We need to communicate added value

Oliver Mathys, you are back with the POS Green Solution Islands for spoga+gafa 2025. What can visitors look forward to this time?

This year, we will be placing greater emphasis on showcasing the different seasons in the retail area. We will be featuring a winter terrace, an outdoor beach experience and a walled garden in full summer bloom. Each of these areas will be complemented by a stand with a small exhibition space. The overarching theme of this year’s spoga+gafa, “Design Gardens”, will of course be prominently featured throughout.

What are the current trends in retail space design?

In today’s market, both distributors and retailers are expected to be more flexible and plan further ahead. They need to adapt quickly to new situations and keep finding new ways to surprise customers. We want to place greater emphasis on this in our special exhibition area by focusing on the different seasons. Retailers today are often faced with the challenge of creating cohesive retail displays quickly, whether at the entrance of a garden centre or when designing a pre-checkout area in a DIY store, where elements like the back wall, flooring and hanging fixtures need to remain consistent.

What elements are especially important at the point of sale?

Tuning into the continuously changing emotional climate is more important than ever. Seasonality is getting more attention as shown by the rising number of complaints when Easter bunnies appear too early next to discounted Christmas goods. If the green industry can’t convey seasonal moods through floral displays, who else can? This advantage should be used more.

What general trends are you seeing in the gardening market?

Unfortunately, the optimisation of our global business is also impacting the product range, and not just in hardware and decorative items. Live goods have long been affected by this trend as well. Rising energy and raw material costs are taking a toll on producers and the ever-shrinking margins in production are forcing growers to reduce the diversity of varieties. That is not an encouraging outlook for specialty retailers. The shift of many basic products to food retailers is also putting increased pressure on pricing and availability.

What impact does consumer behaviour have?

The needs of consumers are changing. Local providers cannot always count on a loyal base of returning customers and have to work harder to generate daily traffic. This trend should be given greater consideration in the visual presentation of the product range. Clear communication, good wayfinding and visual focal points are key to retail success. Unfortunately, new introductions from breeders are often superseded by even newer varieties within a single year. That is all the more reason why they should be clearly labeled and highlighted in the retail space.

What should brick-and-mortar garden retailers pay closer attention to in the future?

Clear messaging through well-designed signage, or better yet, through their staff. When customers come to me, I should make them feel immediately welcome and show that I’m glad they’re here. Rather than saying, “No, we don’t have that” or “It’s sold out,” it would be better to offer tailored alternatives. Otherwise, there’s a good chance the customer will go elsewhere and not return.

So, retailers should engage more with customers?

Added value needs to be communicated clearly, especially when talking to customers. However, it shouldn’t come across as a justification. In Germany, for example, people often say that sustainable products shouldn’t be more expensive. But that’s often not the case. If sales staff take the time to familiarize themselves with the production process, they can communicate the added value with the right arguments. This past gardening year was a clear reminder of how dependent our industry is on the weather. That is why it’s more important than ever to complete preparations and updates well before the season starts. When the first warm rays of sunshine herald the start of the gardening season, the sales floor should be ready for the months ahead.