RANGE REVIEW: GARDEN MACHINERY
GARDEN MACHINERY TRENDS: WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT
Mark Moseley, Sales & Marketing Manager at Handy discusses this year’s garden machinery sales so far and the latest market trends.
T
his has been an odd year when it comes to garden machinery sales. We’ve had unexpected highs and lows, reversals
in product trends, changes in customer demographics, and more – all in the first six months! As always, the weather has been an important factor in garden machinery sales this year and it’s not been on our side.
So, what has been selling this
year, will these trends last, and what should retailers look to stock?
Corded vs cordless: a reversal of fortune?
The terrible weather in March led retailers and manufacturers to rid themselves of overstock, especially on electric corded products. As a result, there were some incredibly good deals to be had on corded product which fuelled a low price position and skewed the sales trend temporarily away from cordless battery equipment. However, this is a ‘blip’ partly driven by consumers
looking for value proposition and we’ve already begun to see a return to ‘business as usual’ with cordless products outselling corded.
Interchangeable batteries drive brand loyalty
Customers don’t like having multiple batteries. Products which require a dedicated battery are becoming less popular, whilst product ranges/brands that have an interchangeable battery are becoming the norm. Greenworks, for example, has a 24v battery that can be used across 60+ products. Once a customer buys into a battery brand they are far more likely to stick with it so they don’t have the hassle and cost of multiple batteries to buy, store and charge.
The purse is mightier than the wallet Traditionally, men have been the main purchasers of garden machinery, but we have seen a noticeable swing
towards women both driving the decision and making the purchase itself. At this year’s BBC Gardener World Show, for example, the vast majority of sales came from women, which is distinctly different from previous years. The sales figures from a major Sky ad campaign we conducted earlier this year support that with 56% of sales from women. This change in demographic has impacted the types of product sales. This has been most noticeable when it comes to lawnmowers, with women buying cordless mowers rather than petrol. The feedback we receive from women customers is that petrol lawnmowers are too heavy and they find them difficult to start.
Good things come in small packages The growth in women purchasing garden machinery has also led, in part, to the increasing popularity of small handheld tools. Our new Greenworks 24V 10cm Brushless Pruning Saw / Mini Chainsaw completely sold out at the BBC Gardeners World show this year. Of course, it’s not just women driving this trend; we have an ageing population who want to be able to continue gardening into a ripe old age. Plus, smaller tools are so much easier to store. For retailers, this is a great opportunity as these tools take up less space and, we have found, customers are willing to pay a premium for the combination of power, convenience and manoeuvrability; price has not been a deciding factor in this category.
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Above: Mark Moseley, Sales & Marketing Manager at Handy
Cost of living crisis
The cost of living crises has undoubtedly had an impact in certain areas of the market and we have seen a drive towards a lower value proposition. Some 62% of consumers will seek out the lowest prices when shopping for garden products and 34% of consumers are seeking out value ranges (according
SEPTEMBER 2023 DIY WEEK 31
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