Ratchet up your tool display

Tools are an important part of a garden center’s merchandise mix, but they’re often relegated to uninspired, back-corner Pegboard displays. Chris Morfis, visual merchandiser for Armstrong Garden Centers in California, said the chain is making small tweaks to heighten the appeal of tool displays. He offered a few examples of the changes made at some locations in this 34-store chain.

For more: Armstrong Garden Centers; www.armstronggardens.com.

Ditch the Pegboard. Bolting hooks directly to the wall gives displays a sense of permanence.

Long-handle tools also benefit from a more permanent display style.

Exclusive brands and products with higher margins warrant more upscale displays.

Cross-merchandise when you can. Armstrong Garden Centers displayed this line of tools in its gift department last Christmas.

More tool display tactics

Educational displays. An exhibit at the Missouri Botanical Garden offers examples and information on ergonomic garden tools. Adapt this tactic for your store. Create signs describing a tool’s function and the best way to use it in the garden.

Dual-purpose display. Weston Nurseries in Hopkinton, Mass., puts a shed display to good use showing off a selection of long-handled tools. Look for underutilized nooks and crannies in your store that could house a sample of tools.

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- Sarah Martinez

April 2008