Big Tex--Yeehaa
The retail garden center market in Houston has been very competitive. I thought it was the most competitive in the nation last year. It just got tougher this year. Yes, PFAS is having record sales because of the unusually cold winter but our market will be tested for years to come when this Winter is forgotten.
Big Tex Nurseries rode into town this February and opened 3 nurseries in Houston. Huge nurseries in prime locations. Big Tex comes from California, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Growing operation in California and retail in Phoenix and Las Vegas. I heard they came to compete with a large 20 store chain that allegedly didn’t pay Big Tex for truckloads of palms a few years ago. 20 store chain allegedly sold all those palms while paying Big Tex zip. They opened their stores as close as they could to their target competition. I do not name this chain of garden centers simply because I will never say their name in any of my blogs....ever.
The 20 store chain has, at the very least every day, a full color back page in the only newspaper in Houston from February thru December. They have TV ads everyday...all day. Big Tex now has full page ads that look exactly like their competitor. 20 chain nursery went 50% off on all their plants 2 weeks ago. Big Tex went 50-80% off. This will last until Labor Day and 20 store chain will go 70% off on all their plants into January. Who knows what Big Tex will do then? 20 store chain dumps their hardlines at 50% off in Fall. There are 2 other large nurseries that mimic 20 chain store sales. That’s 25 really large nurseries selling plants about two thirds of the year at 50% off or better in Houston!
Of course the question begs 50% off what? 80% off what? We had a customer this year buy, from us, a regularly priced $40 hibiscus patio tree. He told us he saw the same plant from the same exact grower was priced $100 at Big Tex the day before. That plant wasn’t discounted by them at that time. Big-Tex had 15 gallon Crepe Myrtles regularly priced at $289 this Summer. We sell those for $120. Mark your prices way up to be able to create big attention getting discounts and still make money. I don’t know how this will shake out but it certainly will be very interesting to watch revenge marketing in my industry and in my market. I hope no one I care about gets hurt in this fray....yes, that would be all the hard working, honest independent nurseries in Houston.
Big Tex Nurseries rode into town this February and opened 3 nurseries in Houston. Huge nurseries in prime locations. Big Tex comes from California, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Growing operation in California and retail in Phoenix and Las Vegas. I heard they came to compete with a large 20 store chain that allegedly didn’t pay Big Tex for truckloads of palms a few years ago. 20 store chain allegedly sold all those palms while paying Big Tex zip. They opened their stores as close as they could to their target competition. I do not name this chain of garden centers simply because I will never say their name in any of my blogs....ever.
The 20 store chain has, at the very least every day, a full color back page in the only newspaper in Houston from February thru December. They have TV ads everyday...all day. Big Tex now has full page ads that look exactly like their competitor. 20 chain nursery went 50% off on all their plants 2 weeks ago. Big Tex went 50-80% off. This will last until Labor Day and 20 store chain will go 70% off on all their plants into January. Who knows what Big Tex will do then? 20 store chain dumps their hardlines at 50% off in Fall. There are 2 other large nurseries that mimic 20 chain store sales. That’s 25 really large nurseries selling plants about two thirds of the year at 50% off or better in Houston!
Of course the question begs 50% off what? 80% off what? We had a customer this year buy, from us, a regularly priced $40 hibiscus patio tree. He told us he saw the same plant from the same exact grower was priced $100 at Big Tex the day before. That plant wasn’t discounted by them at that time. Big-Tex had 15 gallon Crepe Myrtles regularly priced at $289 this Summer. We sell those for $120. Mark your prices way up to be able to create big attention getting discounts and still make money. I don’t know how this will shake out but it certainly will be very interesting to watch revenge marketing in my industry and in my market. I hope no one I care about gets hurt in this fray....yes, that would be all the hard working, honest independent nurseries in Houston.
At least Big Tex is fighting back. With any luck the 20-store chain will close up shop and Big Tex will be a better competitor than they have been. Good competition is still competition, but companies that don't pay their vendors deserve to get treated this way. It is the only way to effectively fight back with someone like that. Its the first time I've heard of this happening though. Hope its over sooner than later.
