March 2006
It’s All Fun And Games By Meghan Boyer

Children may be small, but they can be quite powerful — especially in the retail sector. The heft of their allowances and the pressure to purchase they exert on parents and caregivers makes the children’s market a lucrative business for retailers. In 2005, Women’s Wear Daily reported that kids spend approximately $260 million a year. Of that, $10-11 million comes from their allowance and gift money.

Carrying products geared toward children not only can bring a chunk of that total into your garden center but can please families who shop with children. This also creates an opportunity — if you carry child-sized gardening sets and toys — for younger generations to fall in love with gardening, thus creating life-long customers.

The youth market is broad; clothes, books, gadgets and toys are all encompassed within it, and each category is a moneymaker itself. Toys alone bring in billions of dollars each year. Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that the toy industry sold $21.3 billion worth of toys in 2005.

Though this is an impressive figure, it’s important to consider that kids have more toys today than previous generations and there are lots of toys out there for sale, which is why creating a niche for your store by carrying products with a specific theme such as garden and nature may work well. Obviously, garden products fit well in garden centers — kids get to have the same sorts of tools and containers as their parents but in their own size and style — but there are other themes you can explore as well. In addition to kids’ gardening products, you can incorporate science-, travel- or nature-related toys, stuffed animals and arts and crafts — anything children will enjoy that is also different from what is found in traditional toy stores.

Keep Kids Interested

Despite what parents would like, their kids often are the real decision makers in the household. Bedtimes, errands and mealtimes are arranged around children’s needs and moods, which often mean parents’ wants are moved aside. Having a children’s department in your store can help create a kid-friendly atmosphere that appeals to the whole family. Women, your main customer base, will appreciate this. They are most likely to keep shopping at stores that reach out to kids and understand the challenges of shopping with children.

Appealing Displays. Of equal importance to the type of children’s products you choose is how they are displayed. Tucking kids’ toys and tools in a dark corner won’t help them sell. Focus on the visual: Bright, colorful displays in prominent areas are what attract kids. The goal is to keep them interested in the display and products, thereby freeing mom to shop longer. Prominent placement in the store also will help fuel impulse purchases.

Be Interactive. In addition to visually appealing displays, consider adding interactive elements. These elements can be as simple as setting up a small table and chairs with colors and coloring books, a la most waiting rooms, or you can use the hands-on aspect for product trials. Open a few products and set them out so kids and their parents can play with them.

Long-term games such as puzzles are not the best choice because children may be disappointed if they have to leave prior to finishing a game. Since parents consider aspects like safety, education, price and durability when buying toys, putting products out for them to try with their children can help convince them of a product’s worth, a crucial step in leading to its purchase.

Be Careful. Though it has many benefits, be aware that an interactive children’s area will need to be watched closely, and employees will need to keep it neat and sanitized. Small items may accidentally leave with children, and some kids might become upset if they have to leave the toys at the store. Crayons and markers increase the risk of marks on merchandise, walls and floors.

Create Events. You can take the interactive idea farther by incorporating children-centric events and workshops in your garden center. Invite moms to bring their kids in to paint pots together or to go on garden center tours. Such activities can bring more families into your garden center and drive impulse purchases.

Involving Employees

Put outgoing, kid-loving employees in charge of the children’s department. Encourage them to interact with the kids, especially if there is a hands-on area for playing. Of course, make it clear that the employees are not babysitters — Á parents should always be aware of their children in the store.

While garden-oriented children’s products can interest kids, a love of gardening is often learned from others. By having enthusiastic employees share their passion with kids and familiarize these young gardeners with plants and garden tools at a young age, employees can help cultivate a life-long love of gardening (and a life-long customer for you).



Meghan Boyer

Meghan Boyer is associate editor of Lawn & Garden Retailer. She can be reached at (847) 391-1013 or [email protected].