May 2014

Outside the Vines: Dressed For Success

Online shopping sometimes takes one-on-one customer service out of the equation. New ventures, however, have embraced personalization to match or exceed brick-and-mortar stores. Blake Smith, co-fou... more

Always a Student

I'm a student, albeit a rather old one. I not only study consumers and what makes them tick (or not), but I also study industries, businesses and trends. I study the economy to try to figure out the s... more

Getting an Earful

While marketing and store design can play a big part in developing customer loyalty, the thoughtful act of listening to your patrons may be most important.

Retail-Ready Plots

Looking for a few ideas to improve your approach to selling edibles? Turn to the folks who wrote the book on it — literally.

Ornamedibles – A Revolution

Asking your customers the right questions will position them to grow the right garden for their vegetable needs and wants.

An Issue With Edibles

After six years on the force, I finally got a chance to see what California Spring Trials is about. I spent six days traveling the Golden Coast (SFO to LAX) with my cohorts from our sister publication... more

An Edible Agenda

California Spring Trials is all about the newest variety introductions. But this year's version of the event had a hearty helping of edible gardening ideas — perfect for the retail scene.