning of flowers, analyze famous quotations, design a flower garden, learn about flower poems and paintings and maybe even write a poem!

The Secret Meaning of Flowers

Flowers have a language of their own and that throughout the course of history people have attached meanings to flowers to communicate messages.

Shown below are two columns. One is for various flower types. The other represents their traditional meaning.
Can you pair these flowers with their meanings?
Flowers Meanings

Daisy Peace
Forget-me-not Endurance
Cactus Childishness
Iris Pride, sunshine
Sunflower Faithfulness, virtue
Violet Good fortune
Apple blossom Wisdom, faith, hope
Buttercup Good luck, be mine
Four-leaf-clover True love, good memories
Olive branch Loyal love, innocence

Answers: Daisy: loyal love, innocence, Forget-me-not: true love, good memories, Cactus: endurance, Iris: wisdom, faith, hope, Sunflower: pride, sunshine, Violet: faithfulness, virtue, Apple blossom: good fortune, Buttercup: childishness, Four-leaf-clover: Good luck, be mine, Olive Branch: peace

Remember: These are traditional meanings. Different cultures often have different meanings!

Flower Quotations
Here are a variety of quotations, attributed to different people and different cultures. How do you feel about these?

Flower Quotations
Here are a variety of quotations, attributed to different people and different cultures. How do you feel about these?

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck."
- Emma Goldman

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."
- Lady Bird Johnson

"The world is a rose; smell it and pass it to your friends."
- Persian Proverb

"The earth laughs in flowers."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Different Gardens

Shown below are several different types of gardens. Also shown are resources where you may look up how to structure a specific type of garden.

* Drought tolerant garden
* Fragrance garden
* Edible garden
* Deer Resistant garden
* Color (yellow/orange, blue/purple, or cream/white) garden
* Shade garden
* Full sun garden
* Bird or butterfly garden

* Cornell's Home Gardening Website http://www.explore.cornell.edu/scene.cfm?scene=Home%20Gardening

* The United States National Arboretum Website http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/gardeningr.html

* Perkins & Jackson's Garden-Inspired Living Website
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=201&cgrfnbr=2

* Burpee Website http://www.burpee.com/jump.jsp?itemType=GATEWAY&itemID=9
This site contains a "Growing Zone Finder" to guide students in determining what plants will grow in their area.

Flower Poems and Paintings

The Poem Hunter website is an excellent resource for flower poems. http://www.poemhunter.com/poems/flower/

The ARTCYCLOPEDIA website provides examples and links to Georgia O' Keeffe's flower paintings. http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/okeeffe_georgia.html

The Japanese often write haiku poems about flowers. A traditional Japanese haiku has a total of seventeen syllables divided into three lines:

First line: five syllables Second line: seven syllables Third line: five syllables

Can you write a haiku about flowers?

The Flower Hut is a Charlotte Florist located in Charlotte, NC. We have been supplying floral arrangements and fresh flowers since 1988, and enjoy sharing floral ideas with our friends and neighbors.

The Flower Hut
6300 C E. Independence Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28212

Long Lasting Flowers

2010-08-25T11:39:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, a man came into our store accompanied by his young daughter. He placed his order and, as I was wrapping up his roses, I heard the following exchange:

Girl: "Daddy, what's the difference between Supermarket Roses and Flower Hut Roses?"

Daddy: "About a week."

He was right, but why?

Chances are, the Supermarket roses are pre-wrapped at some "flower factory." Then they are shipped -- often by non-air-conditioned truck -- to the store. There, they may be stored in the same cooler with fruits and vegetables. Finally, they are plopped into water -- often without being recut -- in a display cooler until sold.

From start to finish, there are several errors. First, the "flower factory" receives their flowers direct from the growers -- just like the Flower Hut. Then, they are dry-wrapped and placed in storage until they have an order. During this (undetermined) time, the roses are slowly dehydrating. When they are shipped, they loose even more moisture. At the Supermarket, if they are dry-stored with fruits and vegetables, they are exposed to ethylene gas that is a natural by product of fruits and veggies. Simply stated, Ethylene is to roses what carbon monoxide is to humans.

When they are put out for sale, the store may cut the stems before placing them in the display cooler. If they do not cut them, the dried-out stem ends will not absorb water. Even if they are cut, they may not be placed in water immediately. And that is important, since UC Davis studies have shown that if a rose is recut but not placed in watter almost immediately (10 seconds or less) then the stem will oxidize shut and the rose's ability to absorb water is greatly reduced.

Finally, when the roses are on display, only the stems are refrigerated. The heads and foliage remain at or near room temperature.

Each one of these errors can dramatically reduce rose life.

In contrast, the Flower Hut receives almost all its roses direct from the growers -- via Miami. But they are flown to Charlotte, not sent by truck. And they are kept in cold storage until we pick them up.

When we receive them, they are re-cut, placed in special hydrating solutions, and stored at 35 degrres F in our HUGE walk-in cooler until we sell them. And we never allow fruit or vegetables in our coolers! And we never pre-wrap our roses.

New Website

2010-05-18T18:13:00.001-04:00

In response to a number of requests, we have increased the quantity of items online. We have also diversified our line to include more non-wire-service items.

We did this by adding a second website. Please visit our new site at Charlotte Flowers from a Charlotte Florist
BUT we know that some items -- like the "Happy Face" -- are popular in all environments. So expect to see a few "old standbys" mixed in with the new addirions!

