How Garden Centres Can Keep Outdoor Living Sales Moving This September

Is September Really the End of Outdoor Living?

For many garden centres, September marks the point where outdoor living starts to take a back seat.

The busiest summer weekends have passed, evenings are getting shorter and attention naturally begins to shift towards autumn planting, indoor living and, before long, Christmas.

It can be tempting to reduce outdoor stock, introduce sale signage and start freeing up valuable floor space.

But does September really have to mean the end of outdoor living sales?

We don't think it does.

For products such as hammocks, hanging chairs and hammock stands, there is an opportunity to look beyond the traditional summer season and give customers new reasons to buy.

Because ultimately, these products aren't just about sunshine.

They're about relaxation, comfort and making more of your outdoor space.

And customers don't stop wanting those things when August ends.

Pictured above: Globo single hanging egg chair

Don't Rush Straight Into a Sale

End of season promotions will always have a place in retail. They're a useful way to clear stock and create space for new departments.

However, discounting doesn't necessarily need to be the first response when September arrives.

If a product has sold well throughout spring and summer, immediately reducing the price can quickly eat into the margin you've spent the season building.

Before changing the price, consider changing the message.

In May and June, a hammock might be marketed around summer sunshine, holidays and long afternoons outdoors.

By September, the same product can be positioned around a Sunday morning with a coffee and a book, an hour outside after work, a relaxing autumn afternoon or somewhere comfortable to switch off at the weekend.

The product hasn't changed.

The reason for buying it has.

This is particularly relevant to hammocks and hanging chairs. Unlike some traditional garden furniture, they don't necessarily depend on hot weather or entertaining.

In fact, a cooler September afternoon can be the perfect temperature for relaxing outside.

Refresh Your Outdoor Living Display Before Reducing Prices

By September, an outdoor living display may have been sitting in roughly the same position for several months.

Regular customers may have walked past it countless times.

That doesn't necessarily mean they've lost interest. Sometimes, the display simply needs to give them a new reason to stop and look.

You don't need to completely rebuild your outdoor living department. A few simple merchandising changes can make a noticeable difference.

Consider:

• Introducing warmer autumn lifestyle imagery
• Adding cushions or a throw to a hanging chair
• Placing a small table, book or mug alongside a hammock
• Moving key products to a new position where possible
• Updating point-of-sale messaging
• Displaying hammock stands and fixing solutions alongside the products

Most importantly, change the message.

Instead of talking about getting ready for summer, start talking about making more of the garden this autumn.

You're no longer trying to sell customers the summer they've just had. You're showing them how they can enjoy the season that's coming next.

Pictured above: The Fat Hammock Set 

Position Hammocks as Outdoor Relaxation, Not Just Garden Furniture

One of the biggest challenges with traditional garden furniture is seasonality.

Customers naturally associate dining sets, sun loungers and parasols with summer.

Hammocks and hanging chairs can sit slightly differently within the category.

A hammock isn't simply somewhere to sit. It's somewhere to switch off.

A hanging chair isn't necessarily a replacement for a conventional garden chair. It can become a favourite reading spot, a quiet corner for a morning coffee or somewhere to relax after work.

A hammock and stand can also create a dedicated relaxation area in a part of the garden that wasn't previously being used.

This gives retailers an opportunity to talk about outdoor relaxation rather than simply garden furniture.

Customers don't need to be planning a barbecue. They don't need six seats around a table. They don't need a huge patio.

They simply need somewhere they'd like to spend time.

That makes hammocks and hanging chairs relevant to a much wider range of customers and gardens.

Use Product Bundles to Add Value Without Discounting

If customers need an extra reason to buy in September, reducing the price isn't the only option.

Product bundles can create additional value while helping to protect individual product margins.

For example, a hammock and fixing kit gives customers everything they need to install their hammock without having to work out which accessories they need separately.

A hammock and stand goes one step further.

For customers without suitable trees, a stand immediately solves one of the biggest barriers to buying a hammock.

A complete hammock, stand and fixing package can make the purchase decision even easier.

The conversation changes from:

"How much do we need to discount this?"

to:

"What does this customer need to create the complete setup?"

That can also help increase average basket value.

Someone who initially planned to buy a hammock may also purchase the appropriate fixing system. Someone who assumed they couldn't own a hammock because they didn't have suitable trees may discover that a stand solves the problem.

You're adding value rather than simply taking money off the ticket price.

Highlight the Flexibility of Freestanding Hammocks

Gardens change throughout the year.

The part of the garden that gets the best sunshine in June isn't necessarily where someone wants to sit in September.

This is where freestanding hammock sets can be particularly useful.

A hammock paired with a suitable stand doesn't rely on having two perfectly positioned trees. It can be placed on a suitable lawn, patio or garden area and repositioned when required.

For customers who are hesitant about buying another large piece of traditional garden furniture towards the end of summer, that flexibility can make a hammock set much easier to consider.

The hammock can also be removed from the stand when required, making storage more straightforward.

For retailers, this creates another useful selling point:

Customers don't need to redesign their garden to create somewhere to relax.

Sometimes they simply need a hammock and somewhere suitable to hang it.

Give Hanging Chairs a Fresh Focus

September can also be a good time to give hanging chairs renewed attention.

During the height of summer, they compete for attention with a huge range of outdoor products. As the season changes, their versatility can become even more valuable.

A hanging chair can create a comfortable relaxation area without requiring the space of a full garden furniture set.

They're also highly visual products in-store.

Most customers already know what a conventional garden chair looks like.

