 ww.flowers.com
1-800-Flowers.com, (NASDAQ: FLWS),
is a major floral and gift, retailer and distribution company, in the
United States. It was one of the first retailers to use a 24 x 7
toll-free telephone number and online media and the Internet for direct
sales to consumers. The company specializes in retail sales of flowers
and gift items within the United States.
The concept of using 1-800-Flowers
as a mnemonic phone number originally started with Carl Westcott, who
later sold his business to Jim Poage and John Davis in 1982. Their
failed business, along with the rights to the toll-free number, were
acquired in 1986 by Jim McCann, an owner of several flower shops in the
New York City area since 1976.
In the early 1990s, two events helped to catapult 1-800-Flowers into
national prominence. First, AT&T created an advertising campaign
featuring 1-800-Flowers which was so successful that it was aired
repeatedly during the 1992 Summer Olympics. Second, during the first
Persian Gulf War, many advertisers were pulling out of CNN (then a
fledgling enterprise when the concept of cable news was new),
unbeknownst to them that CNN's coverage would eventually draw enormous
ratings. 1-800-Flowers agreed to remain as an advertiser at owner Ted
Turner's request.
The company was among the first retailers to partner with online
pioneers CompuServe and AOL in 1992 and 1994, respectively. In April
1995, the company was one of the first retailers to establish its own
Internet presence. In 1999, the company went public on the Nasdaq stock
exchange under the ticker symbol FLWS. It was then that the company
officially changed its trademarked name to 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, to match
its Web site URL.
The company fulfils its orders in two ways: through a network of
florists, and through drop shipment of flowers and gift items.
In subsequent years, the company has
merged or acquired a number of other gift and retailing
companies. It also established a business-to-business division, called
BloomNet, a network of florists. In September 2007 the company announced
a strategic partnership with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to produce
a line of floral products inspired by Martha Stewart.
The company is headquartered in Carle Place, New York, on Long Island.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.,
together with its subsidiaries, operates as a gift retailer in the
United States. The company provides a range of products, including
fresh-cut flowers, floral arrangements and plants, gifts, popcorn,
gourmet foods, cookies, candy and wine, home and garden merchandise, and
unique toys and games for children.
Source: Wikipedia |