CONSUMER TALK
“Consumer Talk” appears in each issue
of Lawn & Garden Retailer to examine
the issues facing today’s garden center
customers. Our panel of consumers will
provide you with insight into their gardening
and retail experiences to help you better
understand today’s customers’ needs.
Suggestion Box
Although we have a few months before spring hits, it’s never too early to start preparing for your busiest season.
This month, we asked our panelists to offer tips that would improve their garden center shopping experience.
Jen, 30 Juliet, 35
Glenwood, Iowa Santa Rosa, Calif.
I would like to see sets of plants sold in With so many more of us doing our
packages that will look good together. I own landscaping and garden projects on
often just start planting without thinking a budget, I’d love to have more project
about how the grouping will look. If an idea sheets available at my garden
expert gardener could take a picture of center. These could be simple construc-
a plant grouping in a nicely landscaped tion projects like building a raised bed
yard and include it with the bulbs, or or trellis, or instructions for making a
plants that would really help me. It may pre-designed cutting or herb garden
be pricey to purchase a whole set of — with detailed supplies lists included.
plants at one time, but at least I would Even sheets with available plants that
know it will look good once planted, and not a group of unmatched grow in sun or shade, attract butterfl ies, etc., would be helpful and
or all the same color plants in my yard. I also often forget to think introduce me to some new varieties.
about height in plants. Knowing where to place tall plants and short
plants would be great.
Maria, 52
Questions to Consider
Chicago
They could do a monthly newsletter
• Does your staff offer customers recommendations
with information on plants, gardening on ideal companion plants for certain varieties?
tools, and keeping of plants. Customers
can send their photos and they can high- • Does your garden center offer landscape services,
light a customer’s garden each month.
and/or guidance for the do-it-yourselfers seeking
Another idea would be to give a card
assistance with landscape projects?
to regular customers with a 10 percent
discount or give a card that they punch
• Do you offer workshops for novice gardeners?
each time you buy a plant and the tenth
is free.
• Aside from your standard marketing promotions,
I would also like to see longer hours during the summer.
do you correspond with your customers via
e-mail newsletters?
• Does your garden center have a loyalty program for
regular customers?
46 Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2009 www.lgrmag.com
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