Primrose.co.uk and Toad Hall Garden Centre based near Henley-on-Thames have completed a successful trial partnership for selling garden furniture and accessories.

During the spring and summer, on-line garden retailer primrose.co.uk stocked a dedicated area within Toad Hall Garden Centre with a selected range of garden furniture and accessories that could also be bought through its website.

“The purpose of the exercise was to give our customers the opportunity to see some of our products before they bought, and to prove that there are mutual benefits to be had from working with traditional garden retailers” said Primrose director, Ian Charles.

Products on display at Toad Hall were clearly highlighted on product pages and also promoted to customers through the companies’ regular newsletters with the strapline “Internet Prices in your Garden Centre.”

According to Tristan Stubbs, director of Toad Hall Garden Centre:  ”We weren’t sure what to expect when we first had discussions with Primrose about providing space for them to display and sell their product at our garden centre. However it worked out really well, positioned as they were next to our furniture range, customers were able to compare a wider range of designs, quality and prices than we would have stocked ourselves. We definitely had new customers coming to see us and it certainly increased footfall. One customer came all the way from Kent because they wanted to see a particular Primrose furniture set!”

Ian Charles is really encouraged by the results and Primrose.co.uk will hold discussions with other garden centres about similar relationships next year.

Primrose has been trading online for more than 10 years, has been profitable every year and has an annual turnover in excess of £30 million.