A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
Posted by madgardener_ETN Z7 SE TN (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 04 at 6:45


There is a new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers and I
thought I'd share it with you and see how many notice this, this year. The
thread about Home Depot having their employee's spraying the unsaleable
plants orange to keep people from dumpster diving for them when they tossed
them out was an alert. But just yesterday I discovered a whole shipment of
COLUMBINES sitting out in the south and western nursery front on the tables
in the blazing sun. I mentioned to the plant specialist that these plants
needed to be under the shade building in the nursery and they told me that
when they contacted corporate headquarters with this, and that the
"planogram" was inaccurate, he was told that "we know where we want the
plants this year. Put them where we tell you, so that customers will see
them and buy them and there won't be as many plants to throw out and in
loss."
Now we all know that within reason, Columbines or Aquelegia's are semi
shade loving flowers. I have some wilder varieties of yellow and red that
can take direct southern and western exposure but I suspect it's because
their roots are shaded by the foliage of my other plants. These plants will
fry. And look horrid. And as for inspiring customers to buy them and less
loss, they're very wrong. The sun will dry up the soil less mix, dry out
quickly in the plastic pots where those roots are already filled up in there
from the fertilizers they feed the plants in the greenhouses.

This practice has to stop. The only way they will cease this is when
we write, e-mail or call them and complain. Logic and common sense tells
most of us that Columbines like a semi shady spot and that full, South and
Western sunlight even if it is the Spring exposure will make these plants
die a fast and horrible death. Lowes will listen to their customers because
they care about them. I've made my call already......

m.




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Follow-Up Postings:

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: JudyL 8 OR (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 04 at 8:54

I had the same experience at another chain store on a visit to
Billings MT last year. I don't remember exactly what the plants were, but
they were sitting on pallets on concrete in full sun - and cooking! I told
the clerk that these were shade plants, and basically got told to mind my
own business. They had the sun plants in shade, by the way. I left without
buying anything.
Judy



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: woodviolet 5 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 04 at 10:36

until people can pass up a "deal" at one of these places and decide to
shop elsewhere, these stores have little reason to change their ways.
Ya gotta put your money where your mouth is.....




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: Lady_Nikki z6OK (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 04 at 14:03

Most of those big chains solicit customers suggestions by little
postcards or forms available in the store.
I would think suggesting to them that when gardeners and plant lovers
see the shade-lovers being fried, they would wonder how well maintained the
whole department is - and "I definitely will not buy any plants from you
unless I can see that ALL of your nursery stock is properly cared for"



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: acs326 z6 Central Ohio (My Page) on Mon, Mar 29, 04 at
21:24

Lady Nikki you make a good point. Telling the sales staff, or even the
manager, may seem like a reasonable thing but they're too far down in the
food chain to make a difference.
When it comes to box stores the decisions about what products to sell,
and how to sell them, are made at the corporate level - so that is where we
should direct our complaints. And the suggestion form is as good a way as
any to do that.

Taking my money elsewhere is the ultimate criticism, but corporate
offices won't notice that anyway. Maybe backing that up with written
complaints from multiple customers will have more impact.




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: dellingd z7a OK (My Page) on Tue, Mar 30, 04 at 18:56

I have to agree with the general thought in this thread. I work in one
of the Big Chain Stores (not a lawn and garden store thankfully). I have to
agree that the customers have to send in comment cards, write letters, and
make phone calls to the Corperate Offices to make any changes at the store
level. All the merchandise in the store, inside and outside, is set
according to a "planagram" sent to the stores from Corporate. There is very
little if any leeway given to make changes to any planagram at the store
level. This includes the store manager. Corporate level management cares
very little what the employees or even store management have to say. Each
store will receive a copy of any complaint made about the store by customers
if it involves store personell but nothing about store policy. The store can
make changes in personell, but has no input as to store policy. If a manager
tries to make suggestions about store policy, very many times, he is
replaced with someone who will not question policy, but do exactly what he
is told. The people that work in the stores are in no way responsible for
where anything is placed or how long it stays there. I have worked in retail
for quite some time and it gets harder all the time to turn the other cheek
when customers berate and put me down on a personal level for what Corporate
makes me do. I have had customers use the approach which started with "I
feel that . . ." and end with ". . . wouldn't you agree?" and it is such a
pleasent suprise. I usually respond with "If you will write to Corporate,
they will listen to you much more than they will to me". As soon as someone
says "You need to . . ." the defensiveness jumps up very quickly. I am not
rude in any way to the customers who blame me personally but I have to admit
I do not listen to what they have to say either. It may not be the right
thing to do, but it is human nature to tune them out and find someone else
to help who appreciates what I can do to help them.
The approach is everything in these situations and by giving a little
respect to the employee you would be amazed at the response and the help you
will receive. I have approached employees at both Home Depot and Lowes with
respect and have only received respect in return. I have no doubt I will
recieve some, if not a lot of, flack for this post, but I will stick with
what I have said. My point is to write and call the Corporate Offices about
the paractices at their stores and there may be some changes made, if enough
of us follow through.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

A new disturbing practice for some Lowes garden centers
a.. Posted by: madgardener_ETN Z7 SE TN (My Page) on Tue, Mar 30, 04 at
22:35

That is the most elloquent and mature response to how to deal with
this problem and many more in Lowes or Home Depot I've seen in a long time.
Thank you dellingd! I too feel pretty defensive when someone approaches me
with "you need to......" but repond more when someone turns it around. My
husband keeps telling me there are no problems only solutions but it's not
always that black and white.
I happen to work in a chain store with a lawn and garden department
and know exactly what you are saying. You've hit it on the head. The
response to the shade or sun loving plants (they are putting herbs under the
shade area..........HUGE SIGH.................) being in the absolute wrong
place is "we know where we want them, stay out of this or leave" basically.

