• HEADLINES
• NEWS IN BRIEF
• HOT PRODUCTS
• ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• SELLING TIP
• UPCOMING EVENTS

ANTI-FATIGUE FLOOR MATS are perfect for anyone who works on their feet all day. These mats from Maxum are popular among woodworkers, teachers, factory workers…you name it. Made with polyurethane, these mats help reduce fatigue, increase productivity and reduce healthcare costs associated with injuries of lower back, feet and legs. When we tested out this mat, it was a big hit in the office. The typical reaction was, “Oh…that’s nice.” Then testers continued to stand on it for the next two minutes. Although the price might be a little steep for some customers, the second they stand on it, they’ll be hooked. These mats also don’t wear out, or wear down, like other floor mats. For more information, click here.

GARDEN HOSES are lead-free, phthalate-safe and bacteria-resistant. Colorite Plastics, a Tekni-Plex company and manufacturer of garden hoses, introduces the award-winning Element™ line. Environmentally friendly and designed for today’s health-conscious consumers, the Element line of garden hoses meets the lead-free standard under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Each of the three hoses in the Element line are formulated with a new bacterial inhibitor. Additionally, each hose meets California’s strict standards on the phthalate content allowed for children’s toys. For more information, click here.

RESCUE TAPE seals leaks fast. Just stretch and wrap, and the self-fusing Rescue Tape creates an air-tight waterproof seal in seconds. A winner of Hardware Retailing’s Retailers’ Choice Award, Rescue Tape boasts 950 PSI tensile strength and insulates 8,000 volts. Rescue Tape is ideal for plumbing and hose leaks, waterproofing electrical connections and much more. Each roll is 1-inch by 12-inch and is available in eight colors. A POP display is available. For more information, click here.

Add-On Sales are Key—While pansies and potting soil may top your buying list as you prepare for another lawn and garden season, don’t overlook related items that can greatly add to your assortments and help build your reputation for being deep in the category.

Fashion Items—Lawn and garden sales don’t just mean plants and chemicals anymore. Fashion categories have become excellent sellers, including items like wind chimes, park benches and trellises. Other items like outdoor candles and other lighting; ceramic, stone and poly resin stepping stones; featherlike planters; statuary and water gardening have all had tremendous growth recently.

Keeping Up with Trends—Keep abreast of the trends in these fashion-oriented categories to capitalize on sales of these lawn and garden fashion items. When predicting emerging lawn and garden trends, pay close attention to color.

Understanding the Nature of Lawn and Garden Customers—Lawn and garden departments are attracting record numbers of consumers, and a majority of them are women. Keep this in mind as you stock other areas of your store. Most consider gardening a hobby and stress reliever.

Pending home sales dropped in January, according to The Associated Press. An index that tracks sales agreements fell 7.6 percent from December, according to the National Association of Realtors, marking the lowest reading since last April.

U.S. construction spending fell for the third straight month in January, according to the Commerce Department. This drop marks the lowest level since June 2003. The Commerce Department says construction spending dropped 0.6 percent to $884.13 billion, after falling by 1.2 percent in December.

Most retail sectors saw improvement in February, according to MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse report. Check out which sectors saw the biggest increase below:

• Consumer electronics, up 5.8 percent, for a sixth consecutive month increase.
• Luxury sales, excluding jewelry, up 15.2 percent, following gains of 8.1 percent in January and 5.5 percent in December.
• Online sales, up 16.7 percent, though the average transaction shrank 3.7 percent.