Florist Fighting With FTD

Florist owner Bruce Blecher has had it.
For years, he's been a member of the FTD family. The membership cost of $149. a month, seemed worth it. According to FTD this gave him "access to a range of benefits including the FTD brand, the internationally-recognized iconic trademark, advertising, technology, floral designs, containers, hosted websites and exclusive access to FTD's florist website."
When FTD gets an order for flowers to be delivered to a certain address, a florist in the same zipdode as the address, is called on to fill the order. If you are a 'member florist' in good standing, you will most likely be called on to fill that order.
FTD is happy, the customer is happy, the member florist is happy.
In this case the member florist is not so happy.
Blecher, who owns and operates Citybuds Inc, a florist shop in Rego Park's 11374 area code, says he rarely, if ever gets the orders for his zip code.
In fact, Bruce Blecher says it's only because his friend's are looking out for him, that he gets any orders at all. Sometimes a florist friend of his in Manhattan! gets the orders for the Rego Park zipcode!
"I'm being stolen from!," says Blecher.
"Who is stealing from you, Bruce?," Howard asked.
"FTD itself," said Blecher. Apparently orders are coming into my neighborhood that are drifting out to other people outside my neighborhood, that don't even service this area."
"And they should be going to you?," Howard asked.
"Correct."
So we called FTD. We got President Rob Apatoff on the phone.
This is what he had to say.

"At FTD, our network of member florists is the life blood of our business. We are fully committed to their success and go to great lengths to help them in the operation and growth of their business. That being said, membership in FTD is entirely voluntary and can be cancelled by a florist in accordance with our membership rules. While FTD membership gives florists access to a range of benefits...it does not guarantee that a florist will receive any specific amount of orders.

"Orders that are received by FTD from our customers are assigned equitably and according to long-standing criteria. This criteria takes into account several factors including whether or not the florist has the correct floral product and containers on hand to properly fill the order to our customer’s expectations, the florist’s coverage area, and the florist’s reject rates.

"Any FTD florist can sign up to fill orders to multiple geographic areas as long as that florist can properly service those areas to FTD quality and service standards.

"Our senior management team, including myself, has spoken to this member on numerous occasions to address his concerns and has given him the guidance, tools and information he needs to make the most of his FTD membership. Whether or not he does so, ultimately, is up to him."
Bruce Blecher is undeterred. He says he is committed to getting the word out about how he's been treated by FTD.
"Howard telling my story probably won't help me. It might even hurt me. But I want this story told because it might just help the next guy. It's little guy's like us, who need to know the truth. I don't want anyone else to be victimized like I have."

Produced by Noreen Lark