Target Garden Centers

[BOSS]

Target will close all 260 of their garden centers at the end of September. It is not certain if they will continue to sell Poinsettia's and other plants in the stores...

I would think this is good news for any one else selling plants in these markets.....

Thanks Bloomin' News for the heads up~!

 

[Carol Bice]

Wow, that is huge.

So, what do you think the reason is? I assume it did not bring in enough revenue, but, are there other problems?

 

[BOSS]

Carol, my *guess* would be the same. Lack of ROI on purchases. Target too is a pay for scanned items set up like Lowes, Home Depository and others. Perhaps Target figured out they were losing money trying to sell items that have little built in profit, and at the same time having issues with suppliers. Don't know for sure...

But I do see it as a good sign for the industry...

 

[Kristine]

my take would be the suppliers no longer saw profit in the pay per scan at target and declined to continue at the current margins.

In our area I have noticed a big decline in the amount of tropicals, blooming (not seasonal HB, flats etc) available at big box stores. Suppliers can no longer take a risk on sending a lot of inventory with the hope of it selling and there never seems to be any care given (watering etc)

also:

Kudos to CHR Page 11 on the arrangement sent to Fry’s Electronics store in Anaheim

 

[Victoria]

That is good news. My thinking is they also decided there was too much labour involved in maintaining the plants to be profitable for them.

V

 

[anytimeflowers]

Labor from taking care of the plants? I don't think they paid anybody to do that, it's probably the dumpage. lol

 

[Victoria]

You may be right Linda, but from my experience in working at a greenhouse, the labour hours were factored into the costing of the end material. Mind you, we grew much of the product as well.

V

 

[OB1]

WOW, V, I am so confused.
I think it is time for you to give us a full run down of what you have done, and have not done!
A deli, funeral home, a flower shop, and care giver?!?
Yikes, you have led a full life, and yet you are still so young!!
So...... What's the deal?
Is there anything you haven't done????
C'mon....tell us...please.

 

[Victoria]

Easily explained Joanne. I worked for a flower shop that also had many greenhouses. When I wasn't busy in the shop I would happily escape to the tropics (in the winter).

I had my own flower shop in the beginning (after attending Flowers Canada) and have subsequently worked for four other flower places.

Life often dictates directions perhaps not planned, but necessary. Working several jobs at a time makes it seem like I've had a storied career, when in fact I was trying to survive.

My volunteer life is more interesting I think.

V

 

[Rhonda]

That is part of the problem with the big boxes I've noticed here. Home Depot doesn't take care of their plants, lack of water, no sun shade for sensitive plants. Buy them when they come in or not at all. But on the other hand, Lowes seemingly takes much better care of their plant stock whether seasonal or green/bloomers during off seasons. Maybe that is why they are so more "woman" oriented then the HD's. Our Target doesn't have an outdoor plant area at all. I've also noticed the Sam's Club and Wally World don't seem to have "knowledgable personnel" in their plant departments and therefore lots of bad looking stock.

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Quote of the day!

Life often dictates directions perhaps not planned, but necessary.

V

Ain't that the truth..... If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans....

Have a simply awesome day Vic....

 

[Carol Bice]

I have a "Market Street" grocery store near me, so, I go in several times a week. They have a huge flower department and some of the stuff is actually great looking. But, I have noticed they mainly do wrapped bunch flowers nowadays. Don't see much in the way of cooler made arrangements anymore.

The part that amazes me is that they cannot possibly sell even a third of what I see in that shop and their prices are in keeping with other grocers. How can they possibly justify dedicating so much area to something that surely can not be bring in big bucks? It is one of the larger flower departments that I have seen.

As I stand in line to check out, I always look at what people put in their carts and see only about 1 in 25 putting a bunch of flowers or a plant in their cart. So, is this enough revenue to keep them going?