Online community for ornamental horticulture
2010 bedding plant pricing
With the economy the way it has been for the last season and because profits are down a bit, I have been pondering the idea of raising prices on our 1204 annunals and 4 1/2" specialty annuals. What is the going retail cost for bedding plants of this size in your area? Would help me to know how much i can raise my prices or if I even should consider it. Thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Pawelek on -
Rebecca, This is a huge question and I wish I had a definite answer for you but only you can determine what price level is fair for your business by your overhead, competition and current sales volume. A great difference on retail prices exists all over the US and what is adequate for one area is not for another. Every time I see average wholesale and retail prices in Nursery magazine articles I cringe because my area of the US for some reason always has the rock bottom lowest prices of any other area. Right now at the peak of our Spring sales here in S.E. Texas our local plant chain is selling 24 count trays of annuals for $5.77! This is rediculously low and it gives the public the imprerssion that this is all the plants are worth. 4-1/2" annuals sell for between .69-1.29 which is also very low in my opinion but everyone must adapt to their local competition or sell a superior product with added service to justify to the public the added expense. Maybe someone in your area can target a better price range but in my case here in the deep South many plants are almost sold at cost. It is a real shame for all the work that many in our industry are not compensated for the hard work it takes to produce a quality product! :) Below is a link to the sales ad I mention above on the low annual flat prices.
http://houstongardencenters.com/images/ad_large.jpg
Michael Pawelek
Pecan Hill Nursery
www.pecanhillnursery.com
-
Permalink Reply by Victor Flaherty on -
Michael....no one in the rest of the country can imagine an independent garden center advertising like they do. This nursery just offered a $25 gift card just to sign up for their email list. Coupons that amount to 17-20% OFF... all Spring. 50% OFF all green goods about May20th and 70% off from late August until Jan 15th. Oh yes, all premium Christmas trees 5-8ft under $35. This is a market that most would not believe unless they were here to witness it.
-
Permalink Reply by Sid Raisch on -
And to think Victor...those people can also drive and have kids!
Rebecca, as a general rule of thumb, anyone should be able to find a way to increase prices 2% where customers won't even notice, but many others can increase them much more if they are priced under the value they can present.
-
Permalink Reply by Lloyd Traven on -
The FIRST thing you MUST do, before considering any price, same or up or down, is to ACCURATELY calculate the REAL cost of the product you sell, the losses, and the return you need to make. Then, and only then, do you have the MINIMUM price you can charge. It has nothing to do with the economy an even less to do with what other people charge.
Additionally, what you really need to be selling is not a 4" annual, but SUCCESS and VALUE (value doen't mean cheap). That is what the consumer wants to buy, and anyone who gives those two things can command a fair price. That's, IMHO, the only things you need to factor.
-
Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Maglaqui on -
A greenhouse can be covered with polyethylene at a fraction of the cost of glass. Except for the need of replacing the polyethylene at least every other year, it has a number of advantages over glass. Polyethylene permits the entry of ultra-violet light much better than glass, and thus ensures stronger plant growth. It is apt to stand up better in a hail storm than glass, and is much cheaper to replace. A double thickness of polyethylene inflated is recommended. Thanks for the great info
________________
air separation plants
-
Permalink Reply by Donna Kutil on -
This will not help you since we are on Cape Cod. 4 1/2" specialty annuals sell for $4.99 and above. That is our local Stop & Shop and the independent retailers.
-
Permalink Reply by robin waldrop sr on -
we grow bedding plants in true 804 trays and get 1.99 tray or 14.99 flat, no we dont have box stores across the road like some do but on the other hand if you have a loyal customer base and give them consistent quality i dont think you need to worry about what the big boys are doing. although i firmly beleive they are de-valueing the products we grow. like lowes selling 3/ 1 gallon perennials for 10.00.
but if the growers would stop growing and selling this stuff for pennies on the dollar these issues would eventually fade away!!!!!!!! one idea we have pondered before ,if you are looking for ad attention is run a weekly sale on a single variety as a loss leader and change it up every season. such as marigolds one week, impatiens the next, petunias next etc.
Donna Kutil said:This will not help you since we are on Cape Cod. 4 1/2" specialty annuals sell for $4.99 and above. That is our local Stop & Shop and the independent retailers.
-
Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Maglaqui on
-
This is starting to get pretty big! I'm glad i joined this community. "clap clap clap"
© 2010 Created by Sara Tambascio.
