Surveying Christmas
We asked survey participants to describe their season in 300 words or less and here are some of the best responses, in no particular order. There are a number of similarities as well as differences, but overall, some really good feedback. Remember, they are anonymous so no locations are mentioned.
- “Overall, it was a good season. We were sold out of 6-inch red poinsettias the last days of the season; this hasn’t happened for many years. We sold a lot of the Fantasy Poinsettias, the blue and lavender were the most popular colors.”
- “My season was down by 15 percent. It started late, and a lot of people were concerned about the high cost of automobile and heating fuel. I don’t feel they spent what they did the previous years.”
- “Excellent! We ramped up numbers, dramatically raised prices and sold out.”
- “Sales were soft but still had a good season considering the weather. We had an exceptional poinsettia crop, which we sold 70 percent wholesale and the rest retail; average price for a 6-inch was $25.”
- “Our season was good. We had a slow start and then in early December we picked up. Most of our sales were in silk stems and giftware. A tough year for artificial trees; however, we sold every fresh-cut tree we had. Fresh greens and memorials were up. Poinsettias were break even, lights were flat and ribbon was a good item this year.”
- “Our Christmas season went better than expected; tree sales were up by 20 percent. The reason being four tree lots within three miles were not opened this year. Poinsettia sales were even or a little below last year.”
- “We have been doing Christmas for 17 years, and this was the very best year ever. The sell thru was the best in our history; it will be a joy to start out with new and fresh ideas for the 2006 season.”