Do you think that garden centres are going a bit to far as now they sale?

every think once you go for plants and garden tools now you can by tables chairs and clothes toys

Do you think that garden centres are going a bit to far as now they sale?
not to mention christmas decorations, cakes, crockery, tioletries. its not what people visit a garden centres for
Reply:They have to earn money, outside the growing season. Our local garden centres become a Christmas fair - it's great. I think theyw ork with the seasons. Good for them.
Reply:They're only following what supermarkets have been doing for years.


We used to go to them for groceries and now they're peddling clothes, electronics, banking services and just about anything else
Reply:Just like supermarkets. They are trying to monopolise the market. Gone are the days when you had to buy meat from a butcher, fruit from a greengrocer and cakes from a baker. Not all change is good.
Reply:clothes and toys? what garden centre have you been too
Reply:these garden centres can also be attached to large DIY stores where kitchems etc can be purchased





years ago we used to visit one because it had a particularly good cafe





when i go to a garden centre though it is usually to buy plants or something garden related
Reply:yes. i've been to a lot of garden centres that sell all these things and they're quite expensive too.
Reply:who cares about gardening
Reply:I'm chuffed tae bits wi' ma local garden centre. Just bought an advent calendar. Not one of yon chocolate ones, a wee blast frae the past, ye open the windaes and get wee pictures of angels, nativity stuff, shiny stars etc. Absolutely fabulous, brings back hunners o' childhood memories!!!!
Reply:Garden centres like many other businesses adopt a flexible approach to sales and marketing in order to survive


This is especially important in a 'seasonal' market place, where the nursery will be busy from May to September, but struggling with diminishing sales of plants in Winter.


Unless the centre carries a wide stock of associated products, like wildlife supplies, barbeque's, garden furniture, gardening clothes and greetings cards, there will often be a drop in turnover. Let's face it, many have set up a 'fairy grotto' at Christmas time in which Santa helps to keep things ticking over!
Reply:Yes look at Dobbies
Reply:It's the power of WalMart and having to compete against that giant in the industry that has run more mom and pop shops out of business and if the profit isn't great enough, leave the landscape an economic wasteland.
Reply:that is taking it to far alright.
Reply:Someone must be buying these thing's.....
Reply:Well, Garden Centres have to survive like all other business'. The large overheads and the competitive prices that they have to sustain throughout the year demands that they go into all other items related to Gardening. Many times it happens that someone is just happy shopping at one place for everything than rather going to another shop for another thing. Basically,its a customer demand that is looked into and then the management formulates whether it is practical to keep the product or not. In the meantime, lets just enjoy the experience of shopping and relaxing at the same time in a Garden Centre.