The Top 100 Growers On Merchandising

Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers revealed they are beginning to take on  more of the responsibility of caring for and marketing plants in the retail setting, and many of them see this as a good thing. In Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers Survey, we asked growers to tell us how they feel about the shift in merchandising plants and the changes over the last few years. Here is what they had to say.

 

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How Has Merchandising Changed Over The Last 10 Years?

  • We do both third-party and in-house merchandising. Ten years ago it was only in house.
  • Grower responsibility has increased.
  • It is essential to a good sell-through at box stores. Being successful at merchandising opens up more opportunities with customers who need it.
  • Target customers continually change. More online, internet marketing demand.
  • More control almost always means more profitability for the grower. When you include inventory control (Home Depot) with quality control at the store level, you can run your own garden center.
  • Pay-by-scan forces a new look at profitability and customer sell-through.
  • It’s the only way to survive in the chains, and the only way they will be able to sell plants in the future. The chains are becoming more hands off and demanding.
  • Need for more POP.
  • Dramatic increase in the amount of grower-sponsored merchandising.
  • Internet/eMail presence lets us show our customers what we have to offer. It’s remarkable how much more effective a picture can be for introducing new items.
  • We are more dialed in with the product mix. We are constantly improving on the display.
  • Merchandising started as a part-time operation, cleaning up displays and watering. Now we have four times as many merchandisers in the field as we have production employees in the greenhouse. Merchandisers are responsible for setting displays, but the stores are responsible for watering.
  • Not much for us except our labeling is much more colorful and sophisticated.

 

How Will Merchandising Continue To Change?

  • More vignette merchandising and decorator looks.
  • The growers will continue to merchandise and take the burden more and more in the future.
  • It will be done by third parties.
  • Retailers are becoming more of a showroom to inspire consumers.
  • More online technology to market and shop product.
  • More direct eMail for sales.
  • More individualized type of packaging.
  • Catchy signs and displays that look fresh and catch your attention.
  • I believe good quality and good merchandising will sell. So you have to continue to look for new exciting ways to merchandise.
  • It is going to have to target the next generation of gardeners.
  • This is the key to better execution at the store level. Less shrink, better sell-through, nicer presentation, and hopefully, better sales.
  • The responsibilities of maintaining a good display fall more onto the grower than the retailer.

 

For more stats and info from the Top 100 Growers, check out Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers whitepaper.

 

 

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