Gedat kits build proiect sales

G ELL the benefits. Sell the pro- tl iect. Sell both with cedar kits. Manufactured from both western red cedar and incense cedar lumber, gazebos, summer houses, and swings are among the garden structures offered in kit form. All have many benefits for both the buyer and seller.

Your d-i-y customer has the convenience of buying all the wood necessary, a list of needed tools, hardware, stain and complete instructions packaged together. Some kits even contain the hardware and use pre-stained wood. All the pieces are pre-cut with components such as lattice and ridge caps prefabricated.

Story at a Glance

Ways retailers can sell proiects with cedar kits. benefits for both d-i-y customers and dealer ... advantages of complete package.

assembly line and inspected to assure top quality. Because of the efficiency of the procedure, the cost is often less than that of a comparable structure assembled without a kit. Prices run in the neighborhood of $ I 500.

Retailers find it convenient to build a model of at least one of the styles and sizes of gazebo or summer house they sell. They also find it pays off in sales to display the instruction booklet so that the customer can see what is involved. Securing the booklet to the structure or laminating the pages and posting them on a bulletin board are workable ways of displaying the instructions. Pictures of other available models and sizes should be a part of this display.

Although some retailers stock the kits, most prefer to special order, picking them up from their distributor as needed. Because they are completely packaged, the kits handle and stack well despite their size and weight. A forklift can move them readily.

Packaged in boxes or poly lumber bags, the kits can be handled fairly easily despite weighing over a thousand pounds. Poly bagged kits measure 7' x 46" x 33" and fit in the bed ofa pickup truck. Boxed kits are similar in size.

Gazebos and summer houses come in a selection of sizes and shapes. Options such as cupolas are available. Deck Squares, stools, planters, bar kits, risers, steps, swings, cafe doors and decorator windows, all made of cedar, can be bought to expand the original project.

In addition to convenience, the kits offer your customer the advantages of quality and competitive pricing. Components are prepared on an

In addition to add-on sales of nails and stains for kits which come unfinished without hardware, dealers can stimulate tool sales by cross merchandising. A display of hammers, levels, handsaws, power saws, steP ladders, measuring tapes and squares adjacent to the model will encourage customers to upgrade or rePlace tools as well as buy those they don't own.

A demonstration of the assembly process can be effective. This is most easily done at the beginning of the season to build a model. If you want to repeat it every few months, You can skip the nailing and simply show the assembly of the various parts.

Although basically a seasonal item, cedar kits are good money makers with fairly high margins. The fact that they can be ordered as needed is an advantage.