Path to Purchasing for Garden Center Consumers In-Store and Online

The Floral Marketing Fund (FMF), in partnership with the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and the University of Guelph, are presenting the final results from a new study on consumers’ perceived value of nursery plants – focusing specifically on garden center consumers in both the US and Canada. The findings are being presented through an upcoming webinar on January 27th and the final report. The report takes an in-depth look at what plant features such as longevity, pot size, and care convenience increase the value of plants for the consumer. The results provide guidance not only for garden centers but for retailers and wholesalers through value-based pricing, informing inventory selection, and sharing strategies on how to market other quality features to consumers.

The study was funded through the FMF and conducted by researchers Dr. Alexandra Grygorczyk and Dr. Amy Bowen of the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and Dr. Juan Wang of the University of Guelph with industry support and guidance from the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association and Landscape Ontario. The project had three phases of data collection: 1) Path to purchase interviews at garden centers in 2020. 2) Online survey of both Canadian and US consumers. 3) In-person vs. online shopping experience interviews in 2021.

“This comprehensive and in-depth report provides a ton of valuable information on what influences consumers’ purchasing behaviors both in-store and online. In particular, the results show several marketing opportunities to increase sales and encouraging responses from consumers with regards to willingness to pay allowing for pricing flexibility,” notes the FMF’s Communications Manager, Karin Krause.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Floral Marketing Fund