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By Sherri Vest Garden structures can create several problems. They're expensive, take up a lot of space and are hard to sell. But no garden center would be complete without these big-ticket items. So how do you use structures to your advantage? Here are four tips from garden centers across the country to help you turn around your structure sales.
Tip #1 Michael Parten with Orchard Nursery and Florist in Lafayette, Calif., has learned the importance of placing structures in a natural setting. With the help of lifelike displays, customers can easily imagine the structures in their own backyards. Remember that you may be able to look at an arbor and see its uses but your customers may not. Placing structures in natural settings will show your clients how to use your products, and consequently make your clients more likely to buy.
Tip #2 "We don't even carry wooden structures anymore," said Becky Pollock with Swanson's Nursery in Seattle. It is important to know fashion trends, but make sure you know what your customers want. Create displays that cater to your customers' tastes.
Tip #3 Your shop is filled with many beautiful items that can easily combine with an arbor or a trellis. Use these items to fill your display. Climbing vines and hanging plants can spruce up an arbor or pergola. Use large pots to stabilize and stringed lights to brighten. Stringer Garden Center in Germantown, Tenn., uses this idea. Even if customers are not interested in the garden structure, the variety in the display is bound to catch their eyes and draw people into the store.
Tip #4 Structures are likely among your most expensive items, and the clients purchasing them are apt to buy other things. To ensure they come back to your store, make sure customers feel confident about their buying experience.
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