Sandra Maarsen chooses strong words: the betrayal of the basic idea of it, what is Fleurop do currently, says Maarsen, the managing Director of the Bern flower shop. This basic idea, the Florist Max Hübner from the beginning of the 20th century. Century. The Berlin at that time was a Partner, to be able to flower bouquets across the country to distribute. In 1908, he founded the predecessor organization of Fleurop flowers donations mediation.
It has become over the years a global company in 150 countries, operates, and over 50,000 partner florists belong to. Revenue generated Fleurop with commissions for orders placed.
penetrates But in Switzerland the company is now in a new Segment and sold yourself flowers – much to the Annoyance of partner florists. In January, Fleurop has its own Online flower shop launched with the name Fleurop Home. On these customers can be the same as for the established Portal Fleurop.ch – flowers and gifts such as wines, Teddy bears and chocolates to order. The difference with Fleurop.ch: The job does not end up at one of the approximately 400 Swiss partner transactions, but is handled by Fleurop for yourself.
“It is not the first Time that Fleurop pushes the partner florists in front of the head,” says Maarsen. In 2011, the Floral shipper, have opened shop in Uster, a own flower. And even then, the Partner with the action were not in agreement. Fleurop but I protested, the Store was more of a test lab than a business, and it will stay with this one. And now the Offensive comes on the Internet.
The new offer have excited the minds, says Paul Fleischli, florist in Zurich and President of the Swiss florist Association. The result of the however, primary to the fact that Interflora had not informed the industry at the beginning on the new platform. Then last week – two weeks after the Start – Fleurop informed the partners and assured them that Fleurop Home is no competition to the existing System, but rather a Supplement. So the platform was not built as a gift shop, but for customers who ordered for their own use. If so implemented, would have the Association do not mind and support the idea, says Fleischli.
in Addition, Fleurop has promised to sell through the new platform not tied bouquets and floral Arrangements. Mostly products from the areas of Lifestyle, decoration and enjoyment, would be offered there, Fleurop-in-chief Jörg Beer. “Flowers play a subordinate role.”
Significantly lower prices
Nevertheless, the indications are that Fleurop Home of the veteran platform will make the orders in dispute. Fleurop offers in the new Webshop, in some cases significantly lower prices. For example, a bouquet with 15 white tulips on Fleurop.ch including fees 64.80 Swiss francs. On Fleurop Home, however, a bouquet with 15 white tulips, including shipping costs just 28.80 Swiss francs.
Up to the media inquiry by this newspaper, the gifts at Fleurop Home were sold with a price discount: The wine bottle of Ripasso cost, for example, at the beginning of the week at Fleurop 29.90, at Fleurop Home only 24.90 CHF. In the meantime, Fleurop prices adjusted because of the different prices are received by the partner shops on a lack of understanding, says Beer.
The Fleurop-in-chief wants to smooth things over and says The new Portal was designed as a marketplace, the stand will also be open to the partner florists. In the future, the flower shops have the option to provide selected products on Fleurop Home and new sales channels to tap into. Whether that will placate the minds remains to be seen. The first excitement had subsided a little, says the florist, the President of Fleischli.
The actual Start of Fleurop Home is, because in the coming weeks and months, the new Webshop, which currently runs only on low flame is expanded, step-by-step. The development should go in a different direction than the one now promised, will be the Association immediately at Fleurop representations, says Fleischli.
In the industry is aware of how large the market power of Fleurop. The industry was “very grateful” to have with Fleurop a strong Partner in the back. Annually, the specialist trade to get over the Flower-senders around 300’000 customer orders. Also the Bern florist Sandra Maarsen refers to the important partnership with Fleurop. An exit is therefore not an issue – at least for the Moment.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 13.02.2019, 21:04 Uhr
