Week 4 Part A: Defining Target Markets

Defining Target Markets    

    After spending some time analyzing the first set of websites, (Armstrong Garden Centers & Rancho Vista Nursery) I noticed many differences in their target markets. Armstrong Garden Centers is a huge business with many locations around California, whereas Rancho Vista Nursery currently only has one location. Fortunately, both websites display information regarding how long they have been in business in California. Armstrong Garden Centers claims to have been serving California for 130 years, while Rancho Vista Nursery has been in the industry for over 40 years. Armstrong Garden Centers has has a lot more time as a business to develop and expand in the industry than Rancho Vista Nursery.

These are some key differences that I found:

Armstrong Garden Centers:

• Wide Variety of Plants
• Multiple Locations
• Delivery of Large Purchases
• 130+ Years in Business
• Frequent Classes and Events
• Artificial Grass
• Landscaping Service
• Personal Shopper
• Focus on Customer Service
• Career Openings
• Broad Social Media Reach

Rancho Vista Nursery:

• Specialized in Cacti and Succulents
• One Location
• Delivery Only Available Sometimes
• 40+ Years in Business
• Special Events Not as Frequent
• Focus on Product
• Facebook + Instagram

   

    From what I understand, Armstrong Garden Centers targets a broader audience of enthusiasts than Rancho Vista Nursery. Armstrong Garden Centers aims to attract any individual in California that has an interest in horticulture or a need for landscaping service. On the other hand, Rancho Vista Nursery targets people that have an interest or passion for cacti or succulents in the area around Vista, California. Armstrong Garden Centers has a way of making the customer feel obligated to shop there to make use of the "Advantage Club" offering. There is a crossover in target markets because they both sell cacti and succulents, although Rancho Vista Nursery may be favored for those particular types of plants. Another similarity that I found was the color scheme used for each website. Overall, it's obvious that Armstrong Garden Centers attracts more customers, as it has a wider reach as well as many more operating locations and employees.