Glee is celebrating the addition of a brand-new DIY sectoion at the 2023 show (27th – 29th June, NEC Birmingham), which will enable garden retailers to capitalise on emerging trends, whilst helping to expand both their offering and appeal, as customers seek to tackle more DIY projects to improve their outdoor spaces.

Keen to keep costs down, and inspired by online influencers, consumers are more willing to take on DIY projects to update their home without the expense of calling in a professional. The lines between indoor and outdoor spaces are becoming increasingly blurred and, with close to 41,000 Instagram posts bearing the hashtag #gardendiy and Google Trends also reporting a spike in searches for the same phrase, Glee recognises there is a huge opportunity for garden retailers to provide customers with everything they need to complete a job, all under one roof.

This is the main driver behind the show’s decision to incorporate an exclusive new DIY sector at the 2023 event, enabling buyers to browse a quality home improvement offer and discover products and suppliers that could sit happily within their store and create real sales opportunities.

Expanding your offer

Garden retailers aren’t new to diversification by any means but, perhaps, the idea of stocking a DIY range might not have crossed your mind or seemed an obvious choice. In fact, many DIY ranges complement garden lines and the kind of outdoor projects your customers may be undertaking, meaning there is a far greater crossover and more chances for linked sales than you’d think.

A consumer looking to put up a shed or fencing will need tools to do so, as well as wood treatment or paint to complete the job. If they don’t already own the necessary tools, including a hammer, screwdriver, measuring tape, or spirit level, they will have to go to another retailer to pick these things up. If you have a captive audience already in your store, why send them elsewhere, when you could increase basket spend by stocking some of these items? If you already offer outdoor structures, fencing, or decking, think of the sales potential by being able to flag up associated DIY products that you also have in stock ready to take away that day, to help customers get the job done.

Maximising your buying time

For those garden retailers who already carry and have success with DIY lines, it can be a drain on resources to take time out of the business to visit other exhibitions to source new products and place orders. Glee wants to be a one-stop-shop for all your purchasing needs, helping you to enhance or expand your offer as you see fit in order to maximise the opportunities in the marketplace, as well as your time.

DIY is being launched as a brand-new sector to the show, alongside an extended Home, Gift and Clothing area, in order to bring together a rich and diverse mix of product that could prove a natural fit for your business.

Glee’s Event Director, Matthew Mein said of the new DIY sector: “Glee has always been about ‘newness’, bringing our visitors innovation and arming them with the right products to capitalise on market opportunities.  Whatever you call it – home improvement, home enhancement, or simply do it yourself (DIY) – Glee believes this broad spectrum of products and suppliers has the potential to, not only help garden retailers create further add-on sales to enhance their current offer, but to also improve convenience for their customers and stand out in their minds as a destination for their outdoor DIY needs. We are extremely excited to be welcoming a DIY sector to Glee and hope our visitors get real benefit from its presence.”

Find out more

Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focusing on building year-round profits for buyers and suppliers within the core gardening and outdoor leisure product categories.  To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2023, which will take place June 27th – 29th, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.