Anyone who goes into retail these days not informed of what the competition is doing, in particular the big boxes, does so at their own risk.
These big boxes have a system that is proven. Hence they will start new shops anywhere on the globe including across the road from you.
Garden Centres and Nurseries are not immune to this, even if you can't get the service, even if you may be 10 cents cheaper than them. The facts are they are in business, they are making money and they compete with you.
A smart operator will attempt to find niches where the big boxes would not or cannot compete. Nowadays a lot of garden centres go into big massive pots that look stunning. They are too heavy for the big boxes to bother with. They do provide a good boost for the tills when they sell, but that is the catch - when they do sell. The facts are you can't stick a plant in them, often they are vase shaped. If your customer doesn't have an easy $1,000 in their account they can't afford it and the finish doesn't suit everyone. They just don't fit the average customers needs, really he just wants a pot to put a plant in.
There is a saying going around. "You can live with the masses and sell to the rich or live with the rich and sell to the masses". I'm not saying I'd want to live with the rich, or that you'd want to - but look at the billionaires these days they sell the stuff everyone can afford, news papers, groceries, fuel, software for your computer.
Enter Terrazzo pots - You can order them in all sizes, of course you can plant it them. The shapes are in vogue right now. You can buy a trough 1.1m long, you cannot buy one in clay or glazed pots. You can have a tall straight square 1m tall, you can't buy one of these in clay or glazed. Terrazzo has the straight lines decorators and commercial offices love, they often sell in bulk as they are used for big jobs. Terrazzo has been done for a long time but not properly, we have set up our own place in Vietnam and we now have no more problems. This means for you, little competition as good terrazzo is hard to find. The big boxes don't want to touch it, it is slightly fragile and on the heavy side.
All this considered, do you sell plants? Why make your customers go to the Big Boxes for a pot because they are cheaper or because your focus is on big pots.
Carry Terrazzo pots and heaps, you'll be surprised at the sales you'll bring in.
For any more info about our terrazzo pots or any others click right here.