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What to sell
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Posted by tooty2d Ky (My Page) on Sat, Sep 2, 06 at 12:28
| Hi, I'm new. I manage a greenhouse and we have our own retail store. The owners include me in a lot of the decision for the business. We are trying to come up with something to sell in November. Fall is great, we do mums along with other fall decorations. But November and through the holidays sales are not so good. We like to stay open until January to keep an employee. We close January and February. Any suggestions for what sells good during this time. |
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RE: What to sell
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- Posted by bboy z8 WA USA (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 2, 06 at 14:15
| The problem really boils down to what your particular store can move at that time in your particular market. Talk to somebody else with a similar operation in the same market. Are you going to local trade association gatherings and trading stories with other member vendors? That might be a good way to start getting more in touch with prevailing conditions and trends in your area. |
RE: What to sell
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- Posted by cady 6b/Sunset34 MA (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 2, 06 at 15:58
| Here the garden centers sell Christmas greenery starting at Thanksgiving (the phase in to replace the pumpkins and mums). Garlands and roping made of bay laurel, pine and boxwood, fir wreaths (both plain and decorated, different sizes), Christmas trees of varying sizes and types of tree, and the trimmings to decorate your wreath or tree (ribbons, bows, frosted pine cones, faux berries...). Also, sprigs and bunches of real holly with berries, tied with red velvet bows; seasonal cemetery baskets crafted from split logs and filled with greens and pinecones; indoor decorations made of natural or "faux" natural materials; holiday cider/beverage mixes; scented holiday candles and incense; birdseed, suet and feeders, birdbath heaters and frostproof birdbaths -- everything for the winter wildlife. At the garden center where I work part time from April through December, we also decorated live rosemary plants last year -- potted them up in nice containers, stuck a pick containing a cluster of pretty red Christmas tree balls and a soft velvet bow, covered the soil with dry moss, and sold them as mini-Christmas trees for the table and windowsill. We have a heated hoop house, so we also sell pointsettias in red and white. Like Bboy said, you have to go with what your local area uses and is interested in. What plants are traditional to the region, and what kinds of holiday decor and plants are in demand? Here in southern New England, folks seem to like the rustic natural stuff -- live greens, simple materials such as twigs and pine cones, moss and holly with berries. Your region might have different tastes. |
RE: What to sell
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| Our set-up is similar to cady's suggestions. It's still pretty slow, even with fall changing to Christmas. We use the down time (when there isn't a car in the lot) to clean the greenhouses and nursery. Advertise in the local paper "Fall Festival" and "Christmas Open House," it really helps bring in some customers. |
RE: What to sell
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- Posted by cady 6b/Sunset34 MA (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 2, 06 at 20:55
| If you have the heated space, you could also offer indoor plants and herbs, forcing bulbs/dishes/pebbles and grow-lights/lamps for the indoor gardener; houseplant food, potting soil and pots; indoor sunroom accessories and furniture (not fancy Smith & Hawken stuff -- but the nice wrought metal breakfast table/chair sets, some comfy indoor wicker chairs/setees with cushions and coffee tables, a few craftsy throws and rugs, and some gorgeous coffee table garden books (great Christmas gifts, hint-hint). Market to the garden lover who wants something to get her/him through the long winter. Ads should appeal to that want and need. "Enjoy a cup of hot cider and browse our great indoor gardening collection! We have everything a gardener needs to make it through the winter!" Market to non-gardeners who want "cozy" and ambience -- the sunroom accessories, bird supplies (to watch the birds from inside), fireplace and woodstove accessories (including fatwood, cast iron tea kettles, stovetop room fragrances), garden books that are big on lush color photos of estate gardens, tropical landscapes and French country gardens, that sort of stuff. Create an ambience in the shop that makes people want to stay and browse. That's where the free hot cider, background holiday music (at a low, comfortably audible volume) and maybe a few comfy chairs (next to the books) can work. Displays that are appealing and make you want to copy the look at home, or inspire you to buy individual items and create your own look, area great marketing technique as well. But it's vital to advertise or otherwise get the word out that this new and great stuff is there. |
