Florist News

Anyone know what taking over an existing interflora membership entails - I know since incorparation they don't hold on to a cash deposit - but is there a joing fee and if so anyone know how much it is?


Thanks guys

Hi Sappy
I was going to move this to the relay section, which is private, but if I do you won't be able to access it.
Keep posting and I'll be able to post all the exact figures for you.

If you are taking over a shop that had IF membership you will have to re-apply.
The membership belongs to the proprietor not the shop. You fill in an application form and pay a fee. You will then be required to attend the new members course (expensive + 2 days away+ mandatory). You will be visited by the floristry consultant who will require you to make some products which will be assessed. Your shop will also be assessed and they may require you to do some repairs before granting membership. You must also buy an illuminated branded sign. If they offer you membership you will be required to purchase all the mandatory sundry items ........ plus branded just about every things! I will elaborate more on this in the private forum sections later if you like.

If you are the only member in your location you will probably get temporary full (receiving) status immediately but you will still have to attend the course and go through the assessment, even if you worked at the shop before.
If you are not the only member in your location they may grant you sending only for a period. Either way you will immediately have to pay your subs and your monthly charge for computer network access.

There's loads more stuff that it would be useful for you to know ...... just ask ...... it's my specialist subject

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Your Colchester Florist for Flowers in Colchester

she is right she is treen you have just made me picture you in the mastermind chair - specialist subject - interflora relay service

Thanks - i wish i was an expert in accounts - I should be I've done enough over the years, but accountants are from another planet. I'm pooring over the acocunt for the prospective business - one second I'm positive, the next I'm not. The shop is the only IF in the town, but it is overlapped by others. There is so much to think about and budget for...is it worth it... i think i'm going mad (friends would say I went mad years ago)! bu what do they know!!!!

I also have some breakdowns/speedsheets and analysis charts that make the profit margins costs and possible returns on your relay business really easy to understand. They don't cover all the possible scenarios but give you a really good base to work from. Send me your email address and I'll let you have them.

You're right ........ most of us have little or no skills to deal with this sort of stuff and you do have to be from another planet to understand it all ..... who wants to worry about this tosh.... we want to make beautiful things and keep our customers loving what we do so they'll come back for more! Right? Unfortunately being in any business today means you have to "know about the numbers" these ones are wearing a disguise and can be really hard to fathom out what they boil down to. I'm happy to help if I can ....... like I say, just ask.

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Your Colchester Florist for Flowers in Colchester

Hi Sappy,im assuming you are purchasing this shop(hope thats correct),have you already paid a "premium" on top of shops real value,for the interflora portion of the business(once upon a time(pre incorporation) owners where not allowed to place a value on the interflora side of their business...as it could not automatically be assumed interflora would grant new owner membership) this led to a whole lot of shuffling and shennanagins from owners and prospective buyers to skirt round this, to keep uninterrupted interflora business.
At incorporation interflora said(as a sweetener)this will be good for members as now you will be able to sell on "your" shops,and attatch an actual monetary value to the interflora side of your business!!!!
So assuming all of the above now stands the previous owner may well have attatched a "premium"(of which they are now entitled to do)to the sale price of shop/business, if you've paid for interflora business in the deal/price...you may wish to carry it on!!!!then.......you've then got all the hoops and hurdles Treen lists to jump through,and then some.

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seldom rong!!!!

Hello Sappy

I bought a shop with existing IF membership a couple of years ago. All pretty much as treen explained. Although I didn't have to make up any test pieces, I assume because the original staff were staying on and I am qualified as well.

We didn't have a break at all, I took over the shop and IF carried on as usual, they didn't send me on the new members course straight away, it was a couple of months later, by which time I felt it was a bit pointless, as I had shadowed the previous owner for a month before taking over the shop as well.

The membership application form/essay is about 20 pages, if you phone IF and explain you might be taking over a shop they will be able to answer all your questions about fees etc, I can't remember exactly what I paid at the time.

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Sarah Creating Bespoke Wedding Flowers Cheshire

Thanks SOSA, OBowl and Treen. You've been a greast help. I'm seeing my acocuntant tomorrow and will phone IF for details before putting in an offer. Treen I would love your spreadsheets - what is the forum etiquette for giving you my email address I'm very new to this, and don't want my existing employers to know I'm thinking of leaving them.

Sappy

When you've posted enough you will be able to send and receive private messages. In the meantime you can contact me directly through my website email (click the link at the bottom of my posts). You can't be too far from me ....... you don't have to say who you are ....... any old email address you have access to will do.

I will try to let you have the sheets asap so you can chat to you're accountant about them.

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Your Colchester Florist for Flowers in Colchester

Just had my offer om shop accepted....here goes....