Marketing

Changing Customer Habits

Changing Customer Habits

The single most consistent factor in the entire retail equation is "The Customer." Everything may change. Cycles come and go. Prices and geography have less to do with customer habit than an innate and intuitive... more »

Becoming A Christmas Wonderland

Becoming A Christmas Wonderland

Garden center retailers who do a seasonal manner like Christmas business face the monumental task of constantly transforming their retail operations without crippling existing year-round business. You need to develop a well-thought-out plan to successfully... more »

Organizing Holiday Classes

Organizing Holiday Classes

'Tis the season to plan ahead for the holidays. Maybe this year, you will consider organizing holiday classes or workshops to draw the public into your store during a time when most may not be... more »

July 2006

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 »

July 2006

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

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 »

May 2006

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 »

May 2006

Soil Basics

When customers stroll down the potting soil aisle in your garden center, do you often notice confused looks on their faces? This confusion may be brought on by the wide array of soil products that... more »

May 2006

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 »

April 2006

The Winter Shows

The first trade show season of the year may be over, but it was full of new and exciting information for the 2006-07 seasons. AmericasMart, Mid-Am and TPIE were just some of the many shows... more »

March 2006

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 »

March 2006

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 »