Please let us know how you like the "new look."

2009-12-24T14:33:00.001-05:00

New FREE Wedding Flower Planner Available

2009-11-04T15:35:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest problems facing many brides-to-be is that there was no "easy" way to figure out "how many of what" they need for their wedding.

Well, all of that just changed! Just go to the wedding section our website, http://flowerhut.com/frweflpl.html and DOWNLOAD our FREE Wedding Flower Planner.

OR call us at 800-525-3162 or email us at sales@flowerhut.com.

This useful new document allows the bride to figure out what she needs in the privacy of her own home. It also conains 7 FREE ideas on how to maximize her floral value and eliminate un-needed costs! An added benefit are the SAMPLE weddings that also contain BUDGETARY line-item pricing.

Once the bride has her planning form filled out, and fabric swatches (samples) in hand, she can make an appointment to meet with one of our bridal consultants who will finalize the quotation and fine tune the bride's floral package.

Illegal NC Florists

2009-10-09T13:08:00.000-04:00

Would you buy flowers from someone that you KNEW was doing something illegal?

If you are like most people, the answer is NO!

But that is what is happening RIGHT NOW in North Carolina.

That's because there is a new law on the NC books.This law -- Senate Law 2009-199 -- is designed to protect consumers of perishable goods -- such as flowers -- from deceptive advertising practices. This law became effective October 1, 2009.

Basically, it makes it illegal to misrepresent a business's location such that consumers are led to believe that the business is located in a town where it is not actually located. There are very stiff penalties for violation.

The law may be viewed and printed out at:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions...PDF/S625v3.pdf

On October Second, I wrote the NC Department of Justice regarding several deceptive advertisemnts that I found online. Now its time for others to "chip in."

I urge ALL NC florists and intertested consumers to research their “Yellow” directories as well as doing a search for: “Florist In YOUR CITY”. Accumulate a list and write the NC Department of Justice with this information and a request that the DOJ take action against these Deceptive Advertisers.

The NCDOJ contact information is:

State Of NC
Department of Justice
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Attention: Julie D. Daniel

When you write, please be as specific as possible with regard to the website URL and company name/address.

Bill Miller

Owner

The Flower Hut

Solving The Economy's Problems

2009-09-15T21:10:00.000-04:00

This is from an article in the St. Petersburg Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on

"How Would You Fix the Economy?"

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan.

You can call it the Patriotic Retirement Plan:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR. Forty million cars ordered. - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage. - Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress and their constituents pay their taxes...

Mr. President, while you're at it, make congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

Deceptive "National" Florists

2009-08-20T11:02:00.000-04:00

Have you ever gone online to search for "Florist In Charlotte?' If so, you probably noticed that both ORGANIC (ie natural Search Engine) and PAID results included names that you did not recognize as being local flower shops. In many instances, that's because they are DECEPTIVE "National" Florists.

These folks tailor both their Search Activities AND their Websites to make it APPEAR that they are either IN Charlotte OR have some kind of "special relationship" with selected local florists.

It ain't so!

Here is what REALLY happens. These folks are usually "call centers." Based on some orders we have seen from them, many of their personnel may have never seen a flower before! They put STANDARD (but often re-named) FTD, Teleflora and/or 1-800-FLOWERS bouquets online with prices that INCLUDE a $7 delivery charge. (Most Charlotte florists charge about $10.)

But these online florists DECEPTIVELY do not tell you about the $7.

When you check out -- they add about $15 for "Delivery and Handling." But they don't charge tax (in violation of NC law) so the customer THINKS he's GETTING A BARGAIN.

But is he?

Lets follow the money. Assume a $50 (total) purchase by an unsuspecting customer. The "National" Florist POCKETS the $15 Delivery and Handling charge. That leaves $35. THEN, they put the order on the FTD, Teleflora or 1-800-FLOWERS Wire Service network where it is sent to a REAL Charlotte Florist. But the florist doesn't receive $35. Instead, the "National" florist KEEPS a 20% ($7) SALES COMMISSION and the Wire Service network keeps another 10%($3.50.)

So, the REAL florist ends up with $50-$15-$7-$3.50 = $24.50. After the REAL florist deducts $10 to cover the delivery charge, he ends up with $14.50 to make an arrangement!

But the customer paid $50!

THAT is why consumers are being ROBBED bt these unscrupulously DECEPTIVE "National" florists!

The Police Impressed Me!

2009-07-02T10:56:00.000-04:00

About two weeks ago, we pulled up to the store and found one of the front windows shattered. Obviously, we had experienced a break-in!We were concerned that the intruder might still be inside, so we waited until the police arrived.

With guns at the ready, they entered and declared the premises secure.The burglar had CRAWLED under the motion detectors to the cash box, pried it open, took our petty cash, and crawled back out. What was stolen in cash was FAR LESS than the cost to replace the big plate glass window.

We've experienced break-ins before, and have never had any of the intrusions resolved. So, we were less than excited when the CSI crew (yes, there really is a CSI group in Charlotte) arrived, dusted the box for prints, pulled some blood drops for analysis, and left a half-hour later.

Yesterday, a plain clothes officer arrived with a complaint form for me to sign. He had a big grin on his face. "We caught her," he said.

"Her?" I asked.

