With so many recent sales campaigns geared towards Christmas, February is indeed the big comedown when customers often tighten their belts and the ‘urge to splurge’ dramatically declines. Now with the wider offering garden retail affords, businesses can use this traditionally quiet time of year as the ideal opportunity to maximise year-round sales and encourage footfall with a particular emphasis on driving profits in the post-Christmas slump. The perfect place to tap into such an opportunity will be at Glee (11-13 September, NEC Birmingham), which already promises to be the place to be in 2017 to see inspirational products, displays and top name brands.
From launching exciting new products and sales promotions, to providing innovative PoS displays or catering facilities, there are many ways to encourage visitors into store and drive sales, even during off-peak periods. In fact, simply by enhancing the customer experience can make a difference to footfall and ultimately sales, as consumers look to while away the gloomy weather at their leisure.
With its growing popularity in recent years, catering is becoming an all-important add-on and proving a significant revenue stream to a growing number of garden centres, with catering overtaking sales in more traditional categories such as outdoor plants in 2015.* Recent statistics also show that over 50% of garden centres now offer on-site catering facilities, with an estimated 55 million visits to garden centre cafes taking place in 2011 alone**. This clearly shows that garden centre catering is big business.
Sales promotion is another area where garden centres and retailers have been increasingly flexing their entrepreneurial muscle and innovative spirit to increase footfall and maximise sales, particularly after Christmas. Mike Burks, of The Garden Group, explains how his team helps to drive footfall in the quieter post-Christmas period. He said: “We utilise times of high footfall to promote events and promotions in time of low footfall. We also look at creating a variety of events and content that will appeal to the full breadth of our customers, including everything from festive decoration sales and incentives such as offering discounted vouchers valid for January, to extra activities such as in-house talks from keynote speakers, calendar events such as ‘Orchid Day’ and half-term events for children.”
These methods also encourage impulsive spending among consumers and an opportunity to entice customers via inspiring PoS displays. This is something important to bear in mind when visiting this year’s Glee, with many of the UK’s top suppliers of PoS displaying products to offer fresh, creative ideas to attract further business.
“Customers visit more frequently if we can offer them interest and something going on, so how do we consistently do that? It’s a question of good staff and great product selection – a combination of value and relevance while providing solutions, plus inspirational and aspirational products,” Richard Cumming, Managing Director of Orchard Park Garden Centre explains. “All year round is our aim, an absolutely vital factor for any retailer wanting to stay on top of their game and maintain a consistently healthy bottom line.”
It is non-weather dependent products such as this that have seen the most recent surge in exhibitor sign ups, reveals Glee Event Director, Matthew Mein: “Glee offers retailers more options than ever for ensuring more stable cashflow opportunities during seasonal slumps. Whether you are looking to buy homewares or giftware, food or clothing, you’ll find it all under the same roof at the exhibition come September.”
Find out more
Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focussing on building year-round profits within core product categories including garden care, landscaping, outdoor living, garden design, pet, speciality food and catering, home, gift and clothing, and plants. Each year the show attracts thousands of buyers from top retailers, such as leading UK garden centres, builders’ merchants, multiple retailers, and DIY stores. To keep up-to-date on all the latest news visit www.gleebirmingham.com or for details on exhibiting at Glee 2017, call 0203 033 2160.
Inspirational products: Glee exhibitors focused on driving year-round sales
Lawn seed for low temperatures
Post-Christmas is also the time to consider targeting the keen gardener who is getting prepped for spring or has hardy all-weather hands; there will be plenty of consumers who are not just planning ahead for their summer garden but want to potter, no matter what climate. Glee’s thriving Garden Care sector is set to provide another golden opportunity to cater for perennial green fingers and drive year-round sales. Johnson’s Law Seed will just be one of the leading brands at this year’s show filling this gap in the market, with its range including its Any Time seeds that germinate when temperatures are as low as 3°C, allowing perfect preparation during winter or early spring.
