New watering accessories put the flow back in sales - Statistical Data Included

DSN Retailing Today, August 6, 2001 by Debbie Howell

Color and style are reviving the lawn watering category What used to be a bland, boring array of green hoses and sprinklers has now become an interesting assortment of colorful products and decorative items as fashion makes its mark on this segment. From lavender hoses and translucent colored nozzles to twirling copper sprinklers that add a decorative accent, the changes within this long-time functional category are also inspiring consumers.

"When we put a box of 20 sprinklers out on the floor and it looks like a bed of flowers, it stops people immediately, so impulse sales go up," said Tom Spain, president of Naan Sprinklers & Irrigation Systems. "Years ago, all you saw was yellow hose."

The trend toward new colors began to emerge about two years ago, according to vendors, at about the same time the decorative sprinkler started making its way to mass retailers and became a legitimate segment in itself. Since then, numerous retailers have added their own private-label decorative sprinklers, pushing prices down even more.

Anything new for a mature market typically growing only 3% per year is bound to have an impact. The new products have added an impulse purchase element to this $650 million category.

Because success in watering products is highly dependent on the weather--both an overly cold, wet spring and a long summer drought can negatively impact sales--it's even tougher to grow sales in a category once considered solely a functional, replacement market. As the summer season winds down, sales have been about average from a weather standpoint.

Other than new colors, the estimated $350 million garden hose market in the United States hasn't seen significant innovation. One exception is the growing popularity of drip irrigation soaker hoses, which one company estimates make up about 10% of sales. For Colorite Plastics, soaker hose sales have doubled each of the past few years. "It's very efficient; it puts water exactly where you want it. If you use a standard regular sprinkler, you tend to lose up to 45% of water through evaporation," said John Brannan, vp of sales and marketing.

In regular hoses, Colorite introduced Watercolors last year, a series of hoses in hues ranging from lavender to blue and red. Color Splash was later added, a line in translucent shades of blue, yellow, orange and red. These colors are intended to appeal primarily to women and catch the shopper's eye as an impulse purchase. Even though these new colors have performed well, about 80% of purchasers still opt for traditional green, Brannan said. "Consumers tend to really like the colors, it's just a question of how much distribution you can get on them."

As for hose type, 60% of sales are for 50-ft. lengths, though Brannan said he has seen a slight shift toward a preference for longer hoses. He said most first-time purchasers will pick out the cheapest hose, then buy a better quality hose each time a replacement is sought.

At Dayco-Swan, the emphasis has been less on color than adding useful accessories. The company debuted a hose-end line last year called Yard Mate that includes nozzles, sprinklers and timers to complement its hoses. Precision in watering has been a feature of the newest sprinklers. Some Swan SprayMaster sprinklers, for example, can be adjusted to six different geographic patterns and spray water from a fine mist to streams.

Sprinklers and nozzles, estimated at $300 million in sales by Vista Sales and Marketing Information Services, a division of CCI Triad, has been one of the more interesting segments to watch. Here again, new fashion colors and decor have been a driving force.

This year was the first for L.R. Nelson's Garden Garnish line of coordinated garden art pieces such as decorative sprinklers, and shepherd's hooks. "It's been an explosive growth trend for us," vp of sales and marketing Dave Eglinton said. "We're seeing the consumer do a lot more in terms of accessorizing their garden area."

Retailers picked up on this trend this season by adding inexpensive imports under their own brands. At WalMart, two miniature decorative copper sprinklers shaped like dragonflies under its Better Homes & Gardens label sold for $9.94. Target also joined in with Water Dancers, a series of copper sprinklers made in China with designs such as a blue gazing ball and dragonflies. Home improvement retailer Menard also had its own version, which got it into some trouble when vendor Bird Brain sued, claiming copyright infringement.

Also in the decorative arena, Nelson's traveling sprinkler has developed a following. Next season, a new version will be added, in conjunction with Caterpillar Tractors, featuring a mainiature tractor that spits out water as follows a track.

Besides fashion, other trends that have helped sales include value packs and more efficient watering devices. Eglinton said value packs of spray nozzles, quick-connect accessories and shutoff valves have bee strong sellers.

As for improved watering, sprinklers with automatic shutoffs, timers and water conservation features hay gained popularity. Ergonomic features also are important, resulting in spray nozzles today with comfort grips.