He nodded. "We had three other break-ins that night -- all in your area. I thought they might have been done by the same person -- and that person might be out on parole with an ankle bracelet. So I checked the electronic records, and found that one of the bracelets had been near EACH of the four break-ins at about the right time. And that bracelet was issued to a lady parolee with a long history of drug abuse and thefts to support her habit"

"I didn't know that the tracking was so precise," I prompted.

He nodded again. "With this data, at the very least, the lady was in violation of her home-release conditions. So we visited her and explained the evidence that we had obtained -- including the blood whose DNA would certainly link her to the Flower Hut theft. She confessed to all four burglaries, we arrested her, and I suspect that she'll be away for a long time."

I shook his hand. "I AM impressed," I said.

And I still am.

What's The Difference Between Supermarket Flowers and Florist Flowers?

2009-06-08T09:59:00.000-04:00

That's the question asked by the young son of a walk-in customer recently. The gentleman smiled and said, "About 5 days."

THIS was a very astute customer!

But it occurred to me that he might not know WHY "Supermarket Flowers" do not last as long as "Florist Flowers." After all, they all come from pretty much the same place.

The primary difference, I believe, is in what happens AFTER the Supermarket receives the flowers. In pretty much every supermarket that I have seen, their flowers are displayed in open air coolers. Most florists keep their ready-to-sell flowers in enclosed coolers.

This seems like a pretty minor detail. But is it?

In an open air cooler, only the stem ends are cooled. The blooms and foliage are in a brightly lit environmentand and are at at ROOM TEMPERATURE.

It is a well known fact that bright light stimulates flowers to bloom. And, if the blooms and foliage are at room temperature, they will start to "age" as soon as they are put on display.

There may be other factors. One MIGHT be that florists are trained in floral preparation. That means that they are more likely to know the proper steps that are needed in order to properly prepare cut flowers for display.

The TRUTH about "Flowers From $29.99"

2009-05-10T20:41:00.000-04:00

Starting at Valentine's Day and continuing through Easter and Mother's Day, we saw major National FLOWER BROKERS such as FTD, Teleflora and 1-800-FLOWERS advertising "Flowers from $29.99" (or some such.) The fact is that this is a "come on" and a "gimmick."

Here is why.

First, the price they show IS NOT THE PRICE YOU PAY!

ALL these BROKERS add a "service/delivery charge" of around $14. So your "$29.99 flowers end up costing you about 50% MORE -- around $44!

Second, let's look at the numbers. The Flower Brokers INCLUDE about $7 in that $29.99 price for delivery. After the (roughly) 30% BROKER COMMISSION is deducted from the price, that leaves the INDEPENDENT FLORIST (like the Flower Hut) that receives the order and fills and delivers it about $21. (WE don't even get the $7 delivery fee since that is ALSO reduced by 30% to about $5.)

By the way, the $14 "service/delivery" charge is almost NEVER sent to the local florist! Instead, that fee simply adds to the BROKER's PROFIT!

So that leaves about $16 for the INDEPENDENT FLORIST to buy the flowers and container, pay a floral craftsperson to make it -- at a PROFIT.

Many/most PROFESSIONAL florists have a MINIMUM net order size of about $25 to $30 dollars PLUS a DELIVERY FEE of $7 to $12.

So... what type of flower shop is likely to ACCEPT and FILL an order from a Flower Broker for $29.99 GROSS; $21 NET??

Is THIS the kind of shop that you want to TRUST to convey YOUR feelings of love and affection?

Floral Code Of Ethics

2009-04-10T14:57:00.000-04:00

Perhaps one of the problems in the floral industry is that there is no agreement as to what constitutes proper or improper behavior. So, here is my "stab" at a Floral Code Of Ethics.

Comments ARE WELCOME!
*************************************************

FLORAL CODE OF ETHICS

Companies engaged in the sale of Floral Products to consumers assume certain responsibilities toward customers. These responsibilities arise out of the diverse methods of distribution of their products and services, the perishable nature of the products, and the time-sensitivity of their availability. We hereby set forth the basic fair and ethical principles and practices to which member companies will adhere in the conduct of their business.

1. Deceptive or Unlawful Advertising Practices

No member company shall engage in any deceptive, unlawful or unethical consumer practice. Member company companies shall ensure that no statements, promises or testimonials are made which are likely to mislead consumers.

The following are examples of Deceptive Advertising:

·Advertising in a telephone directory, or other similar print media, that services an area different from that of the company’s actual physical location, without disclosing that the company is not physically located in the local area.

·Advertising online using keywords associated with a specific city or location that is different from the company’s physical location, without disclosing that the company is not physically located in that city or location.

·Including the name of a city or location in the business name when the company is not physically located in that city or location.

·If floral products are shipped in a box, utilizing photos or drawings of floral arrangements without advising the customer that the floral products are shipped in a box, are NOT supplied fully arranged, and may be left at the addressee’s location if the recipient is not home.

·Advertising that leads the customer to believe that the products will be shipped from the grower to the customer, when the products will be shipped through an intermediate location.

2. Products or Services

The offer of products or services for sale by member company companies shall be accurate and truthful as to price, grade, quality, value, quantity, and availability.

·A consumer's order for products and services shall be fulfilled in a timely manner. Notwithstanding, the member company should not accept orders with unrealistic delivery dates and times, such as delivery after 4PM, delivery before 9AM and Sunday or National Holiday delivery without first verifying that such a delivery is in fact practical.