RE: What to sell
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- Posted by laag z6CapeCod (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 2, 06 at 20:59
| Yes, in New England many nurseries convert to Christmas decoration stores. If there is no one else doing it in your area, you could make it a destination for families by bringing in some deer, turkeys, and such with someone in a Santa suit. Lots of animations and displays with hot cider and the whole bit. There was a place in Lexington, MA that did this and had to hire cops at the entrance and kids to direct traffic to fill the empty nursery yard with cars. It was a hell of an event every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It was a destination. Many also supplement throughout the year with dry flower and faux flower supplies and classes to generate interest and sales in them. This brings people in and generates familiarity an impulse shopping. If you have the floor space, high end outdoor furniture can be a huge business in season if your market will bear it. |
RE: What to sell
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| Thanks for the ideas. I've made note of each one. Here is a little more information. Our greenhouses and retail garden center is not at the same location. Some of these ideas we have tried, but we have to compete with WALMART. They can sell Christmas decorations cheaper than we can buy them wholesale. Also Lowe's sells Chrisatmas plants cheaper than we can grow them. We are in a rural area. The population of the city our store is in is 25,000. The whole county population is 96,000. I do like the idea of everything a gardner needs to make it through the winter. We have customers who are gardeners, and then we have people who want plants to make ther yard look pretty. |
RE: What to sell
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| I worked with a nursery/garden center that conducted Saturday classes. They hired a professional or expert to hold sessions on everything from introductury bonsai, wreath making, houseplant care, fruit trees, etc. They stocked the store with all sorts of stuff that supported the class of the day and offered it at a discounted price. Coffee, cookies, etc. It worked GREAT for them! One class that I taught was packed to the rafters. |
RE: What to sell
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- Posted by cady 6b/Sunset34 MA (My Page) on
Sun, Sep 3, 06 at 17:32
| The thing is to - as Laag says - make your business a destination that people go out of their way to get to. Lowe's and Walmart lure with their impossible-to-match prices which they can offer by selling products in huge volume and which are products of cheap overseas labor. You may not be able to compete in price, but you can compete in "lifestyle" and ambiance. People come for the experience as much as to buy. |
RE: What to sell
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| Some things I'd like to have for xmas decorations but couldn't find at a big box store would be....bittersweet branches, holly branches, magnolia leaves, redtwig dogwood branches. Would selling christmas trees bring in people as a destination, like a pumpkin patch, work? By the way, I can never find the anitdessicant stuff experts say to spray on your evergreens. |
RE: What to sell
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- Posted by bahia SF Bay Area (My Page) on
Mon, Oct 9, 06 at 0:41
| Why not stock some of the cooler growing winter blooming plants that would do well on a sunporch? Some of the more popular plants here in northern California would include Azaleas, Cyclamen, Cymbidium orchids, Streptocarpus, Reiger Begonias, Forced Paperwhite Narcissus, Dwarf Citrus standards, Hydrangeas, Clivias, Maidenhair ferns, and bromeliads. I guarantee you that you wouldn't be competing with Walmart on these sorts of plants, but is your customer base interested in non-traditional plants that are outside the norm of Poinsettias and Chrysanthemums for the holidays? Bonsai pots and plants are also very popular Christmas presents here, and sell well in December. You could also offer indoor living Christmas trees such as Norfolk Island Pines, Araucaria heterophylla. |
RE: What to sell
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| Right now the local nursery is selling fall bulbs, mums, sedums and pansies. They are having a pumpkin festival with a pumpkin cook off this weekend. Later they'll sell Christmas trees and poinsettas. Year round they sell gifts for gardeners, garden supplies, sculpture, hardscape and other items. In addition to that they do a great deal of business in the landscape arena. I suspect that they do a good bit of business with state government and Kentucky State University as they are all in the same town. Thirty years ago they started out as a very small "hole-in-the-wall" but has developed into a business that appears to be competitive with the nurseries in Lexington and Louisville. Janet |
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