A hanging chair is different.

It creates curiosity, adds height to a display and immediately gives customers something to look at.

It can also demonstrate that an outdoor living department can offer more than traditional tables, chairs and loungers.

Sometimes, simply showing customers a different way to enjoy their garden is enough to start a conversation.

Start Thinking About Christmas Gifting Early

September also brings another retail opportunity that can easily be overlooked:

Christmas.

It may still feel early from a customer's perspective, but retailers are already planning their Christmas ranges and merchandising.

This is where outdoor relaxation products can begin moving into a completely different part of the customer's mind.

Hammocks Can Make Unusual Christmas Gifts

Hammocks can make appealing gifts because they're practical, different from conventional gifts and suitable for a wide range of people.

Many are also packaged into relatively compact carry bags, making them easier to merchandise as gift ideas.

They can work particularly well for parents, grandparents, couples, travellers and anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors.

The interesting part for retailers is that the product hasn't changed.

In June, a customer might see a hammock and think:

"I'd love that in my garden."

A few months later, another customer might see exactly the same product and think:

"Dad would love that for Christmas."

Same product.

Completely different reason to buy.

This means selected hammock stock doesn't necessarily have to be treated purely as summer stock that needs clearing.

There may be an opportunity to transition suitable products from outdoor living into gifting as the year progresses.

September is a good time to start considering that transition rather than waiting until the Christmas department is already in full swing.

Pictured above: Barbados Cappuccino Hammock

Use September to Understand What Your Customers Want

September isn't just an opportunity to keep sales moving. It's also an opportunity to learn.

As the season changes, retailers can gather useful information about how customers interact with the category.

Ask:

• Which products continue attracting attention after peak summer?
• Do customers understand the benefits of hammock stands?
• Are fixing options clear?
• Do customers respond better to complete sets?
• Are hanging chairs attracting more attention than traditional hammocks?
• What questions are staff being asked?
• What stops customers from buying?

That final question can be particularly valuable.

Perhaps a customer loves the hammock but doesn't have two suitable trees. Perhaps they're unsure how to install it or worried about storing the stand.

These aren't necessarily reasons not to purchase.

They're often questions that haven't been answered yet.

If the same questions keep appearing, retailers can use that information to improve display signage, product information, staff training, merchandising and next year's outdoor living range.

September can therefore be more than the final few weeks of the current season.

It can help shape the next one.

Make Your Hammock Display Easy to Understand

One of the easiest ways to lose a potential sale is through confusion.

Customers should be able to look at a hammock display and quickly understand what they need.

1. Choose Your Hammock

Show customers the different styles, sizes and options available.

2. Choose Where You Want to Hang It

Make it clear whether the hammock can be attached to trees, suitable fixing points or a freestanding hammock stand.

3. Choose the Appropriate Fixing or Stand

Make the relevant accessories easy to find and understand.

That's it.

Fixing options should ideally be displayed close to the hammocks rather than somewhere completely separate in the store.

Likewise, displaying a hammock on a stand immediately answers one of the most common questions:

No trees? No problem.

The easier the category is to understand, the more confident customers can feel about making a purchase.

Help Customers Enjoy Their Gardens for Longer

Perhaps the biggest opportunity in September isn't really about hammocks at all.

It's about changing the way we think about outdoor living.

In the UK, we have a habit of treating the garden as something that opens in spring and closes again at the end of summer.

Yet customers have invested heavily in their outdoor spaces.

They've created patios, planted gardens, installed outdoor kitchens, added lighting and purchased garden furniture.

Those spaces don't suddenly stop being enjoyable because the calendar changes from August to September.

There can still be beautiful sunny days, warm afternoons and plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors.

Garden centres are in a strong position to encourage customers to keep using the outdoor spaces they've spent so much time creating.

Outdoor relaxation fits naturally into that message.

September Doesn't Have to Mean the End of Outdoor Living Sales

Eventually, outdoor departments do need to change.

Christmas arrives, floor space becomes more valuable and customer buying habits move on.

That's simply part of retail.

But the move from summer into autumn doesn't have to begin with a red sale sticker.

Before reducing prices, consider:

• Refreshing the display
• Changing the lifestyle imagery
• Updating your messaging
• Creating product bundles
• Making fixing options clearer
• Showing complete hammock and stand combinations
• Giving hanging chairs more prominence
• Introducing autumn relaxation messaging
• Starting to think about gifting
• Using customer questions to improve your range

Most importantly, give customers another reason to buy.

At the end of August, the question doesn't always have to be:

"How do we clear what's left?"

A better question might be:

"How do we keep it selling?"

Sometimes, the answer isn't a lower price.

It's simply giving the customer a better reason to buy.

Work With Amazonas on Your Outdoor Relaxation Range

At Amazonas, we see hammocks and hanging chairs as something slightly different from traditional garden furniture.

They're about creating somewhere to stop, switch off and enjoy the outdoors.

For retailers, this creates an opportunity to develop an outdoor relaxation category that can sit alongside traditional garden furniture while offering customers something different.

We work with retail partners across hammocks, hammock stands, hanging chairs, fixing solutions and complete relaxation setups, as well as helping retailers make the category easier for customers to understand.

Whether you're looking for ways to keep your outdoor department selling through September or you're already planning your next outdoor living season, our team would be happy to talk.

Looking to strengthen your outdoor relaxation range?

Get in touch with the Amazonas UK team to discuss your garden centre or retail requirements, including product ranges, retail bundles, displays and merchandising support.