·If the price includes delivery, this fact must be prominently displayed along with the dollar value of the delivery.

·The member company shall screen all orders for appropriateness of language. Examples would include obscene or indecent remarks in the card message, inappropriate sentiments in a funeral message, etc.

·The member company shall screen all orders for appropriateness of product content or type. Examples include pink flowers in a baby boy arrangement or funeral piece for a man, a cross going to a Buddhist funeral, gourmet basket with pork products addressed to someone with a traditionally Muslim name, etc.

3. Terms of Sale

Prior to completion of the order, the member company shall communicate to the customer, in language that is clear and free of ambiguity:

·The name and physical address of the member company;

·All the terms and conditions of sale, with specification of the total amount the customer will be required to pay, including itemized service charges and fees, and other costs and expenses;

·If the member company will be using any third party to supply the product, this fact must be communicated in language that is clear and free of ambiguity.

4. Warranties and Guarantees

The terms of any warranty or guarantee offered by the member company shall be furnished to the buyer in language that is clear and free of ambiguity. The member company shall fully and promptly perform in accordance with the terms of all warranties and guarantees offered to consumers.

5. Identification and Privacy

Member companies shall truthfully identify their company and their products in all of their solicitations to prospective customers.

The member company shall take appropriate steps to ensure that customer’s proprietary information, including but not limited to Name, Address, Telephone Number, Email Address, and Payment Information will remain proprietary. This information will not be given, sold or bartered to any third party.

No member company shall in any way attempt to persuade, induce or coerce another party to breach this Code, and the member companies agree that the inducing of the breach of this Code is considered a violation of the Code.

6. Required Publication

All member companies are required to publicize this Code of Ethics to its consumers. The publicity plan shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

·An inclusion on the company’s web site of the Code of Ethics with a step-by-step explanation as to how to file a complaint; and

·A copy of the Code of Ethics prominently displayed within their shop

*****************

All the best!

Bill

Flowers Are Useless

2009-03-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

You can’t live in a flower. You cannot hop into a flower and take the kids to school. You can’t – with certain exceptions – EAT a flower. And, unless you happen to be Polynesian, you cannot WEAR a flower.

But for as long as we human beings have been what we laughingly call “civilized,” flowers have been a part of our lives.

Consider the paintings on the walls of an Egyptian tomb. They often depict both Pharoahs and Common Folk smelling lotus blossoms. Look at the inventory of grave goods from an archaeological dig and, chances are, you’ll find “Remnants Of Flowers” listed along with the necklaces, and axe heads and sandals. The little Inca Children that were brutally sacrificed on a mountaintop in the Andes a thousand years ago had flowers tucked into their woolen clothing.

And flowers maintain their place in today’s diverse “modern” society.

Can anyone ever forget the throngs of mourners lining the streets of London, tossing flower bouquets as Diana’s hearse carried her to her last resting place?

Consider the joyous look on the face of a beauty pageant winner, as she receives the celebratory bouquet of roses? Would it be the same with a necklace of iPods?

What about the guy on his first date that shyly hands his friend an inexpensive pink carnation? Would anyone suggest that he should have given her a One Dollar Bill instead?

What, then, is so remarkable about flowers? Why were they an integral part of all ancient societies? And why do they remain a part of the high-tech, fast-paced lives of today?

Simply put, flowers help us deal with situations that we do not understand, and all-too-often cannot control. And they do it in a way that no other item, whether made by God or by man, ever could… or ever will.

And maybe that’s not so useless, after all!

ProFlowers: Bargain or Rip Off?

2009-03-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to Florist Detective regarding ProFlowers.

It kinda says it all!

http://www.floristdetective.com/wst_page15.aspx

How We Do Valentine's Day

2009-03-08T21:39:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I chat with executives in other industries. When I do, I often pose the following challenge: "You know, 12 months in advance, that in a three day period, your sales will increase by over 100 times. You have no limitations other than profitability in planning for this sales increase. You can hire anybody you wish. Because your products are perishable, you cannot build any products ahead of time, and put them in inventory. At least 50% of the products that you offer for sale have no sales history. You must supply all your customers during this three day period with products and services that meet or exceed your company's normal quality standards. Could you do it?"

Most executives think about this for a bit and slowly shake their heads, "NO."

But that's what we do at The Flower Hut EVERY VALENTINE'S WEEK!

So I thought it might be interesting to tell you a bit about how this all happens.

First, after every Valentine's Day, we do a "post mortem" analysis. We document everything that we did, haw we did it, and how it worked. We pay particular attention to things that we did RIGHT (so we can do those again) as well as what we did WRONG (so we can figure out what we did wrong and decide how to fix it.)

Starting just after Christmas, we do a forecast of expected sales volume. We rely on data from previous years (we have a 20 year data base to draw from.) Usually, Wednesday and Thursday Valentines are the most active. Friday, surprisingly is not all that active. (Why? Friday is also "date night" and many frugal guys opt for a fancy dinner(only) rather than dinner AND flowers.

Based on this sales forecast -- fine tuned by our sense of how the economy is going -- in early January we enter our orders with our grower-direct suppliers. We schedule the orders for air freight delivery starting about six days before Valentine's Day. Fragile flowers (like roses and lilies) get delivered later. Robust flowers like carnations and mums arrive earlier.

