As the countdown to Christmas commences, Garsons is focusing on a comprehensive festive experience, which will encourage shoppers to come to the garden centres for their Christmas shopping. Kitchen and home products are among Garsons’ giftware offering, which is “going “from strength to strength,” reports director Ben Thompson.
Part of the Christmas experience at Garsons is a pair of real reindeer, which live at the farm at Esher’s site for the four weeks up to Christmas. Inside the stores, Christmas displays have been building up gradually, to be fully in place by October 19.
Garsons will hold members evenings in December, with 10% off and complimentary prosecco. Ben states: “Our marketing department send all 30,000 Garsons Card members a 32 page Garsons Christmas Brochure, along with some good offers and an invitation to our events.” The Farm Shop at the Esher branch hosts a Christmas Food Market, which also boosts sales and footfall. Meanwhile, social media posts, email newsletters and Garsons’ website all fanfare the retailer’s Christmas activity.
Ben anticipates increasing shopper numbers as a result of sales of real Christmas trees (which typically pick up from the last weekend of November) and related tree decorations, as well as from Christmas meat orders from both sites’ quality butchers.
Top: A reindeer on a walk at Garsons’ Esher branch.
