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Re: [GWL]: Gardening Info In Big Boxes

Jeff Ball wrote:


> Gardeners represent only 20% of the lawn and garden market in total and for
> Home Depot and Lowes, they are probably less since I suspect most serious
> gardeners are going to spend most of their money at independent garden
> centers and through mail order.
> Gardeners, in my view, still like to get their information from books,
> newspaper columns, and gardening magazines; so they are not inclined to jump
> on the Internet all that forcefully; even if we give any credit to the
> gardening content web sites as being useful as stand alone sites.
> In my view, gardening info on the web is only for those willing to do some
> searching and checking of a number of sources.  So far no one has invented
> the one stop gardening information site. Maybe they never will.
> Then again the Internet offers such a wonderful
> opportunity......(grin)......I wonder.
> 
> Jeff Ball


Jeff,

I think it depends on how a business defines its target customer base 
for information, supplies, and related services. An ill defined target 
market is easy to miss, especially with non selective targeted 
advertising/promotions.

The casual weekend gardener may visit the mass merchandising retailers 
to buy items for specific projects and while there are like to make 
impulse purchases of live goods like flowering plants.

The high volume merchandiser rarely hires knowledgeable staff that can 
answer technical customer inquires. Bad information results in poor 
customer satisfaction and the loss of repeat sales, often without the 
upper management even being aware of the root causes of declining sales.

Obviously those establishments that have displays of water gardens are 
more likely to sell the entire spectrum of materials associated with 
constructing and maintaining an aquatic garden compared to those that 
simply stock the items on the shelf in different locations in their 
store. Location of displays on high traffic isles is as important in the 
  nursery business as it is in the grocery business.

The more experienced and dedicated the gardener/horticulturist, the more 
likely they are to join an association or society of like minded 
individuals which publish journals, have local meetings, and/or sponsor 
member only internet forums where questions can be asked and answered, 
plus the participation in seed/plant exchanges.

The need to provide information is part of the membership fee and the 
goal to education is a major reason these non-profit organizations 
exist. Commercial specialty mail order growers derive much of their 
business as a result of the efforts of these dedicated volunteers.

It takes time and energy to acquire the knowledge to grow and locate the 
suppliers catering to collectors of less common plants. Some colleges 
offer semester long classes that are open to students who are not 
enrolled in a degree program. There are even half and full day extension 
seminars that are offered. National annual conferences of plant 
societies are another source of information and plant materials.

There is considerable expense of traveling and staying at a hotel. The 
number of people attending conventions/conferences, unless the expense 
is tax deductible, were previously declining and are likely to continue 
to decline even more as a result of the WTC disaster.

The challenge for the plant and seed supplier is to assist the potential 
buyer by providing information that is affordable to produce and 
deliver. It makes no sense to spend $25 to attract and inform each 
potential customer if the average sale is $15. The goal is to build a 
list of satisfied customers. The client list then must be contacted on a 
regular basis designed to generate repeat sales throughout the shipping 
season, year after year. The expense of color print materials and 
postage suggests that email newsletters combined with special offers is 
a relatively inexpensive way to reach a highly targeted audience.

Web sites are useful, but expensive to construct and update with new 
information. The weekly or monthly email newsletter seems to be an 
affordable means of communicating information and could generate revenue 
to cover production costs if linked to an exclusive list of hard to 
obtain seeds and plants.

Claude Sweet
San Diego, CA

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