We reserve a 45 foot refrigerated trailer to be delivered about a week before Valentine's Day. Also, we start recruiting contract drivers to help us handle the delivery overload. Usually, about 30% to 50% of our contract drivers are returnees from previous years. The rest are "rookies." As each new driver is recruited, he/she is assigned a start time for the 13th and the 14th. We also recruit a dispatcher whose function is to make sure that every driver has an optimum quantity of products, that every order is complete, that all products are in perfect condition, and that each driver has flower carriers, a map, delivery instructions and other delivery aids.

We also recruit additional staff. We seldom bring in temporary designers (it is VERY difficult to find designers that meet our standards.) However, we usually have openings for computer order entry personnel, telephone personnel, and general shop work.

In mid-January, our Valentine's website goes "up." Soon, we start to see Valentine's orders appearing. We track these very carefully as they help us "fine tune" our sales (and raw materials) ordering projections.

We categorize our products as being for either "standard" or "custom." A standard product is one that we make on a "production line." Examples would include a DZ RED roses in a vase (ALWAYS a best seller) and featured FTD and Teleflora Valentine's designs. Custom products are anything other than standard. Examples might include a vase of stargazer lilies, 11 red and 1 white roses, etc.

As orders come in, we check them for completeness and accuracy. We do not accept orders with time limits during Feb 13 or 14. We also do not accept orders containing multiple balloons -- this is a potential safety hazard!

Meanwhile, the refrigerated trailer is filled with tables to hold our products. We set aside specific areas for "standard" products. We also set aside areas for the 13th and 14th where "custom" products are placed alphabetically.

Starting a day or two before the delivery date, we start grouping orders geographically. We do this so that a driver will not have to go from one side of the city to the other in order to complete a delivery load. Instead, we try to group orders together so that -- as much as is possible -- all the orders on a load will be in the same general geographic area.

Starting in the afternoon before the 13th, the dispatcher and assistant(s) begin staging orders. They do this by taking a geographic group, putting cards on all the products, and putting them in the same area of the trailer. This often continues until late in the PM.

The next morning, the dispatcher and assistants arrive at about 7 AM. We load the Flower Hut driver's vehicles first so that when the drivers arrive at 8 AM, they are ready to go. At that time, we print a delivery log from our computer.

Contract drivers arrive at 9AM and continue to arrive at 15 minute intervals. Each driver receives flower carriers and his load of flowers, and a printed log.

The above is complicated by last-minute orders and last minute changes.

As each driver completes his run, he turns in the log, reports on any delivery issues, and is issued another load of flowers.

A comprehensive set of instructions guides the drivers and dispatcher in the event of a mis-delivery. The most common causes for a mis-delivery are: incorrect address and nobody home (and no practical place to leave the flowers.)

Starting late afternoon on the 13th, and continuing until fairly late that evening, we repeat the staging process. The next morning, the process repeats.

How well does it work?

This year, we had just ONE mis-delivery, and that was dealt with by the close of day.

OK just 11 months until NEXT Valentine's Day!

Phony Florists

2008-10-27T08:31:00.001-04:00

A "Phony Florist" is one that advertises that it is a REAL FLORIST when it is, in fact, a Floral Marketer. Floral Marketers include delivery charges in their prices (without saying so.) Then they add hefty "Handling/Service/Delivery" charges that the consumer THINKS are legitimate delivery fees. Those fees -- averaging between $10 and $15 -- are KEPT by the Phony Florist. The Phony Florist ALSO keeps at least 20% and as much as 30% of the consumer's purchase. Then they pass the now-heavily-discounted order to a REAL florist in the local community for fulfillment.

BUT, most Phony Florists do not charge sales tax, so the consumer thinks he's getting a bargain!

Both of the above practices are ILLEGAL under North Carolina law. Many other states have similar rules.

Don't be fooled. ASK the "florist" where their physical location is BEFORE YOU BUY.

Caveat AT&T Advertiser

2008-09-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

Those that have been reading this BLOG are aware that North Carolina law (Session Law 2007-545) now PROHIBITS "Phony Florists" from using "Yellow" pages directory advertising IF their physical location is not within the geographical area served by the directory AND if they do not disclose their actual physical location in the ad.

In March of this year I advised ATT that I would NOT renew my Yellow Pages ad unless they agreed that the next book would be published in accordance with NC Law. After a great deal of discussion, on July 15, the local rep called on us. He stated that he was authorized by his Vice President to commit that ATT's next local book will be in compliance with NC State Law.

On that basis, I committed to almost $15,000 worth of advertising.

On August 29, I received the local Yellow Pages book. Under florists there were THREE Phony Florists: FTD, bloomstoday and Traditions. FTD's ad shows their physical location: Downers Grove, IL. The other two DO NOT SHOW THEIR PHYSICAL LOCATION.

I spoke with the ATT rep who re-iterated that he was acting on the instructions of his VP. The VP -- as of this date -- has not returned my phone calls.

It appears that ATT values new business more than it values either ethical behavior or compliance with the law!

20th Anniversary!

2008-06-18T09:19:00.000-04:00

Well!

Time DOES fly when you're having fun.

May 28th was Flower Hut's 20th Anniversary. And what a great 20 years it has been!

