During this Field Day presentation at the University of Minnesota attendees learned about fine fescues as a low-input turfgrass. Photo by David Hansen, University of Minnesota
Takeaways Different consumer segments have different preferences and specific needs. With this in mind, turfgrass growers and those that market turfgrasses can take different strategies to promote turfgrass species based on characteristics.
• Te market segment of Appearance Conscious Consumers accounted for more than one-third of both U.S. and Canadian participants, and we also found that they were more likely to be Generation Y consumers. Tis group of consumers only have modest knowledge on lawn maintenance. Terefore, they tend to irrigate and apply fertilizer more frequently in order to keep their home lawns looking good. Sod producers and retailers could use this information to target and market to Appearance Conscious Consumers by providing photos in marketing materials and ensuring high quality in-store samples are available for viewing. In addition, educating this group about how to maintain their home lawns more efficiently could benefit homeowners both economically and environmentally.
• Balanced Consumers consisted of more females and more Baby Boomers. Since this group was least knowledgeable about turfgrass maintenance and most sensitive to price change, it is not surprising that they maintain their home lawns least frequently. Producers and marketers could focus on producing sod using cultivars with the “balanced” traits. Retailers could use this information to adopt target marketing strategies to attract Balanced Consumers. Marketing strategies such as setting competitive prices for turfgrass and providing in-store coupons can help retailers attract Balanced Consumers. Turfgrass suppliers can also educate and inform Balanced Consumers about resource efficient lawn maintenance methods. Tus, price-sensitive Balanced Consumers could strive to have good- looking home lawns without spending too much money.
• Te identification of low-input turfgrass consumers suggested that there exists a large potential market for low-input turfgrasses in both the United States and Canada. Low-input turfgrasses become one solution to fulfill consumers’ needs without sacrificing the environment because they support the use of less water, energy, and fertilizer. Sod producers should consider the size of the Low-input Conscious Consumers market segment when selecting cultivars for sod fields. In fact, a large proportion of the consumer market was not aware of the existence of low-input turfgrass species. By promoting low-input turfgrasses through advertisement and public media, the suppliers of low-input turfgrass sod could reach out to more consumers. In addition, consumers could be more informed about the benefits of low-input turfgrass, not only lower maintenance costs but also environmental benefits, such as water conservation and reduction in chemical use.
Acknowledgement: Tis material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crops Research Initiative under award number 2012-51181-19932.
Chengyan Yue, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science and the Department of Applied Economics, and the Bachman Endowed Chair in Horticultural Marketing, at the University of Minnesota. Jingjing Wang, is a PhD student in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Eric Watkins, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. Brian Horgan, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. Stacy A. Bonos, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Plant Biology & Pathology at Rutgers University. Kristen Nelson, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology and the Department of Forest Resources, at the University of Minnesota. James Murphy, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Plant Biology & Pathology at Rutgers University. William Meyer, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Plant Biology & Pathology at Rutgers University.
62 TPI Turf News May/June 2019
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