Making ga;zebo sales easy

f UXURY purchases often plumI-Jmet during tighter economic times. But gazebos are one typically high-end product that manufacturers hope to make recession-proof.

Making gazebo kits easier to assemble and of a wider range of materials has also made them practical purchases for a wider audience of doit-yourselfers and buy-it-yourselfers.

"It's trendy to have a gazebo, especially when the economy is strong and consumer confidence is high," says Craig Bailey, sales & marketing manager for Cedarshed Industries. "Most people who buy gazebos, however, are high end, which helps mitigate any troughs in demand cycles."

Gazebo Junction's sales of cedar gazebo kits have risen steadily over the last nine years. "I believe this is due to the need for people to enjoy their outdoor settings without the hassle of mosquitoes and bees and other pests," explains general manager Paul Boehlke. "As the popularity of back yard ponds and flower gardens grows, so grows the popularity of screened-in structures to sit and enjoy them."

Paralleling the rising interest is an increase in the sales of easy-to-install kits. Boehlke says, "I believe that gazebo kit sales have far exceeded the sales of gazebos stick-built on site. In fact, we have a number of contractors who used to stick-build that now prefer to purchase kits due to the time savings. To stick-build a gazebo, with the quality and appearance of a Gazebo Junction kit, would take a skilled carpenter at least a week where our kits can be fully installed in an afternoon."

The trend has been to make installation even easier. For vears.

Cedarshed has sold its kits pre-cut, which can be assembled by a non-carpenter in two to four days with no cutting, routering or special tools. In 2000, the company introduced a panelized version that can be installed in less than a day. The floor, baluster and roof sections arrive preassembled.

"Pre-cut is still the largest part of our market, but we expect panelized eventually will catch up and surpass it," Bailey says, despite the preassembled kits' higher price tag. "For people who hire someone to do the assembly, the precut kit may actually cost more once it's installed, since the labor costs are much greater."

Either way, the kits are easy to assemble. "They're similar to building a model airplane," he says. "Everything is labeled; connect A to B."

Making installation less intimidating is also the rationale behind Cedarshed's liberal warranty, a "soft landing" program, Bailey calls it. "If (the installer) makes a mistake or cuts something too short, we'll just replace it and send them a new part by UPS," he says.

To sell gazebos, dealers still have to do part of the work, namely letting customers know the kits are available. "The best way to increase sales," notes John Hickey, Summerwood Outdoors, "is to have a full-size unit set up on display. People need to stand inside to get a good feel for the product."

Bailey agrees: "You definitely have to have one on display. It's hard to sell a gazebo from a picture. Of our 200 to 300 dealers, the top-selling dealers every year are those that have one on display. And, you can't use it to store stuff. You've got to landscape it. It's a romantic thing. It can't be sitting in a corner on sloped concrete, because that doesn't conjure up romance. It needs a good location."

"Displays work well," says Dave Gooley, marketing manager, Handy Home Products. "lI they are incorporated with spas or hot tubs, it gives the consumers other uses for sazebos. Our screen kits, cupolas and weathervanes also show the consumer options that enhance a gazebo."

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The word "gazebo" was coined in the 18th Century to describe an outdoor shelter, usually in a garden. Today, gazebos show up everywhere. They can provide a stylish shelter for an outdoor hot tub, or an ideal poolside change room, home office or exercise room, or for just relaxing with a glass of wine. In a yard or garden, a gazebo is a perfect place to hold family dinner parties, weddings or concerts.

Boehlke agrees: "Our best merchandising item is obviously a display model. It's tough to sell a $7,000 gazebo to someone who can only see it in pictures. We offer dealers a substantial reduction in cost for display models. We have a product manual, indoor display boards, outdoor vinyl banners and brochures for our dealers. All these things help, but none work like product knowledge and salesmanship."

He continues: "When we look at our most successful dealers, in terms of sales, as compared to those that have been less successful, we repeatedly find the same characteristic. When a dealer has someone who is the 'gazebo expert' who is willing and eager to discuss the kits with customers, who knows the gazebos in and out, knows differences in manufacturers, and can answer all questions, or make installation even easier. knows where to go to get answers, they typically are successful. Simply having a display model and brochures is not enough."

Don Barlow, president, Finyl Vinyl Building Products, Huntington Beach, Ca., suggests dealers not only set up a display, but also "have periodic demonstrations showing customers how easy it is to install." (It's especially effective for vinyl gazebos, Barlow claims. "Once homeowners see a vinyl gazebo install, they will never go back to wood," he says.)

Dottie Bourassa, senior factory rep, Ozark Mountain Cedar Products, Melbourne, Ar., also advises, "Provide your customers with the best product, that is easily assembled, and for the best price available, so that the customer feels they are getting a great value for their money."

Assuming the dealer has a display model, the value of actually stocking kits is debatable. Gazebo Junction's dealers typically do not stock the kits. "We have gazebo sizes ranging from 10' to 2l' in three different lines with numerous designs," Boehlke explains. "It is easier for a dealer to allow the customer to dictate what size and model they would prefer, rather than the dealer pushing the size and model in stock. When a customer purchases a kit, the dealer places the order with us and we ship it in two to four weeks, depending on the time of year."

Cedarshed finds many dealers don't have an inventory, because usually, Bailey says, "somebody wants something a little different than what you have. But we do have some dealers who stock, so they can buy by the truckload. They get a2OVo discount if they order l5 or more gazebos."

Manassas, Va., retailer Backyard America stocks pressure treated southern pine gazebo kits, as well as sells them by special order. "We do both equally well," explains president Ernie Sears. "Stocking will help sales because there are always those customers who wait until the last moment to get a gazebo for a special event."

Finally, dealers have to choose a supplier and type of material; kits are available in vinyl, aluminum and a range of wood species. Like Handy Home Products, Summerwood and Cedarshed, Gazebo Junction uses western red cedar. "It's known for its resistance to rot and maintaining its shape," says Boehlke. "We once used treated pine, but found it to twist and shrink over time. It is important that the lumber in our gazebos holds its shape to make sure the screens and windows can be easily removed year in, year out."

Ozark Mountain makes panelized gazebo kits of aromatic eastern red cedar. Bourassa says the species is durable and insect-resistant, does not check like pine, is less expensive than redwood, and features a beautiful, unique coloration and aroma.

"Another advantage," she adds, "is we are able keep the price of the aromatic eastern red cedar consistent, unlike the extremely volatile western red cedar. This enables us to keep our prices down."

"A small disadvantage of the aromatic eastern red cedar." Bourassa admits, "is the number of knots. They are secure, however, and this helps maintain the stability of the wood. It is a nice look, but it is not fbr all."

Finyl Vinyl recently introduced a new line of Victorian gazebos made from pvc components. Barlow noted that the vinyl won't rust, rot, corrode or split; resists insects and impact; doesn't require maintenance, painting or staining, and is light weight, affordable and easy to work. Even the most complex kit, he noted, can usually be installed by an experienced two-member crew in four to six hours.

"Many dealers have told us this is the most complete line of gazebos and support materials they have seen," he said, noting that it was his remodeling company's disappointment with other gazebo products that led to their decision to design and develop their own line. "We recognized that a well-engineered gazebo. with proper instructions that is easy to install, would be tremendously popular."