When we started our business in 1988, we took over an existing Greenhouse that sold House Plants -- and a few fresh flowers. After a year, we noticed that although 80% of the square footage was devoted to green plants, they accounted for just 20% of our revenue. And most of the remaining 20% was FLOWERS!

So, we searched for a location that would be easy for our customers to find, would be much more energy efficient (did you ever try to cool a greenhouse?) and would be more "flower friendly." We selected a location on Independence Boulevard, the most heavily traveled street in Charlotte. Over the years, the property had been used as a hardware store, a carpet store and even a "honky-tonk" bar.

We dismantled several walls so our customers would be able to move freely from area to area. Next, we constructed a walk-in cooler larger than most folk's kitchens. Finally, out came a chainsaw to enlarge one of the entry doors so our three-door reach-in cooler would fit!

The rest, as they say, is history. Since those early years, the Flower Hut has grown to become one of the largest florists in the Charlotte Area. We have received numerous awards over the years, but the one we are most proud of comes from you, our customers. According to Yahoo!, we are one of the highest ranked florists IN THE NATION for customer satisfaction, and are Charlott'e only 4+ star florist!

Thanks to all our customers for their loyalty and patronage. And thanks also to our suppliers for providing the high-quality raw materials. And a special thanks to our employees for their loyalty, expertise and hard work!

We couldn't have done it without you!

Chamber Of Commerce Trade Show

2008-04-09T10:43:00.000-04:00

We had some real fun last week!

At the invitation of the Charlotte Chamber Of Commerce, we set up a booth (see photo) at Business Showcase 2008. This was held April 2 at Liberty Hall in the Charlotte Merchandise Mart and attracted some 1,500 busimess leaders from the greater Charlotte area.

This was a great opportunity for us to meet representatives from some of the top companies in the area. Without exception, everyone that stopped by our boot was astounded to learn that when they place an order (usually online) with a Phony Florist that some 40% to 50% of THEIR MONEY gets eaten up in fees and commissions!

I had HOPED to be able to take a picture of the booth "live" during the show, but we were so busy with customers that I didn't get the chance! But this modest little booth was filled from start to finish.

2008-03-28T14:01:00.000-04:00

FLOWERS: The Perfect Gift

Businesses and organizations are often faced with a set of all-too-human challenges. What should they do when life-altering events happen to an employee or a business associate? And how do they say “thank you” for extraordinary performance?
These are questions that have interpersonal, ethical and legal overtones. In many instances, a “Hallmark” card may be inadequate. But high value gifts may be inappropriate, considered as “compensation,” or might even be construed as “bribes.”

But even the most cynical of auditors is hard-pressed to put floral gifts in such unacceptable categories. Floral gifts are always appropriate, easy to buy, and surprisingly economical – if you know where to buy them!

Choosing The Right Florist

Would you buy a laser printer if you knew that 44% of the purchase price went to FEES & COMMISSIONS?

Of course not!

Then why would you buy flowers that way?

The shocking fact is that, with a “National Florist,” almost half your purchase price goes to “handling charges,” commissions and “network relay fees!” To make matters worse, they then take your order and send it to a hometown florist for crafting and delivery. YOU could do that!!

LOCAL is always better!

Think of the benefits. You always get full value for your money. You keep ALL the money in the local economy. And you support local businesses the same way that you would like local businesses to support you!

What to look for

Experience. Did you know that there are many local florists – such as the Flower Hut – that have been in business under the same ownership and management LONGER THAN any of the National Florists?

Quality. The Flower Hut buys its flowers direct from the grower. This provides all our customers with fresher flowers that last longer. Yahoo! Ranks the Flower Hut at 4 ½ STARS. We are Charlotte’s ONLY 4 ½ Star Florist! In contrast, none of the National Florist has better than a 2 Star rating!

Price: All National Florists, like FTD and Teleflora (TF) feature beautiful floral arrangements on their websites. As FTD and TF members, we feature many of those items on our website also. BUT while the National Florists are “stuck with” National Pricing, we use our grower-direct purchasing power to dramatically lower our costs. This means that when you order from our website for local delivery, we DISCOUNT “their” National Pricing by 20%!

That’s right. You can buy “their” Nationally Advertised Products for 20% off their Nationally Advertised prices. And, unlike the National Florists, with the Flower Hut there are NO HANDLING CHARGES and NO NETWORK RELAY FEES!

Service: The Flower Hut is open for business 6 days a week. We answer the phone 24 hours a day – 365 days a year. And we have a full-service website, www.flowerhut.com where you can buy at any time, pay via charge card or put the purchase on your HOUSE ACCOUNT (OAC). And of course, you always receive email and/or hard copy confirmation on all your orders.

THE SIMPLE CHOICE

So, for all your floral needs, your best option is to BUY LOCAL. And your best local choice is:

The Flower Hut

Rush Limbaugh & 1-800-FLOWERS & ProFlowers

2008-03-21T18:10:00.000-04:00

Dittos, Rush...

Did you look into these folks?

If you had done so, you would have learned that 44% of a 1-800 FLOWERS order goes to FEES and COMMISSIONS. Please see the preceding blog for details.

And you would have learned that Proflowers products are shipped in non-climate-controlled vehicles so they often arrive "cooked" or frozen. See this humorous video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNYGZHPKQgs

These are examples. Yahoo! Shopping ranks 1-800-FLOWERS at 1 1/2 stars (out of 5) Google has them at 2 1/2 stars. Proflowers does better at 3 1/2 stars -- about average for the web.