New products from Baby Bio® rejuvenate the houseplant sector
Baby Bio® is the trusted ‘go to’ brand for indoor plant care. With a host of products new for 2017, the iconic brand is helping garden centres drive up sales.
The exciting new products are Baby Bio® Orchid Feed & Mist, Baby Bio® Houseplant Compost, Baby Bio® Orchid Compost and Baby Bio® Pour & Feed Ready to Use.
“Garden centres that intermingle house plants with the products that help people make sure the plants are vibrant, healthy and colourful, will see basket size increase,” explained SBM Life Science Group Brand Manager, Christina Bouzala.
Primeur launches recycled rubber stepping stones
Available from January 2017, these new recycled rubber stepping stones are targeted for sales in the traditional spring and summer months, due to their weather resistance and ease of installation. Made from recycled rubber tyres, these eco-friendly ‘stones’ are hard-wearing, crack proof, frost resistant, mould resistant and suitable for year around use. In the winter months with rain, snow and below 0°C temperatures, these stones are easily thrown down onto any soft surface outside to stop people slipping on wet or icy pathways or getting stuck in a muddy lawn. Lightweight, easy to transport, they do not require the user to dig them in as they will sit on top of the grass or dirt and bed down over time creating a long lasting, attractive path way.
Hozelock makes garden spring clean easier
The new small and mighty Hozelock Pico Power Pressure Washer delivers all the performance you need in an amazingly small, versatile unit. The powerful 140 bar (max) motor and pump delivers all the power you need for cleaning around your home, whilst its size and weight ensure the Pico Power is a delight to use. Whether purchasing a pressure washer for the first time or replacing an unwieldy existing model you’ll find the Pico Power easy to carry or wheel, so if you’re on-road or off-road the Pico Power can be easily transported by using the towing handle or carried via the comfortable carry handle. It’s also incredibly easy to store, so you’ll be able to keep your shed or cupboard clutter-free.
Prongcroft launches the Garden Prong
The Garden Prong is a new British designed handheld garden tool. A modern twist on a traditional design. It makes very light work of removing weeds and aerating soil within garden boarders, patio pots and vegetable plot environments. Specifically designed for ease of use for persons of any age and ability, it is supplied in three specific sizes. It can be used at any time all year round keeping weeds at bay and the soil aerated. Supported with wall grid display units for ease of installation into the garden retail environment.
Omega Tools driving year-round sales with market-leading car care accessories
Perfect for add-on and impulse sales, the new range of car acre accessories from Omega Tools is the perfect year-round sales opportunity.
Chemical Guys is a car care range that encompass the whole industry, with products aimed at many different demographics. From the ‘petrol head’ in the 18-25 year bracket wanting to spend hours making their car gleam like new, to the completely under serviced and often ignored 30year plus group who also want a great finish, just don’t want to spend hours achieving it. The washes come in all forms from MEGA SUDS using a power washer to high quality carnauba infused shampoo to be added to your bucket and sponge; both guarantee the highest quality wash available anywhere.
Another huge winner for retailers is the new the scents range. These range from the newly launched freshly sliced Watermelon scent, Warm American Apple Pie scent, Fresh Cherry Blast and the popular MangoCello to the downright naughty ‘Stripper Scent’. These scents are proving hugely popular with no just motorists, but for household uses too.
Both the car washing and scents will be available on unique highly visible POS stands with back up from built in TV helping increase sales across the year.
Fordingbridge driving year-round sales
With Fordingbridge canopies it is easy to drive year-round sales. Here the company lists seven reason why:
- Retail space expansion
- Cost effective ways of increasing retail space
- Convert existing canopies into insulated spaces
- Inspiring environments to increase dwell time
- Assist in creating a great customer journey and experience
- Help in the creation of a one stop destination
- Improve sales performance
For more information, interviews or images please contact:
Kimberley Hornby, Glee PR Team, Hornby Whitefoot PR
Tel: 01858 681122 Email: kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk
Notes to editors:
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