houseplants
attention span and improve productivity. Plants also provide a sense of connectivity, with Wyevale Garden Centre Garden Trends Report 2018 finding that 43 per cent of people questioned remarked that houseplants make them feel calm.
Social Media The GCA’s recent Barometer of Trade (BoT) report also revealed that houseplants topped the sales leaderboard for almost half the of the year, making them a trusted and popular sales opportunity. One of the key drivers for this is said to be social media. Visual platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest have made houseplants so much more than a trend; they have become the must-have for millennials in the photo-centric universe of social media. And that enthusiasm for all things green and leafy is something that leading indoor pot supplier Ivyline is benefiting from. “People tag us on Instagram all the time; they use #MyIvyline to be part of the community,” Ivyline director, Scott Thomas
GCU Spring 2020
explains. “Online and general retail have seen a huge upswing in the younger demographic, and we’re also now seeing them being drawn into garden centres to shop for plants. Interior plant accessories grew by more than 40 per cent in like for like year-on-year sales in 2019, whilst 2020 Q1 growth is at more than 40 per cent once again.”
Technology
With 95 per cent of millennials now owning a smartphone, the garden industry is having to embrace the technology or risk being left behind. QR code technology has proven to be a fantastic aid for engaging the younger generation with horticulture, especially houseplants.
SmartPlant is an app launched in 2017, that is bringing the world of plant care into the digital age and making it accessible for both the younger generation and more experienced gardener. With a simple scan of a houseplant’s QR code using the app, novice houseplant owners have immediate access to information
on their new plant and monthly reminders on plant care, as well as access to horticultural experts for advice and tips.
Key Essentials is just one of many suppliers using this technology to help with sales. “The market for air plants is still very young with a huge proportion of customers finding them for the first time,” adds Mark Smith. “This means we have to put more effort into education and promotion. We have signed up with the SmartPlant app, and all our products now carry their labels which is a great way for customers to get specific care information.”
With millennials consuming more and more content through their smartphones or tablets in an instant, many want information and they want it now. Dobbies is just one garden centre chain that has acknowledged this thirst for knowledge and has partnered with SmartPlant to digitise its entire indoor plant ranges for Spring 2020. The digital initiative enables Dobbies customers to receive rich plant content either in-store or at home. Trends
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