Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Spring is right around the corner and getting your outdoor living and lawn and garden sections in order before the rush hits will serve your customers—and employees—well. From impulse kits that capture the attention of younger customers to stocking a variety of seeds and starts for the season, here are four tips to make your gardening section blossom this spring.
Get the kids involved. What kid doesn’t love to play in the dirt? Getting kids involved in outdoor activities usually isn’t a challenge, especially if it provides a learning opportunity. Let customers take the fun outside with kits like this Kids Grow Kit 4-Pack Bundle from Back to the Roots, which features green bean, watermelon and sunflower seeds.
Stock a variety of seeds. This may seem like an obvious group of items to stock but not having a large variety of seeds in your store may turn some customers away. Stock basic seeds like common vegetables and flowers, but also consider stocking uncommon seeds like kohlrabi, black carrots or purple peppers.
Don’t forget the garden accessories. When planning what your store’s garden section will look like for the spring, it’s important to think about other items related to gardens—the decorations. No garden is complete without some colorful pots, wind chimes or even a bird feeder or house of some kind. Making your garden section multifaceted is an easy way to get customers in to find new items they didn’t know they needed. When thinking of ways to boost your garden accessories, birdhouse building kits are a great way to cater to your DIY customers. Think about getting birdhouse kits, like this one from S&W Crafts. Gold Crest Distributing has a variety of birdhouses, like their Americana Bird House.
Emphasize plant food as an important add-on. Many beginner gardeners know the struggle of spending money on a raised garden bed and filling it with plants, only to find it does not produce the way the packages or YouTube tutorials claim. Stocking plant food and fertilizer near the register and having cashiers remind customers about the importance of it will begin your relationship with them as a trustworthy garden retailer. When beginning to stock fertilizers, consider going with an all-purpose fertilizer, like this one from Down to Earth Distributors.
In June, spoga+gafa 2024 will take place in Cologne, Germany, and will highlight sustainable gardening and gardening practices. Read more about spoga+gafa here.