When did people become so self righteous? There's nothing wrong with
being wrong or making mistakes, but apparently there are more and more
people becoming this way.

I have a little bit of common sense when it comes to gardening and a
lot of learned experience and am still learning, but this smacks of total
irresponsibility and disregard for obvious solutions. You and I know that if
they were to pay attention to proper placement of plants, people would buy
more, return for more and shop for other things.

I grow tired of the apparent lack of common sense and just desire to
make money. I work for a company that I thought cared about their people and
customers. Obviously not.

Is it time to move to New Zealand?

On a last gardening note...........today I distinctly heard a customer
telling a whole wad of other customers while waiting in line that with
complete lack of care for where tender plants belonged told them that the
store just didn't care about quality. And they remarked and got support when
they all agreed with each other, said they were going to another chain store
or shop at a small nursery down the road where the owners cared about the
plants and sold quality at decent prices. Well there you go. They walked
out. Leaving baskets of flowers and if more people put that kind of action
towards something that is very apparently wrong, there'd be better
solutions. Like placement of plants in proper areas and what not.

I mean, it's not like trying to figure out where to put toilets.....or
lumber. It's plants that require specifics. And they guarantee their plants
for a year. It's ludecrous. I've said enough. I'll stop now. Thanks for the
feed back. It was truely inspiring. You seem to have a great grasp on
things. Where do you garden and what do you grow?
madgardener



begin 666 bull2.gif
M1TE&.#EA&0``/``!A:$!AC$!AC&!AK&"%C&"%C(2%K&"%K(2%S&"%S(2EC
M(2EK(2EK*2ES&"ES(2ES*2E[(3%K*3%K,3%S(3%S*3%S,3%[(3%[*3%[,3&$
M(3&$*3&4*3EK,3ES,3ES.3E[*3E[,3E[.3F$,3F,*3F,,3F4*3F4,3F,4)S
M,4)S.4)S0D)[.4)[0D)[2D*$,4*$.4*$0D*,,4*,.4*4,4*4.4*,4*.4*E
M.4*M.4IS.4I[0DI[2DI[4DJ$0DJ,.4J,0DJ,2DJ4.4J40DJ.4JE.4JE0DJM
M0E)[2E*$2E*$8U*,2E*42E*2E*4EI[4EJ$4EJ,6EJ44EJ46EJ4EJE4F.$
M6F.,6F.,8V.46F.48VN48VN4:VN8W.:W.WNWNWNE WNEWNEA(2E
MX2EA(RMA(RMC(RME(RUC)2UC)RUG*V]I:W&K;W.M;W.O;6QL[SM;SM;
MUM[UM[GWN?OY^_W[_?W[_?W]_?_]_______________________________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_________________________________________________ ___________
M_P```+\```"_`+^_````O[\`OP"_O\# P(" @/\```#_`/__````__\`_P#_
M_____P```````````````"'Y! $``'L`+ `````9`!P```C^`/('$BPH,&#
P'!F2$R,(FY!XX
M8GX,*) @P,:-$*LH-@0IA(BZ8( 'BP@P1+Z* 1 @G"A 0&BZ0.&%C" BH
M#EY06%JPJ1(*#D"(L%'$A T:-1W(`-%%CL$T5$"$!4'6Y) 3%X2 R"%DBIFN
M79"'NAB&$20VR(D*%DQ9(H4"H*Q*-FRM7)^O***)8"!,0,F10#,03I87
M(@[(H)' !$:G%\P$:+6@1(RD\THN6I B P#,\N(.% B)*4.@$6@'"Y '
M(%(*.;#B! T3PRD(& B8 ER_?8V'DR1?2!%$)L&+BN04.*%4&TOB P)?R
M+TL.@'B@UL@*`PZ@E-4+(*2@1 I5@#'0&T\\$(/* 6!5@``!." " 9 ]T +
M#[PQD!U0] #""R^D8( ((CR@@ (44$# `Q$\L (+PQTQQ@,*'$;@L4,$1
M1U3!P0,+4%#!`A(H*)(643S(`@L4K/$`!6] X00'*SS PQ8U%B0'&5.$L$,'
M8^S!`0=XP&%%%54D057!5QAA=7H('''A1TL :X!QA1=PAA2"%2XUA(04
..A3)$AAB)-NIHH0$!`#L`
`
end