Growth in the Global Greenhouse Market: 4 Ways Retailers Can Benefit
According to a report published by Markets and Markets, a leading research firm, the global commercial greenhouse market is estimated to be a valued at $19.48 billion (as of end of 2015). On top of that, the industry is expected to grow at an average of 8.8 percent through 2020.
Clearly, going green is more than just a fad. A definite shift towards sustainability is occurring and will only continue to grow.
How can greenhouse retailers within the greenhouse industry take advantage of this long-term trend? Here are four tips that can help.
1. Make sure you’re running year-round
With the industry on the rise, it means there is more opportunity throughout the year. Normally, garden centers depend on holidays and when popular plants and flowers bloom for a good portion of revenue. Now is the chance to start preparing for year-round customer traffic and income.
Nursery retailers can benefit by constantly having fresh stock of live goods. For example, in winter, having plants that thrive in cold weather like the camellia, winterberry and paper birch tree are a must. Additionally, you can ramp up local marketing activities during such times. This way, more people will know you’re the store that can keep their home or business green throughout the year.
2. Go green with your whole store
Kissmetrics, a customer analytics platform, found 85 percent of shoppers place color as a primary reason they buy a product. Green, the company says, is the “easiest color for the eyes to process,” which helps customers relax in store. This can be very influential in persuading a person to buy a plant at your store.
This is all the more reason to set up aesthetically appealing retail displays and signage that reflect the live goods you sell and the lifestyle your shoppers live. So, if you run a garden center or greenhouse, start using plants as a decoration. It will make the place more lively and drive more purchases (as the research suggests). It will also help grab more of this increasingly larger market.
3. Develop a sound marketing strategy
With the greenhouse market exploding, you have to find ways to get people to know about your brand. That means you need a growth-centered marketing campaign. Don’t panic: This doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.
There are many things you could do. Of course, you must be on social media. Creating blog content that’s focused on the local market helps. You can even just hand out flyers at popular local spots. Also, you could offer free gardening classes, like Whole Foods offers with its cooking classes; free classes would help drive people to your store, with the hopes they’ll make a purchase after the class and become lifelong customers.
4. Build your store for flexibility and durability
Face it: Folding tables aren’t going to work for displaying your merchandise. Not only will the overall display look unprofessional, it can be unsafe and may not be able to adequately hold all the items you need. After all, plants, flowers, soil, gardening tools, and whatever else you sell can get heavy.
Instead, focus on using easy-to-assemble yet strong display products. For instance, displays made of heavy-duty recycled plastic can be put together in minutes and withstand decades of use. With such displays, you can create pop-up displays, promotional aisles, and even outside sales areas in minutes. This ensures you can expand your revenue and actually capitalize on the growing popularity of garden centers.
Winning more market share in the greenhouse industry
To capitalize on this growing market, follow these four tips to ensure constant customer traffic throughout the year and for years to come. Pay attention to any changes in the industry as well–and always be ready to capitalize on trends. Stick with the plan, and you’ll achieve sustainable growth for decades.
