Re: Mail Order Nurseries/ plants

Gene, working in cost accounting, I agree w/ you. Ed does all the
quoting and such, but when he is out, I get to play w/ it some. As a
joke - we got a dart board and put it in his cubicle and when some of
the dimmer bulbs about ask how he comes up w/ his prices, we all point
to the dart board. Sometimes, that's pretty close.


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Gene Bush" <genebush@otherside.com>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Wed, 3 Dec 2003 07:34:00 -0500

>Jim & Marge,
>    Pricing if a lot of "stuff". Some cold hard reality, some voodoo, some
>wishful thinking......
>First I must begin with what it cost me... full cost. Then I must add on
>minimum to make that back and place a profit on top. My accountant could
>tell you better than I, but I don't think you want a complete list of
>expenses a small business bumps into.
>Yes, I must be aware of what the competition is charging for their similar
>products.  I try to stay right in the middle of prices I see in other mail
>order catalogs. But that is hard to do, for many reasons. There is size and
>age of plants being sold for one. I do my best to sell a larger plant than
>most mail order. But, having said that, it is not top priority.
>    I also am specialized and have done a lot of your homework for you when
>you shop. Shade plants, native and non-native rare or unusual perennials
>that are tested in my garden for the mid-west. There is a hard copy catalog.
>A web site in color with a monthly newsletter talking about plants that do
>well here. If you come here to the nursery it is one on one.... by
>appointment only. Where else can you go and get full attention for what ever
>time you need? See the plants and their companions growing together? That is
>the way we do business here, but if it is not paid for we go out of
>business. Only way we have of making those dollars is in our end product.. a
>plant in a pot. That pot and all that goes into it.. whether you can see it
>or not... retails for about $6 to $9....
>    Prices are also very much a local or regional thing.. Chicago, say, can
>get a far better base price than I can here in rural Indiana , or mail
>order.
>    So.... there is not formula or simple direct answer to this one....
>other than knowing your business and hoping like hell you can make it all
>come together.
>    Gene E. Bush
>Munchkin Nursery & Gardens, llc
>www.munchkinnursery.com
>genebush@munchkinnursery.com
>Zone 6/5  Southern Indiana
>
>----- Original Message -----
>> Well, Jim, of all of us, only Gene could actually talk about pricing
>> plants:-)  I'm sure it's not an easy task.
>>
>snip, snip....
>> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>
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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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