Why do I care?

In 1988 (sound familiar?) my wife and I launched our Charlotte, NC, flower shop, The Flower Hut. But NATIONAL marketeers -- like 1-800-FLOWERS, FTD and Teleflora -- have captured large segments of the local flower market using techniques that are at best unethical and at worst are illegal : http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2007/Bills...ML/S514v5.html

The result is that the number of flower shops in NC -- small businesses all -- has declined from 800 to 600 in the last 10 years.

I'm sure you have an advertising contract that you cannot break. But please, Rush, look MUCH closer into the businesses you endorse. Your listeners deserve it!

After all, do you REALLY want to promote companies whose users rate them as AVERAGE or WAY BELOW AVERAGE?

I don't think so, or you would have named your network MIB: Mediocrity In Broadcasting!

Your Best Floral Value

2008-03-20T12:07:00.000-04:00

America’s flower buying public – including corporate America – is beset with an entirely new problem. It is most obvious at major holidays, but is present at all times. The problem is high prices and marginal quality.

To illustrate the severity of this problem here are actual customer satisfaction scores on a number of nationally known florists. Scoring is by Yahoo! Shopping as of 10/08/2007:

1-800-Flowers: 1 ½ Stars
Teleflora (TF): 2 Stars
FTD: 2 Stars
Proflowers: 3 ½ Stars

(As a point of reference, The Flower Hut is rated at 4 ½ Stars and this is one of a handful of florists in the nation with a rating between 4 and 5 Stars.)

Why such TERRIBLE scores? Well, in a typical scenario, a customer goes online and searches for “flowers.” He notices that several vendors’ names keep appearing on all of his searches. Reassured by the presence of an apparent plethora of “national florists,” he confidently places his order.

But, when he sees the flowers, he is often in for a huge surprise. Sometimes the product looks skimpy when compared to the beautiful online picture. Commonly, one or more of the featured flower varieties are missing.

To make matters worse, the shocking fact is that when a customer orders online, some 44% of his purchase price goes to fees and commissions. Only 56 cents out of every dollar goes to flowers and delivery!

Why is this happening? Much more importantly, what can we do about it?

First, we must recognize that there “Ain’t” No Such Thing As A “National Florist” In contrast with virtually all other retail segments, there is no “McFlowers.” This is not for lack of trying.

Just a few years ago, some of the founders of Blockbuster Video attempted a national floral operation under the name, Gerald Stevens. It failed. But nationally advertised “florists” are abundant. Among those are FTD, Teleflora, Just Flowers, Blooms Today, 1-800-Flowers and a host of others.

For a more complete list, go online and search for “flowers” or “florists.”

With the exception of a handful of “grower direct” flower outlets, whose characteristics we will explore later, “national florists” fall into two categories. These are, “Network Administrators” and “Order Gatherers.”

In the US, there are two main Network Administrators, FTD and Teleflora and a smaller operation called Bloom Net driven by 1-800-FLOWERS. FTD and Teleflora started as membership-only communications networks. These networks were established so that independent flower shops around the country could assist their local customers in sending flowers to other cities, states and even overseas. Some twenty or thirty years ago, FTD began accepting orders directly.

After years of declaiming that they would not compete with their own customers, Teleflora changed their operating philosophy and also began accepting orders directly from customers. Bloom Net has always been an outlet for 1-800-FLOWERS

“Order Gatherers” aka "Phony Florists" are business entities that usually, but not always, have at least one actual flower shop. However, their physical flower shop(s) are usually physically separate from their telemarketing/web marketing operations. Their operations closely resemble “call centers” wherein the operators may have little, if any practical floral experience.

In addition, FTD has a member category called “Sending Only Florist.” Entities in this category have no floral capability at all!

One way to quickly identify these Phony Florists is to search their website to determine where they are located. Most, if not all Order Gatherer websites, DO NOT REVEAL TO THE CUSTOMER WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED!

Another “hint” is that their web sites are usually “loaded” with a vast array of products – usually with no regard for seasons of the year, regional availability or suitability for the intended purpose.

In most locations, their order handling process is highly automated. In an extreme case, a customer’s order may go directly from the website into their order processing software. Once the customer’s credit card is charged, a florist in the town where the order is to be delivered is picked from their database, and the computerized order is electronically sent directly to the receiving florist. This REAL FLORIST makes the product and delivers it. This process means that there often is no human intervention in the ordering process.

What’s the result? Mis-spelled card messages, orders going to the wrong city, orders for Valentines bouquets in December, and orders for spring tulips in August! In these Phony Florists, the primary focus is order processing. Occasionally (and often late in the day when other florists have refused the order) these Phony Florists will make personal calls to local florists in a now-desperate attempt to find someone to fill an order.

A typical order through a “national florist” consists of two main elements:

1. The product(s) – each with a price that includes about $7 for delivery.
2. A handling charge – typically around $10 to $12

In addition, some “Phony Florists” charge extra for “same day” delivery and for Saturday delivery, even though REAL FLORISTS never charge for these “extras!”

Two things should be immediately obvious. First, if delivery is included in the price, then a customer that orders more than one item going to the same location will pay a double charge (or more!) for delivery. Examples might include multiple sympathy arrangements going to the same funeral, a flower arrangement and a balloon bouquet for a favorite “birthday girl,” or multiple arrangements destined for the Administrative Assistants in a department.

