Talasey has issued five tips to help merchants and landscapers make the most of landscaping season – and buck the trend at a time when the UK economy and the general construction sector are facing challenges.

According to Peter O'Loughlin, National Sales Manager at Talasey, all the feedback and indications from merchant customers and landscapers suggest that 2024 could be a year of solid performance for those businesses that are well prepared for landscaping season.

He explained: “It’s very easy to get distracted by some of the headlines around geopolitics, global logistics and even the UK economy – but the fact remains that sectors such as ours are well versed in having a raft of contingencies to deal with a wide range of business interruptions.

“We have been planning for this year’s landscaping season for months to ensure seamless continuity in the availability of products, stock levels and bringing new products to market.

“Given our pivotal role in ensuring the consistent supply of products to our merchant customers – who, in turn, sell our materials to landscapers for domestic projects – for us, ‘preparation’ is one of our key watchwords.”

Talasey is pointing to five essential tips that can act as a preparation checklist for merchants and landscapers:

  • Talk to customers to ensure they have enough materials for the project – The merchant should check with the landscaper to see if all potential project needs are being fulfilled in terms of full project material requirements at the very start. This is a great opportunity for merchants to add value by talking to their trade customers/end users about the projects they are planning. It is not just about establishing what products they need right now, but finding out if the project may be extended or if another part of the garden is to be landscaped. If they are, then factors such as batch matching come into play (this is key when ordering porcelain paving, for example).
  • Stock the right accessories – Yes, having hero products on display, such as porcelain pavers or composite decking, will always catch the eyes of customers, but it is important to also have all the right accessories to enable landscapers to have everything they need for their project, such as clip systems for decking, jointing compound, jointing grout, priming slurry for paving, and risers for decking and paving. The list goes on!
  • Stock alternative products – If the availability of a particular product becomes an issue, what alternatives can you offer? A simple example could be alternative thicknesses of pavers. For example, some landscapers are used to working with 20mm porcelain pavers, but a growing number are switching to 16mm. Different shades or size formats of a product could also be considered.
  • Monitor landscaping trends – Keeping a finger on the pulse of landscaping trends helps merchants understand what the latest trends are that consumers and homeowners are likely to want to buy from them.
  • Ensure displays are looking tip-top - Make sure displays are clean, and have the correct point of sale (POS) and products. A quick audit of product displays is a great tip for every merchant to show the products off to best effect.

O'Loughlin Concluded: “Preparation will be the key to a busy landscaping season this year, so we make no apologies for helping to remind our merchant customers of some simple but effective things that can go a long way to making a big difference to sales of landscaping products.”