(This article appeared in the Nov. 2005 issue.)

A Hot Winter Predicted
Top selling winterization products revealed
By Scott and Ann Springer

Consumers are having more fun with winterization than ever thanks to a host of new products and for retailers who stock their shelves accordingly that translates into greater fall quarter sales.

Winterization used to be all about netting and deicers but with the new technology and more high-end gift items on the market consumers have more to sink their teeth into this winter than just turkey dinner.

The basics are better and manufacturers are doing some great things with lighting and other visual effects.

Predicted Top Products
Leaves are a huge nuisance to pond owners and while netting has been around for years, Bonnie Zahn, the owner of Bonnie's Water Gardens in Buhler, Kansas has discovered the next generation of netting and says it flew off the shelves last winter.

The new netting is a shade cloth made of a tightly woven material that allows light to still seep through while keeping leaves and other debris from getting in. "We've had excellent customer feedback with that product," Zahn says.

Last year, Zahn decided to try this new netting product because of frustrations with the traditional netting. "We had too many customer complaints about leaves getting stuck in the netting and then it would weigh it down into the pond and cause the water to become tea-colored," Zahn said.

The shade cloth also keeps critters like snakes and other small animals from being caught in the netting, which had been a big problem for some customers, Zahn says. "Our customers have been extremely happy with it," Zahn says. "We plan to push the shade cloths a lot this next year."

Another top seller predicted for this winter is a new product on the market—a box that protects your pump from freezing, flooding, and overheating, says David Moore, the owner of Koi Joy's Pond Shop, located in Kennewick, Wash. "It provides great protection from the winter for your equipment," says Moore who manufactures the product.

Even old standby's, like deicers, have gotten a facelift and now serve both a decorative and functional purpose. Welch has seen great sales success with deicers that float on the surface and illuminate the pond while keeping ice from forming. "We sold a lot of those last year and they make great gifts, too."

Aeration devices are not new products either, but they have increased in popularity because traditional methods, like heaters, have left customers out in the cold, Moore says.

"Air pumps are big on the market right now," Moore says. "It's something we are pushing as the safest way to protect fish in the winter."

Lights disguised as lily pads are on the top of Dan Welch's order list for this upcoming winter. "They float out over the pond and shine down and illuminate it and the veins of the lily pad glow through. It's a really neat item," says Welch the marketing manager of Aquatic Connections by George which is located in Trevose, Penn.

Underwater cameras may be a top seller this winter for people who want to be able to view their ponds year-round from their climate controlled home. These cameras allow customers to view their ponds below the waters surface on a TV screen in their home.

"You are able to see them as if you were in the pond with them yourself," Welch says. "And in the winter you can watch the fish hibernate under the ice."

These voyeuristic cameras also increase sales of koi castles which give fish a cozy underwater habitat. Welch has a camera set up in his store with the TV perched by his cash register. "People can actually see the koi castles in use, so we sell a lot that way," Welch says.

Consumer Trends
General trends in product sales throughout the year may give you a hint of what may sell well during the last quarter.

For example, for the tech-savvy pond owners, new lighting technologies, like submersible lighting has sold like hotcakes in recent months for Zahn and she predicts these new lighting technologies to continue to big sellers this winter as well.

"There are no cords to mess with or electrical wiring and they can be frozen in the ice," Zahn says.

Kits continue to soar in popularity, especially as they have increased in quality, Welch says. "Some of these kits have everything but the shovel," Welch says. "It's just an awesome setup."

Plants and fish may seem like spring sales items, but Welch believes they can be top sellers in some areas year round.

Welch has seen a dramatic increase in plant sales this year. "We've been expanding by leaps and bounds this year with aquatic plants and perennials around the pond," Welch says. Plants and flowers add life to all other displays in the store, he adds.

Hard-core hobbyists are always ready to buy fish and Welch capitalizes on fish sales year-round. "We sell fish in the winter and hold them for people," Welch says. "People want to make sure they'll be there in the spring."

Getting Into the Holiday Spirit
While the malls are bustling with shoppers this fall and winter, retailers who dress their shops up with some holiday cheer, may find their sales of specialty gift-items increase as well.

"People come in looking for something out of the ordinary for someone who has everything and something they wouldn't normally buy for themselves," Zahn says.

Foggers can be fun gifts for the holidays because many pond enthusiasts use them to liven up their ambiance for holiday parties. "I am trying to push foggers as gifts because they make nice gifts for people with water gardens," Zahn says.

Underwater lights bring an added allure to the outdoors even when the weather outside is not as alluring. "It's neat to see the light shining through the snow and ice in the winter," Zahn says. "You can put the colored lenses on for the holidays, too."

Decorative pond items like spitters (check somewhere online to be sure this what they are called) and pottery are always top gift items. "These are items that make good Christmas presents for someone who has everything," Zahn says.

Raised pots for disappearing fountains, pots that allow water to pour through them, and top-quality glazed pottery sets have sold well for Zahn in years past and she plans to line her shelves with them again this year.

Statuary pieces and other high-end decorative items may be top on the wish list of some of your customers.

For example, a three-foot tall Statue of Liberty which is painted silver and pours water out of the center has been a popular seller, Zahn says. "She's holding a lit glass torch and she's just beautiful," Zahn says. "Statues are real high-end sales pieces."

Books and videos may also be great gift ideas for those hard to shop for enthusiasts, Moore says.

Old Standby's
Some consumer may be looking for the latest and greatest way to keep up with trends, but others will trek down to your shop in search of predictable necessities for winter.

Carefully look at your sales figures from last year to determine what sold out quickly in order to make sales more fluid this year, Zahn suggests.

The top two sellers every winter for Zahn are deicers and fall fish food. Pumps, fish nets and bacteria formulated for winter ponds are also must-haves on your shelves this fall and winter, Zahn says.

"Fall and winter preparation products always sell well," Moore says. Many enthusiasts love to tinker with the water and believe these products help prep their water for spring.

Because of the need for some owners to play with the water, test kits are also top sellers, Welch says. "We also test water for customers in our store," Welch says. This can translate into increased sales because "we tell them where they are at and what they need to buy to fix it."

Convenience products are always a hit with enthusiasts in any hobby, including pond keeping. "People may purchase skimmers, turbulators, or windmills to keep their pond free of ice," says David Trinklein, an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Look at the forecast for the upcoming winter months in your area and plan accordingly. Heaters may be bigger sellers in deep freeze areas of the country but "it's not a top selling item in Missouri," Trinklein says.

Stocking up on netting may be a wise idea because it's a problem that plagues customers no matter what climate they live in, Trinklein says.

Welch, who normally closes up shop during the winter season because of slow sales, started a wildbird center in his store last winter to increase foot traffic and expects to see banner sales again this winter.

For Welch he sees pond enthusiasts being a natural fit with other outdoor enthusiasts like wildbird watchers because they both share a love of nature. Welch has received a lot of free publicity from local media because of seminars and lectures held in his store on birding.

"It helps to bring in regular customers who stop by and say, ‘While I am here I better get a new heater or a new this or that,'" Welch says. "We also get people who come in off the street who wouldn't normally come in."

Scott and Ann Springer are freelance writers living in Southern California.