Why do shoppers go to a garden centre?
According to statistics presented by Creel, the independent garden centre is a planned destination for shoppers. Research conduced by StandPoint and the American Nursery and Landscape Association reveals that 71 per cent of customers plan ahead to shop at an independent, while 29 per cent end up there on impulse. When it comes to other retail channels, the data shows that 77 per cent of home centre shopping trips are planned, while 23 per cent are made on impulse, and 45 per cent of discount department stores outings are intentionally planned, while 56 per cent of customers end up there on whim. One explanation for these differences is that shoppers visit the various channels for a number of reasons. Creel says consumers shop with an independent garden centre because they view it as a plant destination that offers variety, in-store service and expertise. He says that, as of right now, a lot of customers don’t know to go to an independent garden centre for non-plant categories and this
