May 12, 2017
Mother’s Day & Mother Nature By Tim Hodson

Now that Mother’s Day weekend has come and gone, hopefully the gardening season is in full swing for most of you.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers were predicted to spend an average of $186 on Mother’s Day gifts — for a total sales tally of $23.6 billion. More than 10 percent of that figure ($2.6 billion) was expected to be spent on flowers for Mom!

Mother’s Day is often a benchmark for growers and retailers on how their spring season will perform, so I was wondering if you had an enjoyable Mother’s Day weekend?

How was the weather in your region on Saturday and Sunday? Did Mother Nature behave herself and provide consumers with the perfect weather to head out to the garden center? Or did she play a cruel trick on you and decide to turn a cold shoulder with cool and rainy weather?

Were your sales up, down or the same as they were in 2016? What do you think influenced your Mother’s Day sales the most?

I’d love to hear from you about your Mother’s Day weekend. Drop me a line at thodson@greatamericanpublish.com, and let me know how your weekend was and how sales have been so far this season — and where you are predicting they will end up.

Have You Met the Class of 2017 Yet?

In last week’s GPN Weekly we introduced you to GPN’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2017. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this year’s class, click here to see who’s who in 2017.

It’s a class full of rising stars that you will want to learn more about!

Got Merchandising?

I also want to let you know that Lawn & Garden Retailer, GPN’s sister publication, is now accepting entries for its annual Merchandiser of the Year competition.

If you are a grower/retailer or you know a garden center who has knocked it out of the park in 2017 with exceptional merchandising efforts, then click here for details on how to enter and win some fabulous prizes and be recognized for your creativity.

— Tim


Tim Hodson




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