Business Barometer April 2008

These responses came from a Feb. 27, 2008, survey and originally appeared in the April 2008 issue of Water Garden News.

Clients Seek Solar-power
Water garden retailer in Buhler, Kan.
One of the most common questions we’ve been hearing from our customers is about solar-powered water pumps for waterfalls. The demand for renewable sources of energy will continue to grow this year. These kinds of products are a little more expensive, but I’m looking to stock more of them in the future.

I’m starting to sell more disappearing fountains for gardens and patios. People are upgrading their ponds with filtration and skimmers. Pond design also is undergoing change. Customers are buying more rock to decorate the pond’s edge.

Fish sales are solid. People what the 4- or 8-inch fish they can spot easily, not the 2-inch fish. Goldfish are the big sellers.

In 2007, I saw a 30 percent increase in sales of larger fish. I have to reorder. Overall, our sales have been stable in 2008. We got hit with a wet spring last year and our sales dropped as a result, but we’ve been able to rebound.

Fish, Plants Top Sales
Pet supply store in Akron, Ohio
The biggest things we sell for water gardens are fish and plants. During the summer, we sell a lot of koi. We also sell big comets and shubunkins.

Hyacinth and waterlilies are my top sellers in the plant department. People are getting into the more natural-looking pond. Plants help them achieve that look.

Overall, sales have increased 20 percent mostly from fish and plant sales. Our busiest time of year starts in May and goes through August. After that, we drop to virtually nothing, and business relies on our aquarium fish supply sales.

For pond liners, pumps and lighting, most people opt to shop at the big chain stores. That wasn’t the case five years ago. Those items used to be the big sellers here.

Low Voltage Means High Profit
Pump and garden lighting retailer in Glendale, Ariz.
Most customers are asking for low-voltage lighting for their water garden and landscape needs. Low-voltage lighting is safer to use.

Fountain pumps are another popular item. So are fountain lights.

People are purchasing more brass and copper items for the garden as well. They like the shiny brass material and the antique-looking coppers. These materials are long-lasting. Customers want value and quality for their dollar.

In comparison to 2007, sales are slow right now. People want to see what happens with the economy.

Customers Return to Nature
Water garden contractor and retailer in Milton, Del.
There is a focus on natural water features, such as bogs. I recommend wet-well systems to customers, because they require less maintenance than the skimmer boxes. It’s more expensive, but it’s worth the cost. There’s also a preference for container gardens and entry-level spitters. It’s February, but we still are selling pumps and aquatic plants and fish.

The weather has been in flux. Whenever there’s a warm spell, people call and need our help, especially with the time change coming up. With more daylight hours, people will want to spend more time outside, which means business will pick up.

Peaks in Interactive Gardens
Pond product wholesaler in Molalla, Ore.
We expect to sell more volume this year. We already have several distributors around the country and hope to expand. The economy actually has helped this business, because people are traveling less and spending more time and money on their homes. More people are getting into interactive water gardens. People are making their ponds more accessible for swimming and wading. Some even include sandy beaches.

The other popular items right now are upflow bog filters. These are natural and make it look like you have a stream running into your pond.

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Business Barometer April 2008

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