Second, if the delivery is going to a local address, why should the local customer pay an extra $10 or more so that a flower order can be sent to the sender’s own town?

But the story does not end here. Let's look at a floral order for about $45. Neglecting tax, here's where the money goes:

Purchaser pays: $45
Handling Charge: ($10.50)
20% Commission to Sending Florist: ($6.90)
7% Network Commission: ($2.42)
Amount Provided to local florist: $25.18

In other words, about 44% of the purchaser’s money goes to FEES and COMMISSIONS!

Obviously, as the customer's purchase gets larger, the effect of the handling charge becomes a smaller percentage, but it still represents $10 or more that NEVER GOT INTO THE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT! Is it any wonder why customer satisfaction is at an all-time LOW?

In addition to the “National Florists” that we discussed above, there is one other floral source that has risen to prominence. This floral source calls itself “Grower Direct.”

The idea is attractive. Why not bypass all the middlemen and buy directly from the growers? This would be sort of like shopping for produce in a Farmers Market, rather than in a local supermarket.

But the term “Grower Direct” has more “hype” than reality associated with it. This is because most flowers – especially roses – are grown in the South American countries of Colombia and Ecuador and are shipped in bulk to the United States. Given our current geo-political situation, there is no way that flowers from these locations can be shipped directly from those countries to the consumer.

Instead, the flowers are packed in cardboard boxes called “grower packs” and sent to Floral Importers in major ports of entry. The primary entry point for the Eastern half of the nation is Miami, FL. After clearing customs and TSA, they end up in large refrigerated warehouses. They may stay in these warehouses for a few days or as long as a week or more.

Grower packs are not suitable for distribution “as is” to the general public. (A typical grower pack might consist of 10 bunches roses, or 24 bunches of daisies, or 100 stems of Gerber daisies. ) Instead, for "Grower Direct" shipments, the supplier will open appropriate grower pack boxes and use their contents assemble flower bouquets. Finally, the finished bouquets are placed into domestic shipping boxes and sent to their destination.

Clearly, this process is not “grower direct.” But it does reduce consumer costs and can provide fresher flowers to the consumer.

But there are some caveats. UPS and FEDEX -- the primary carriers of these bouquets – do not have refrigerated aircraft or trucks. And non-refrigerated flowers can spoil very quickly. Also – and contrary to the pictures found on many “grower direct” websites - the flowers come un-arranged. This may be OK if the recipient has floral design abilities. It is not so good for hospital gifts, and is useless for funerals.

So, how can someone get his or her Best Floral Value? Like many things in life, the answer is both simple and complex. The simple answer is, DO NOT USE A “FLORIST” THAT IS NOT LOCAL TO THE RECIPIENT! This is true whether you are sending flowers locally or out of the area.

How do you find a florist? The old, “reliable” technique of asking a friend may not be reliable when applied to flowers. Why? The average person buys flowers just 1.7 times per year. It can take years to establish a "track record" with a floral supplier.

Another tried and true method is to look in the Yellow Pages. But, on paper, all florists look the same. Beware of florists that do not list their physical location! These are likely to be Phony Florists posing as REAL LOCAL FLORISTS!

Before you buy, check out the local florist’s website. If the florist does not have one, they may be too new – or poorly run! Beware of websites sponsored by FTD and Teleflora. These sites generally are just “mirrors” for the main websites, the prices are generally set by the wire services; and those prices are usually quite high!

Locally generated florist websites will often contain local “specials.” These may include cash-and-carry items or locally available designs. The Flower Hut, for example, offers a 20% discount off the nationally advertised wire service prices if the products are for local delivery.

There is one other factor to be aware of: Most florists purchase their flowers from a local floral distributor (also known as a “middleman”). Floral distributors buy their “grower pack” flowers from the same basic sources as the “Grower Direct” suppliers. They are shipped to their local area where the products are cut, hydrated and kept in readiness for local retail florists.

Just a note of caution is appropriate here. Sometimes the local distributor may keep its inventories just a little bit longer than they should. The result, of course, is a floral product that won’t last very long when put into a floral arrangement.This may help explain why the first purchase from a florist may have super fresh, and a subsequent purchase may have contained wilted flowers.

About five percent of the retail florists in the USA have made a business decision to “buy direct” from the floral importers – like the local floral distributors do. The result – for the customer – is a floral product that is fresher and longer lasting than if the florist had bought similar flowers from a wholesaler.

The Flower Hut, for example, has been “buying direct” since 1990, and attributes much of its positive reputation to being able to consistently supply fresh products to its customers.

How do you find out if a florist “buys direct” or through a wholesaler? Ask them.

What about finding a florist in another city or state? This is where the Internet can be truly useful! There are several website directories that only accept listings from florists that are actually in (or immediately adjacent to) the city that you are searching for. Here are a few that have been around for quite a while and are generally trustworthy:

www.flowershopnetwork.com
www.localflowershop.com
www.locateaflowershop.com
www.ilocalflorist.com/

In most instances, these directories will lead you to someone that is reliable and provides good value. If all else fails, contact your local florist. Your local florist will usually charge you a “handling” fee (although usually not $10 dollars!) and will receive a commission on the sale. But you will at least know that some of your hard-earned dollars will stay in the local economy!