So Many Brands...
So Little
Time
By J eff E dw a rds
With so many established hydroponic nutrient brands, how does a new nutrient line get
your attention in what is already a very crowded
section of the typical hydroponic retail store?
There are literally dozens of plant nutrient lines manufactured
by specialty hydroponic and organic nutrient manufacturers. Even
mainstream fertilizer companies are recognizing the potential of the
increased interest in and utilization of hydroponics.
In reality, very few growers exclusively use a single nutrient line for
their entire plant feeding regimen. What most hydroponic and indoor
garden store owners report is that growers are using an established,
tried and true base nutrient and customizing their formulas by incorporating specialty products by other, often competing, brands.
The key point here is that base plant nutrients have evolved into a
pretty standard commodity product, widely available, essentially similar, at a relatively inexpensive price point. What has put most of the
newer nutrient companies on the store shelves has been the introduction of a single or narrow range of highly effective supplements
or additives that sell at a premium price.
Many of these new offerings are highly researched, well developed, and thoroughly tested prior to their release to the market.
Others are direct knock-offs of previously released products; and still
others have no business being sold to the public.>>>
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www.grozine.com
Advertising clearly plays an important role in the introduction
of a new nutrient product or line, especially to retailers with limited shelf space to devote to newly released, largely untested,
hydroponic nutrients. And just as store shelves can get unproductively cluttered with nutrients that don’t sell, so too can industry
trade magazines, where the number of nutrient ads must surely
overwhelm any grower with a tried and true feeding regimen.
However, simple word of mouth via growers forums, and
increasingly social media, is the key that gives the newly released
product credibility in today’s world and what puts it in the hands
of experienced growers; and those grower testimonials are what
drive initial interest to the point that the product will be accepted
and sought after.
If a product doesn’t live up to its hype, or doesn’t provide the
expected return for the capital invested, the power of the experienced and socially active grower will quickly spell its doom, as
they have done time and time again.