The Top Garden Retail Business Articles of 2015
December 21, 2015 
More business-related articles made the top 25 list this year than any other category. Tips on how to be a better garden retailer were the most common stories among our most-read articles, from Steve Bailey’s advice on how to increase sales on annuals to Lloyd Traven urging local garden centers to be passionate. The new credit card rules had many concerned, and that’s reflected in having two stories on that topic making the list.
Lloyd Traven Calls On Garden Retailers To Offer Something That Will “Blow Your Customers’ Minds”
In a keynote presentation at the IGC East conference in Baltimore, Lloyd Traven of Peace Tree Farm argued that the only way for independent garden centers to remain relevant is to be different and make your customers feel like they have to visit your store.
How To Make Your Garden Store Ready For EMV
According to MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover, come October 2015, if a customer presents you with an EMV chip-based card, you are supposed to be able to process it on an EMV device. Here are a few basics you should know about how to get ready for the new rules.
National Retail Federation Addresses Concerns About EMV Chips
In a short video, NRF senior vice president Mallory Duncan weighs in on the status of new EMV chips in credit cards, what retailers need to know, and whether the new cards are truly as safe as intended.
What Can A Garden Center Do To Increase Revenues In Annuals?
Financial consultant Steve Bailey answers White Oak Gardens’ Tom Hilgeman’s question about helping his strongest category grow even more.
Drive After Christmas Sales With A Poinsettia Trade-In Program
Home owners feel guilty about throwing away a living plant, even if it is a poinsettia. Give them a way to get rid of their poinsettia guilt-free and drive sales during the slowest time of the year.
Mother’s Day Was Strong For Many Garden Centers This Year
Despite threats (or true blasts) of inclement weather in some areas, Mother’s Day weekend set records in several areas. Check out what retailers across the country reported in terms of traffic, weather, and how they are seeking to improve efficiency.
Stop One-Size-Fits-All For Annual-Plants Pricing
It is time for our industry to change its practice of one-size-fits-all pricing for annuals to one that reflects their uniqueness and true value.
Greenscape Gardens Creates A Brilliant Business Plan From A Feel-Good Campaign
Greenscape Gardens in St. Louis, Mo., has done something quite remarkable in the last two years. By integrating itself with local community organizations and projects, it has found a way to increase demand for native plants while building a customer base that feels empowered to become a part of something worthwhile. Better yet, it’s done so without allocating significant marketing dollars, and instead relies on its customers and its community partners to help tell a story.
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