Grab-n-go options can increase summer sales

As temperatures rise, there is a decrease in customers’ willingness to explore every corner of the garden center looking for hidden treasures. Many are not familiar with our products, and the garden center can be an intimidating place. The retail area can be a gumball machine of color, baskets and signs. All together it can become a frustrating blur to a novice.

Consider IGC customer needs

As the first beads of sweat hit their foreheads, customers may decide to turn back to their air-conditioned cars and forgo the idea of “summer fun” that brought them out to begin with. Garden retailers need to simplify their offerings to make it easier and faster for customers to make a buying decision.  

By Memorial Day, the spring rush is usually over. Customers are not looking for 4-packs and flats of color to fill the garden, but more for accents for the patio or fill-ins where a plant or two may have died. The plants around that hole have established and grown, so the fill-in needs to be larger than a starter. The customer is looking for gallon-sized plants, or even 10-inch or 12-inch deco pots that can just be placed out on the patio as-is.

The customer is also looking for a quick decision. In early spring, garden centers love to impress everyone with selection. We carry so much; some alphabetize the offerings. Summer shoppers are not so impressed. They are coming in with simpler needs. “Tall red” or “draping yellow” is more on their mind than a botanical name they may not know how to pronounce. We need to simplify the offering and presentation for them.

Design for summer garden center success

Condense all those leftover plants forward.  Empty spaces on the tables remind customers they are late to the game and may be looking at leftovers. They won’t know what to think about empty tables beyond, though. We can even create a small display leading to the emptiness with a “Coming soon!” or “Watch us grow!” sign, promoting a future visit. Or just use some tall evergreens to block out the area. The empty space is perfect to start receiving seasonal merchandise. Customers that peek will feel like they’re getting a behind-the-scenes look into the future.

As we condense, assess inventory levels. Maybe they didn’t buy that helichrysum, because they didn’t know what to do with it. Use home visualization to show them, pairing it with other plants on the table. Use some in mixed containers, too.  

Bring in fresh. Larger blocks of single items sell best. Again, customers need to be able to rest their eyes and make a quick buying decision before they melt. Resist the urge to buy everything just because it is available.  The spring frenzy is over. Mixed containers and oversized favorites always win. 

Summer is also a great time to showcase complete garden packages and display tie-ins together. It’s all about helping the customer make a quick decision. Display pots, soils and fertilizers with the plants. Have some finished examples ready for the “do it for me” crowd. Gather five or six butterfly plants together with a quick sketch of how to lay it out in the garden. Plant up some gorgeous pots with lush tropicals and all that leftover color. Summer can be a very creative and productive time.

Erik Dietl-Friedli has worked in retail gardening for 35 years and is currently the head buyer at Flamingo Road Nursery in Davie, Florida. He began his career at Martin Viette Nurseries and Hicks Nurseries on Long Island focusing on buying, visual merchandising, developing seasonal events and creating dynamic product programs.