Marketing

10151

Weather Or Not, There It Goes

Spring 2006 might be in the past, but for many, it was a season they will not long forget. The culprit? Weather. Whether it was good, bad or just so-so, weather was the talk of... more »

10151

Tapping The Organic Trend

Even though we have recently seen a "movement" of sorts toward an organic lifestyle, organic gardening is not new — it has been in existence since long before the term "organic" was coined (the term... more »

Accents Tailored For You

If your customers are called "guests" and your garden center occupies 6 acres of choice southern California real estate, you cannot afford to sit on your laurels. Consumers visit the big boxes to buy the... more »

10123

Going, Going, Gone

You probably spend a staggering amount of time and money researching, shopping for and trying to sell the season's hottest new products. Most storeowners do. That's what retail is all about, right? Whether you're selling... more »

10123

Indoor Gardening

Recently, I heard that 2005 was the year with the highest gardening activity seen in the last five years: more than 91 million U.S. households purchased some sort of horticultural product. Despite the good news... more »

10141

It’s All Fun And Games

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... more »

10141

Scaling Down And Toning Up

If you have been stocking the same trees and shrubs for 5-10 years or more, you are probably missing out on sales. Recent breeding advancements and renewed customer interest have made the back lot, where... more »

10141

Working In Community Gardens

In Burlington, Vt., Jim Feinson addresses 100 people gathered for a seminar. In Boston, Mass., Jack Russell attends a board of directors meeting. In Portland, Ore., Peggy Acott volunteers at a school. In Chicago, Ill.,... more »

10143

Employee-Pricing Promotions

Some experts say General Motors Corporation's (GM) summer campaign that offered employee discounts to car-buying consumers was a stroke of genius, but others argue it was an act of desperation.GM posted a $1.1 billion loss... more »

10143

Does It Pay To Have A Web Site?

Many people may ask themselves these days if it really matters whether or not they are on the Web. Long gone are the days when a company could add a dot-com to their name and... more »

10143

Adding Some Fashionable Flair

Whether they are purely decorative or wholly functional, fashion accessories are now part of everyday life. If you're skeptical, count the different accessories you have used, worn or displayed today. People consciously and unconsciously choose... more »

Catering to Container Gardeners

There's been a lot of talk lately about the popularity of pots but without enough recognition of the variety of people driving this trend. Many of them have little or no property, but what they... more »