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Smarter Selling: Bubbling Sales in the Garden
| by Pam Buddy-D’Ambrosio
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>> Published Date: 3/15/2009
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Mastering water garden sales
Mike Masterson knows a little something about water gardens. Just one year after starting Masterson’s Garden Center in East Aurora, New York, in 1985, Mike began selling water gardens. He says that no water garden display can be strong unless it’s backed by a knowledgeable, dedicated staff with creative and informational displays.
Equal in importance is the upkeep of the water gardens. “Your display ponds must always be clean, attractive and free of algae… A poorly maintained pond display will turn more people away than it will attract.”
Masterson’s carries a full line of products for all sizes of water gardens and large natural ponds including Tetra, PondMaster, PondCare, Atlantic, Savio, Microbe-Lift, Airmax, Kasco, Emperor Aquatics, Laguna, Nycon and more, says Mike.
The garden center dedicates 5,000 sq. ft. to indoor water garden displays and more than an acre to outdoor display and retail. Mike says, “We always greet customers with a water feature right at the main entrance to our store. This feature changes each season. Other features are more permanent, but we change the plants in and around them to create different looks.”
If a garden center is reluctant to add water features, Mike suggests thinking about it again. “There are good profit margins and potential for a loyal repeat customer base,” he says. At Masterson’s, “water garden department sales account for more than 60% of our total volume with profit margins more than 50% on average,” says Mike.
Selling themselves
Water garden sales make up nearly 20% of business at Felton, Pennsylvania-based John Shelley’s Garden Center and Nursery. Owner John Shelley says they’ve built 153 ponds of varying sizes since 1991.
As far as persuasive displays, ‘
he says, “Having one to two working water gardens as part of the display is crucial to customer sales,” but adds, “The display does not sell water gardens; the water garden sells itself.” Their indoor water garden is in a high-traffic area; customers heading to the outside retail areas must pass by the display.
Their product line includes items such as Little Giant, Cal Pump, Allied floating heaters, Pond Glow Lighting, Top Hat pre-filters and 45-mil EPDM rubber liners.
Water worthy
Trey Pitsenberger, owner of The Golden Gecko Garden Center in Garden Valley, California, says “you don’t need a large space, but you must have someone who takes charge of the department and has a passion for water gardening. After that, having a pond and waterfall running at the garden center is very important. Nothing sells water gardens like actual water gardens, but they must be maintained by someone very knowledgeable about how ponds operate biologically.”
With indoor and outdoor displays, The Golden Gecko sells plants in a 4-in. size, gallon cans and large containers. Trey says they display the cans and large containers on the ground and plants in the ponds. Trey adds that the pond liner is on a large roller so it can be sold by the foot, and the pumps and filters are on a rack.
Trey says that water garden sales at The Golden Gecko “might account for 5% or more of yearly sales. Most water garden plants are marked up 50 to 60%, while water garden supplies are at an approximate 45% mark-up.”
If water garden sales have been in the back of your mind but you’re worried about the lack of space, even cozy garden centers can include a water element. “Build a medium-sized water garden and make it spectacular,” John says. Customers aren’t sold by hardware, he adds, so don’t worry about needing space for it.
Mike suggests, “A water feature doesn’t have to be large to be effective. The sound and look of moving water create a very relaxing atmosphere and fish add another dimension. We must display what they want to buy—a beautiful water garden or fountain.”
Aquatic fanatics
Water garden manufacturer Aquascape in St. Charles, Illinois, supplies more than 1,000 garden centers in the U.S. and Canada with water garden products. The company has an ecosystem approach to water features, relying on a balance of circulation, filtration, plants, fish, rocks and gravel. This balance ensure sustainability of the water garden ecosystem.
Aqualand, Aquascape’s headquarters, is a living example of water garden possibilities for its customers. The grounds contain numerous water feature displays, including Aquascape’s 250-ft. x 90-ft. signature pond built with the help of volunteer customers last July. According to marketing communications manager Jennifer Zuri, the facility also includes a small ecosystem pond, a larger pond with waterfalls flowing near a recycled plastic deck and a bog garden. “It’s easy to envision any of these features in your own yard,” Jennifer says.
For Jennifer, Eagle Creek Garden Center in Bainbridge, Ohio, offers some notable displays. They have a large ecosystem pond front and center at the entrance showing a variety of beautiful aquatic plants from water lilies to marginal aquatics and more. “The display shows how to incorporate the water feature into the surrounding landscape with aesthetic plantings and ornamental shrubs,” Jennifer says. “Good signage completes the water garden package.” Another winning water garden display for Jennifer is at Patio Ponds, in West Chicago, Illinois. “The retailer incorporated whimsical effects like an old car that has a waterfall flowing from the window,” says Jennifer. Now, that’s an inspiration.
Aquascape Premiers Retail Store
According to Jennifer Zuri of Aquascape, the water garden manufacturer decided to open a retail center at its Aqualand headquarters in St. Charles, Illinois, to help with research and development for its retail customers. “We’ll be able to better identify consumers’ needs … and this will help us offer the best-quality water feature products to the retail market,” says Jennifer. Homeowners and landscape contractors with their clients can visit the company’s AquaGarden to see the many water feature types and get ideas from the various display. Then, it’s on to the retail center to create the outdoor oasis they’ve always wanted.
The retail center is open to the public beginning April 18, with a grand opening set for May 16-17, Aquascape’s annual Water Garden Weekend. During the weekend, customers can purchase aquatic plants, fish and other pond supplies. Aqualand will host water gardening seminars, games for the children and food vendors, as well.
Pam Buddy-D’Ambrosio is a freelance writer in New Rochelle, New York.
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