Business Barometer July 2009
These responses came from a June 1, 2009, survey and originally appeared in the July 2009 issue of Water Garden News.
 Customers Wait Out the Rain
Manager of a nursery and landscape service in Decatur, Ala.
Customers want to come in, but when it rains, people stay home. The forecast predicted rain for the first couple weeks of June. I don’t want to think about effect on business yet.
When the weather breaks, people come in. People want to gardens; they’re just not buying the way they normally would.
Service Keeps Sales Level
Owner of a full-service pond business in Santa Clarita, Calif.
Business started off quiet this year, which is normal for winter. I put out a pre-season koi food order so people can pre-buy for the season. This indicates how the year will go. Orders matched those of last year.
I’ve been in business for 10 years. Compared to before the explosion of pond popularity, business is down about 10 percent. The water garden industry still is very strong.
Installation is slow, which is the biggest thing hitting me; it’s the big-ticket item. Other avenues — maintenance, equipment, supplies, medications — are staying level.
Most of my new customers are coming from my website. People new to the hobby contact me for information, and I sell them my services. Service keeps me in business.
Tough Time for New Business
Owner of a garden center and a contractor in Woodward, Okla.
Business is picking up a bit this week. We’re building a pond and doing some landscape. Business will increase when the oil fields pick up. I’ve been in business one year, and it’s been pretty tough.
Koi Fish Sales Remain OK
A pond and aquarium fish retailer in Corpus Christi, Texas
Business is slow. People are buying new fish but at a slower rate than usual. I’ve been in business for 9 years, and sales are about 20 percent lower this year.
Koi sales do well because more people are trying to put in ponds. They are staying home and upgrading their home environments.
My business strategy is to cut back on costs by ordering fewer dry goods and fish.
Slow Times for Pond Sales
A landscape/design/build company in Bettendorf, Iowa
The water gardening business has not been as strong as it could be. Customers have backed off on water gardening. The projects we have sold are higher end.
The recession has not affected our overall business; we’re seeing a very good year. We’re a 5-year-old company, and word of mouth has spread about our quality.
Business Slowly Picks Up
A contractor and retailer in Clackamas, Ore.
Things slowly are picking up. Many industries that provide the economy here are pulling out of Oregon, so it’s affecting our business. We’re coming up with new ways to provide information to our customers and expanding our horizons into other markets. It’s been in the works for the last three or four years.
There’s so much information on the Internet; some of it’s good, and some of it doesn’t work. For instance, many people buy aquatic plants, and when the plants outgrow the ponds, they put the plants in the ground. We’re tying to give them better information about resources for this area.
Past Week Shows Better Sales
A koi breeder and wholesaler in Picken, S.C.
The past week of business has been pretty good, but it’s not as good as the past couple of years. I’ve been in business for about 10 years, and sales have returned to about the same as before the boom; I can’t see much difference. As owners are getting more knowledgeable, they are more interested in new koi colors and breeds.
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Business Barometer July 2009
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