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It may end up being a benefit for independents who are actually focusing on the customer rather then merely price. I know there will always be a place for the low-price customer to shop. But I have to believe that independents provide a good value to the customer, in terms of the knowledge and the retail experience they provide. Having shopped at the 20-store chain in the past, I don't see how anyone can stand to be treated that way. Big Tex is a ways off from me, but we have a similar low-cost tree retailer here, affiliated with a grower out of Florida. I don't think much of their product, but then again, I know what I'm looking at and what I'm looking for. It will be interesting to see how things shake out. I remain optimistic.
PS: I need better glasses to see your little blogger security code!
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Maybe they will put each other out of business. I don't see the point in the marketing of the 20 chain store, how can everything be 70% or more off all of the time, I think the signs are fading, LOL! I would hope most people know it means the product is overpriced in the first place! It reminds me of the firework stands, buy 1 get 15 free! So sad to cheapen our industry that way! Thanks for keeping the bar high Victor.
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Oh Victor quit whining. I have 2 Big Tex within 10 minutes of my nursery and I can't see any problem with them. I love hearing the stories. Several people have told me that they have a very limited variety of plants and mostly car salesman types selling their stuff. One customer told me they fight for deals and will cut each others throat to get your business. That will not last long! Competition is good but only when it is fair. My neighbor was proud of his 70% off deal on a palm several years ago from the 20 store chain. The price he paid for an inferior quality at 70% off was within 5% of my regular price. I saw the owner of the 20 store chain and told him the story and his reply after a chuckle was, "Don't F#%&k up my hustle" We don't want to do what these guys do. On the bright side, look at the character of the majority of the people they attract. How would you like to have to deal with an extra 50 or 100 of those everyday. I will keep the ones I have and if the day comes they are taken away from me by these scoundrels after I have truly done the best I can then I will cry uncle and go do something else. The power is in the marketing. The vast majority of first time customers would never quit doing business with us if they just tried us once. They are just more comfortable there and as you know, getting people out of their comfort zone is a hard thing to do. Victor as you always tell me, stay focused and ignore those guys. We will survive and sleep at night.
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Victor...it is going to be interesting, however I'm hoping that people will continue to shop the independent nurseries where you most always get the best quality plants. It's interesting that you didn't also mention that the big box stores that also are selling plant material who don't seem to be changing how they sell their plants. I can tell you from personal experience that I went to Big Tex after visiting one of the 20 store chain locations because when I asked about a Magnolia, the person couldn't understand English. With that said I went to Big Tex and didn't find what I was looking for either, finally finding it at one of the other nurseries that looks kind of like the 20 store chain. I'll wrap this up by saying that the independents are the place to go when you want the best and your nursery is one of those that I rank as one of the best.
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Thanks Michael. I bet you bought that Magnolia at Houston Plant and Garden World. I saw your comments on HoustonGardener. Wayne Massey, the owner, is a friend of mine and his is a nursery that am happy to recommend.
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I love reading about your blogs because when you talk about Houston, California, Vegas, etc., I can get information year round about gardening. I live in Michigan and it's only seasonal for me! Keep it up!
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now they are at 90% off and looks like their employees that are pocketing all their cash sales have helped the ball rolling with 3 of their stores closing. this group has been slammed by bbb and doesnt have a good rep from where they came from under the name of Moon Valley Nurseries. nothing wrong with good competition, but they are lying to innocent customers about products and warranties. for starters..."Piru Palm" is a palm that they made up and they claim to be very cold hardy. I am a palm tree specialists and have a palm tree nursery in sugar land and there is no such thing as a piru palm. Ask them for the botanical name and they cant give you one. I have people ask all the time if we carry these piru palms because they are told that it is the only cold hardy palm by this Tex group which makes a honest palm professionals day really hard and pockets empty due to these false advertisements. Read how many people have been taken advantage of by their warranties that they dont keep their word on. i know this article sounds harsh but i buy trees from my competitors when i need something off the cuff for a customer and have seen these guys pocketing cash sales personally and heard these stories from them first hand. friendly competition is good but like at the expense of hard working people and customers. cant wait for them to leave
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Big Tex is not only going for the Big competitors. They have also opened up on Rayford Road, across the street from a "Little Guy" and also one in Conroe, very close to another "Little Guy" They are trying to put the honest hard workers out of business. What did the Little Guys do to them?
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