New format at Ranzijn

Following its conversion to the new concept, the 13 000 m² garden centre in Alkmaar, which was officially opened at the beginning of November 2011, is one of the biggest in the Netherlands. The pet department integrated into the store has a retail area of 2000 m², but is expected to be enlarged soon to include a veterinary practice, a grooming salon and a puppy school covering a further 500 m² in all. Ranzijn tuin & dier would then boast the largest pet store in the Netherlands. Alkmaar is not intended to be an exception, however. The garden centre chain aims to implement the new concept in two further stores next year. According to current plans, all the stores should be converted to the new format within two to three years. The garden centre in Alkmaar comprises a cold hall for garden accessories, the pond area, outdoor plants and products for wild birds, a heated hall with house plants, decorative products (and a large Christmas market in winter) and the pet department, and an outside area for larger outdoor plants, shrubs, bushes and trees. The pet and plant sectors each account for 40 per cent of overall sales in the store, with trendy and decorative products and garden hardware each accounting for 10 per cent. What’s new about the format now introduced? Ranzijn tuin & dier aims to reinforce its image as an aggressive speciality discount store by clear product presentation, wide aisles between the shelving and large, striking price signs. “We want to offer high quality at the lowest price in the market,” explains Eric van der Wal, pet category manager at Ranzijn tuin & dier. At the entrance to each department, customers are met by a large service centre at which they can put their questions and problems to competent staff. Large signs mounted between the rows of shelving offer useful tips to garden and pet owners. Instantly recognisable changes are the new coated, easy-care floor and the new roof, which is no longer glass as before, but polycarbonate, offering greater insulation and much greater protection from the sun. Dark green is the signature colour throughout the garden centre. This is a new feature, for Ranzijn previously chose a different colour for each product group, for instance in the pet department. To give customers the optimum overview of the retail area, Ranzijn tuin & dier works with staggered shelf heights. The standard height is 1.8m, rising in the pet food section to 2.3m and attaining a maximum of 3.5m on the side…