Will a product to gift wrap a potted plant be well received?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Pawelek on June 19, 2009 at 2:29pm

Linda, Highland Supply Company has been producing laminated and foil plant container covers for over 80 years and has over 12,000 products in their line. Besides being a bit more closed at the top what might be the difference in your product? From a growers standpoint, though I know these covers are applied right before sale, I prefer an open top for aeration and to deter fungal growth/fungus gnats at the soil surface during display, delivery and at the consumer's home. Many of my containers have plants that cascade down the sides so I assume the cover at the rim would be slipped under the folaige? I must admit your design is beautiful !
Michael Pawelek
Pecan Hill Nursery
www.pecanhillnursery.com

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Permalink Reply by Linda Bodak on June 19, 2009 at 6:39pm

Hi Michael--thanks so much for your considered response.

The closest product Highland Supply offers is the industry standard square sheet of foil that is already molded around the pot prior to sale--but that industry molded foil is not a consumer product--Plant Wrapz is. That's a major and significant difference.

Plant Wrapz is different in that it is a retail consumer product--sold individually, wrapped in cellophane in a POP display, allowing the customer to wrap the plant after the purchase, much like any other item purchased as a gift. It gives the consumer the freedom to choose any plant they desire without worrying if the plant they want also has the right color molded wrap around it. Plant Wrapz provides the consumer a convenient and simple product to wrap it beautifully and perfectly - no measuring--no cutting--no wasted wrap material and therefore, eliminates the need for growers and or retailers to purchase and apply the molded wraps at all. They can leave the plastic pots as-is and focus on the health and beauty of the plant itself and omit the expense of the molded wrap altogether.

Retailers, providing Plant Wrapz (shipped and displayed in its own shipper box) provide their customers a product superior to the industry standard molded wrap while at the same time giving their customers choice. The shipper box signage and images also eliminates the need for sales help and allows customers to easily understand what it is and select the appropriate sized Plant Wrapz in the colors, patterns and designs appropriate for their gift giving occassion.

The only time Plant Wrapz would be applied prior to the sale is if a retailer or grower wanted to pre-wrap their goods with with Plant Wrapz in order to add more consumer interest and attention to their offerings, or as a method to brand their goods or as a value added item. Otherwise, Plant Wrapz is a standalone consumer product which gives the consumer a convenient and simple way to gift wrap their potted plant or use it as a home decor item (e.g. poinsettias are examples of potted plants which are both gift and home decor purchases.)

Also because Plant Wrapz fits perfectly just over the pot there is still plenty of room at the soil level so there is no more worry (for the consumer) about fungus any more than the industry standard molded foil method. Actually there is even less worry about that since more of the plant is visible and exposed. I've seen the industry standard molded wrap with accompanying elastic string up around the stem of the plant--choking the stem, with the points of the square molded wrap crowding and bending the delicate plant. Not only could that damage the plant, but it looks sloppy and unattractive as well. That can happen with Plant Wrapz.

You mentioned cascading plants. If a plant cascades down then Plant Wrapz is perfect because it doesn't extend upwards past the pot interfering with the plants cascading effect the way the industry standard molded foil wrap does.

Plant Wrapz is a product for consumers to purchase, not a new cost for retailers to absorb. On the contrary, retailers will actually find a fantastic profit margin in the sale of Plant Wrapz. Add to that the likelihood that providing a way to gift wrap a potted plant will increase the sales of potted plants.

Thanks again Michael for your thoughful comments and for the compliment on the design! That was nice to hear. Let me know if you have any more input about Plant Wrapz or the intended market.

Michael Pawelek said:

Linda, Highland Supply Company has been producing laminated and foil plant container covers for over 80 years and has over 12,000 products in their line. Besides being a bit more closed at the top what might be the difference in your product? From a growers standpoint, though I know these covers are applied right before sale, I prefer an open top for aeration and to deter fungal growth/fungus gnats at the soil surface during display, delivery and at the consumer's home. Many of my containers have plants that cascade down the sides so I assume the cover at the rim would be slipped under the folaige? I must admit your design is beautiful !
Michael Pawelek
Pecan Hill Nursery
www.pecanhillnursery.com

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Permalink Reply by Erik Friedli on June 25, 2009 at 7:35am

We've done simple wraps with colorful tissue paper to dress the pot and cellophane sheets tied with curling ribbon over the top. In Winter, it protects the plant as people carry it out to the car, and in general, it's just pretty. Pot covers are OK (like the one shown in the picture), but I want my staff to sell a pot for the plant, too! Otherwise, I see all sorts of wraps available, ribbon, and even "Easter Grass" in assorted colors to dress the base of the plant. Then there's glitter, sprays, confetti, stickers, picks to dress the plant itself. Anything to make it look festive and fun!

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Permalink Reply by Rick Brown on July 2, 2009 at 7:34am

Linda,
There is a need to have a waterproof display in the garden center next to the plants for products like this. You plant the seed that plants can be gifted. Plants are a better value than a bouquet if they can be packaged as gifts. Seasonal displays for holidays and occasions could be a next step. Add a gift card to your package, make it affordable, make it available on a stand up rack merchandised on the plant table, make the display waterproof. The European containers/pot cover for plants are becoming very common now in the US supplied from the grower for foliage plants. Gift ready, affordable and already on the plant has shown to be successful in increasing sales and margins. Your product will have limited success if you can't compete with these existing easy options in placement and cost. A better positioning would be on tables with flowering annuals and perennials. Think lilies, coneflowers, shastas and garden mums with your pot cover and place it at hand to cover dirty 6 to 8 inch size nursery containers. These would be great gifts if there were an easy step to packaging them as such. Best of luck to you.

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