2016:1
What If We Knew More? By Jennifer Noble
SHIFT Beginnings In the fall of 2014, AmericanHort launched a research initiative known as the time as “The Future of Garden Retail.” It became immediately apparent, however, that this project went far beyond the scope of retail alone—it touched each and every part of our industry. It was also clear that the results of this research would challenge us to “Shift” our thinking, our approach to business, and our mindsets about consumers.
The purpose of this project was to look at how our industry could be better prepared for the consumers of the future. To conduct the research, we partnered with the Columbus College of Art and Design, which is the oldest design college in the United States. With them, we embarked on a journey of discovery and research. The student research team and their advisors—made up of faculty and business professionals—visited garden centers across the country, talked with industry leaders, and visited other non-industry retailers. During these visits they gathered 100s of GBs of video and audio
What’s Inside:
interviews with owners, staff, and customers, took thousands of photos, and collected a wide variety of information on consumers, products, and behaviors. They also conducted a diary study in which they asked individuals to care for plants and document their thoughts and experiences throughout the process. A key element in the project was the use of Design Thinking as the research approach. Design Thinking is utilized by many other industries for this type of research and is defined as solutionfocused exploration. Instead of starting with the problem, it starts with the goal (attracting new and dedicated consumers, re-engaging the old, and taking the shopping experience to a whole new level; solidifying the value of plants and horticulture products and services to consumers and increasing revenues for the whole industry). Design thinking is a process that focuses on what is happening, why it’s happening, and then explores simultaneous, holistic options that would achieve the described goal. The research also focused on qualitative data, which characterizes observations rather than giving them a number.
We’ve heard from businesses that they are surprised at who their customers truly are compared to their initial assumptions.
SHIFT Results
What If We Knew More?
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Hottest Summer on Record
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Valentine’s Day: Keeping Your Employees Motivated
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Grow Wise, Bee Smart. Promoting Healthy Habitats
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Member Spotlight: Saunders Brothers
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All of the data gathered through the research was distilled into what we know as “Insights and Recommendations.” Insights are broad statements that describe the area of potential and recommendations are the actionable items. If you were at Cultivate’15, you probably got your first glimpse of the Insights and Recommendations in the SHIFT area (the nearly 30 insights presented in that experience are now available in an e-book). While it may feel as though this is the end of a research project, it’s truly the beginning—the beginning of a shift, if you will. more on page 11…
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