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Garden Lifestyles at Caras Nursery
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Wild Birds Unlimited is popular at Caras.
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Caras Nursery and Landscape in Missoula, MT, has been a family-owned operation since 1920, but the company didn’t expand to include its “Garden Lifestyle Merchandise,” section until a decade ago - and what a smart move it was.
Since then, selections, sales and inventory have skyrocketed.
Customer Satisfaction
Owner Bill Caras says with the added presence and importance of Garden Lifestyle Merchandise at his nursery, Christmas isn’t the only flourishing selling season for gift items. The new category represents around 10 percent of his annual retail nursery sales, and Christmas accounts for another 10 percent.
In 1995, Caras bought a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise, bringing another garden gift element to the mix and another 5 percent to his retail sales.
“Although plant sales were and are primary with us, having this merchandise gives us a way to distinguish ourselves,” Caras says. “It’s also a way to make every shopper’s visit a good experience. We concentrate on repeat business, giving the customer a memorable experience, so he will want to come back.”
There are days when Caras’ garden merchandise sales are significant, but it is a business that has been built slowly. “It has taken time,” Caras says. “In our inventory, we want to have unique offerings and still maintain our margin. We also are rife with competition - so it’s important to offer something different.”
Caras works with Buyer and Retail Store Manager Marlise Mahon when making purchasing decisions; they visit major shows in Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle. Additionally, they locate vendors through magazines and inquiry cards to learn more about the garden gift biz.
During a recent trip to a Seattle gift show, Caras felt lucky that he drove a truck, because he ended up buying a complete display of concrete features, such as birdbaths and benches.
“I did a calculation in my mind as to the retail price,” Caras says. “We sold all those items with one exception - a concrete garden gong that is still here. But our customers get one-of-a-kind-items and see these as good values.”
Caras wants an ever-changing inventory of unique products, so orders are never made for huge quantities of any single item, though he may increase an order to meet a minimum. Small companies with unique merchandise will not often require a large order.
Small hand tools and items such as gloves are displayed in the Garden Lifestyle Merchandise section, but Caras doesn’t stock large quantities because his customers can go to Home Depot and make those purchases. He recently found a good hand pruner made by Barnel and was pleased customers were asking for this type of item.
“With the addition of Garden Lifestyle Merchandise, our customers have become inspired, and our sales in pottery have expanded,” Caras says.
Around the World
Unique items are displayed in Caras’ Garden Lifestyle Merchandise section, such as pottery from Portugal and the Philippines; a large, handpainted pot from Mexico; wall plaques by Vietri; wall plaques with replicas of plants taken from old scientific journals; unique plaques made by Pamela Murray and terrariums.
At the checkout counter, numerous impulse items are ready to be picked up, such as tiny gift cards with flower themes, fancy soaps, lotions, Burt’s Bees Wax and individual, foil-wrapped chocolates.
“We have to be careful how we spend our money,” Caras says. “We are concerned with, and concentrate on, repeat business, while keeping expenses in line.”
When a product is found everywhere, Caras is cautious about buying it. For example, chimineas are available at many retail nursery stores, so it’s not a hot item for him. “We have to consider what the other people (retailers) are doing,” Caras says.
High-end items aren’t the only bestsellers. Caras found a line of primitive pottery made by Comtradoes Pottery that he has had to reorder to meet demand.
Dust Collectors
It’s important to move inventory around, particularly if things are not selling. Caras displayed water bowls made in China and Vietnam with indoor plants and they didn’t sell well. The bowls hold water and can be used as fountains with water spilling over, but people didn’t understand what they were, so he relocated them to the Garden Lifestyle Merchandise section, and the customers took notice and started buying them.
Retailers have to show people how to use things, Caras says. In displays, the goal is to add to the overall ambiance by being creative, moving things around and trying different combinations. This technique helps with add-on sales.
“You may have to demonstrate,” Caras says. “That is often the case - you have a display you think looks nice, but no sales. You move it around and that changes the whole picture.”
Caras’ philosophy is that of a true businessman: “We want our customers to be successful,” he says. “If that is the case, they will come back.”
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