Originally published July 2007, Today's Garden Center

Yet another wake up call.

I am not going to tell you anything you don’t already know, but it might serve as a good reminder. Recently, I went to my local Stop & Shop around dinner time and found an employee out front with a watering system taking care of the Roses, Gilbertie’s Herbs (regionally grown herb line), and Proven Winner’s annuals. The employee looked like any other kid (except he was wearing a Stop & Shop uniform) you would hire at your garden center to water the plants. They also had clematis on special as well as some pretty good looking hanging baskets – and the pricing was competitive. Last year I had a similar experience finding Endless Summer Hydrangeas at a supermarket, but this was even more alarming.

On a related note, I was talking with a printing press salesman last week and the subject of gardening came up. There were three people involved in the conversation and all had an active interest in gardening. However, only one of the three was even a frequent customer of their local garden center. All were comfortable shopping at the local Home Depot, with the usual caveat about getting there when the plants come off the truck.

All three related that gardening was an important part of being a homeowner, but cost was a factor. Two out of the three probably earned in excess of $100,000, so money was not the motivator. It was just that they felt that if they could get it cheaper then why wouldn’t they. One went so far as to admit that his wife would often go the local garden center for advice and then go to the box store for a better price.

OK, I hear you saying, we get the point; there is nothing new here. What I want you to do is to re-read the first three paragraphs and find the points of differentiation between your garden center and the details listed for the grocery and box store.

Number 1 – the grocery store was open beyond 6 pm on a weekend – actually most grocery stores are open till around 9 pm. Can your garden center compete with the hours of a grocery store?

Number 2 – The grocery store had an employee watering the plants. This in itself is a major improvement for stores not necessarily set up for the maintenance of plant material. Get nervous now. The young man watering was uniformed and identifiable as a store employee. I will still visit a local garden center and see kids in shorts and assorted t-shirts – non identifiable as an employee unless I asked. Are you presenting as professional an image as you can?

Number 3 – The grocery store was featuring national and regionally branded plant material. Although I knew I was at a Stop & Shop, the branded products were presented right out front. Whose brand are you promoting?

Number 4 – In the example of both the Stop & Shop and Home Depot, the bulk of the products have been reduced to a commodity status. If the plants were fresh from the grower, there was little to distinguish them from even the best local garden center.

Number 5 – When I was talking with the press salesman it was apparent that he knew the value of the product and just felt that he would have been foolish to pay more for it. It was easy enough to find out what things cost and find a better deal.

Number 6 – However, it was clear that neither the Stop & Shop nor the Home Depot could be counted on for important plant or gardening information. The disappointing point is that the garden center could not close the sale when the salesman’s wife visited the store. If you’re reputation got the shopper to visit, then your sales people should, well… sell.

So, what can you do with these (very basic) punch points?

Let’s take them in turn? Is there anything you can really do about the hours you are open? Probably not, but these days I know fewer and fewer families that can shop a 9 – 5 garden center for a ‘want’ item. Convenience is important – perhaps you can attack it by offering services a grocery store can’t. Could you deliver? Why can’t this be a benefit of your loyalty program?

Although I can’t imagine a competitive garden center operating without uniformed employees I still happen upon it from time to time. This is an easy one – put a shirt on.

Another easy one is the ‘same old, same old’ issue of branded products. While you want to stock the best products for your customers, you should invest in doing all you can to present your name and your brand every time and everywhere. Easy fix – sign your store and coordinate your marketing message with your merchandising; short answer – better signage. Your company, your brand.

A few words on point number 4 – although there are great new plants coming out each year, it will only be a matter of time till they find their way into a mass market channel. In most cases growers are putting out new introductions to the IGC channel for a year or two before it goes to mass market. Use that window to drive sales. Remember, you are in retail and you should be promoting select items from time to time. It doesn’t have to be store wide, but consider presenting a bargain at the front door and in select display areas around the nursery. Start attacking the ‘all garden centers are expensive’ mindset.

Do we really need to talk about the importance of the internet (again)? Your website should be up and going by now. If it is up and not going anywhere, then get to work. It should be updated regularly and should feature your current promotions.

Let’s take down another one of the sacred cows – summer sale slumps. Your customer’s needs just shift from gardening and landscaping to decorating living spaces with colorful plants and containers. People are entertaining all summer long. They are out there spending money. If you want the business, then you are going to have to compete for it. Don’t throw in the towel, but you better throw everything you’ve got at it – each and every day.