According to an article in the July issue of Multichannel Merchant, the number of 12-month buyers from gardening catalogs dipped 7.6% in the first quarter of 2010 compared to first quarter 2009. The article further reports that only 29% of gardening catalog files had some sort of growth, while 37% declined.
Of course, these numbers are averages that include both vegetable gardening companies with strong sales and companies selling discretionary luxury products, many of which are hurting.
Nevertheless, if Multichannel Merchant’s numbers are correct, I’d say we’re doing a darn good job of beating the averages for most of our clients. In our experience, direct-to-consumer sales are outpacing business-to-business. What’s more, a number of clients selling discretionary products with high price points are doing well by emphasizing the more affordable segments of their product line.
What’s been your experience so far in 2010?
