GCA CEO, Peter Burks, writes: Gift sales have continued strongly during the peak gardening sales months this year, which is very good news, as I think this demonstrates that our peak at the end of the year should be even higher than normal.
Gift sales in June were up 3.69% and increased year to date by 5.28% according to the Garden Centre Association (GCA) Barometer of Trade, which receives actual sales figures from over 110 member garden centres spread throughout the United Kingdom.
This category contributes 11% of a garden centres total sales across the year, a figure that has been rising steadily in recent years. Clothing adds a further 5% to a garden centre’s total sales.
As we sit here in the current sweltering heat wave it’s hard to get your head around thinking about the next big peak, that being Christmas.
Christmas sales now represent as much as 10% of a garden centres total sales according to our Barometer of Trade. The stock is only out for four months at the most and the majority of the sales come in the seven weeks of November and December, with the sales in these two months being almost the same.
October sales are just a third of November’s, giving you an idea of the ramp up in sales once we pass the October school half-term – always a key calendar date to be fully set up.
Garden centres began their love affair with Christmas, as it was a great product range to fill what used to be one of the quietest periods of the year.
Initially, there were those pioneers who embraced it, and, of course, those who thought ‘this is not gardening’ we will steer well clear.
What has been very interesting is the further expansion of products and attractions on offer during this time to keep attracting people in and keep them on site for longer or even at different times of the day.
The Christmas offer also brings in a completely different type of customer compared to those who are seen throughout the rest of the year. We see young couples, family groups and things like ice rinks attract good numbers of non-gardening visitors. This gives an opportunity to ‘advertise’ your range with great visual merchandising in the hope that these customers will then venture back at other times of the year.
Toy sales are an area that is currently building very nicely in garden centres and it’s an area that those who are good at this are aiming to be the destination of choice. Especially when children are invited to birthday parties and a gift purchase is necessary.
Definitely a good line for garden centres to pursue and it must also link with the Christmas gift sales.
