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  • Roots to Revenue | Scotts Goes Green—And Customers Are Buying In

Roots to Revenue | Scotts Goes Green—And Customers Are Buying In

Explore the green-tech innovations shaping how consumers shop for outdoor goods.

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Welcome to Roots to Revenue, your essential newsletter for outdoor living eCommerce professionals.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

Are your PMax and Search campaigns working against each other, or in perfect harmony? Fospha's groundbreaking PMax & Search Playbook proves the hidden power of their combined force, revealing the secrets to maximizing your ROI.

  • The PMax & Search Power Couple: Discover the optimal budget split between Performance Max and Google Search, driving maximum ROAS and unlocking unprecedented growth.

  • Convert More Customers, More Efficiently: Learn winning creative strategies that make every ad dollar count, turning clicks into conversions with precision.

  • Real Blueprints from Industry Leaders: See how brands like Samsonite and END. Clothing are turning these insights into tangible, scalable growth.

Gain the competitive edge you need in the Google advertising space. Understand the true impact of your PMax and Search campaigns and outperform competitors with the latest data.

Expert Insights 🧠

Why Sustainable Gardening Is More Than a Trend, It’s a Retail Strategy

According to the Organic Trade Association, eco-consciousness is increasingly driving purchasing behavior in home and garden, with demand for sustainable horticultural supplies rising steadily. But this shift goes beyond ingredients and materials—it reflects a broader lifestyle alignment. Gardening is becoming a form of environmental self-expression, and brands that fail to reflect those values risk losing relevance.

Nielsen data confirms that brands embracing sustainability not only win initial attention—they also earn longer-term loyalty. That’s especially powerful in gardening, where buying cycles are seasonal. If you can lock in affinity during the spring or fall season, you increase the odds of becoming a go-to brand next year—and the year after.

But what does sustainability mean to this audience in real terms?

Today’s consumers are asking smarter questions: Where was this soil sourced? What’s the environmental impact of this tool? Are the fertilizers safe for pollinators and native plants? This means surface-level greenwashing won’t cut it. Brands must build transparency into both product development and marketing.

Smart brands are leaning into this with real innovation. From garden tools made with recycled metals to drought-tolerant seed mixes, companies are connecting product design to actual environmental outcomes. Bonus points for storytelling—shoppers respond better when they understand the "why" behind an eco-friendly claim.

Sustainability isn’t just a product story—it’s an operational one. Consumers are beginning to weigh fulfillment and packaging in their purchase decisions. That’s especially true on platforms like Amazon, Shopify, and other DTC channels, where sustainability filters are influencing search and purchase behavior.

Offering options like carbon-neutral shipping, minimalist packaging, or local sourcing isn't just good PR—it’s increasingly tied to performance. Brands with greener logistics and more localized inventory strategies tend to score higher on both cost-efficiency and consumer trust.

This new generation of gardeners wants more than a transaction—they want a relationship with brands that align with their values. That’s where community and personalization come in.

Smart gardening brands are:

- Forecasting seasonality with purpose: Not just restocking in spring, but planning marketing campaigns around pollinator awareness months, native planting windows, and composting season.

- Offering value-driven bundles: Kits built around sustainability goals (e.g. “starter composting kits” or “low-water herb gardens”) help increase average order value and tell a bigger story.

- Creating content ecosystems: Video tutorials, local planting calendars, and native species guides tied to product pages deepen engagement and position the brand as a resource—not just a store.

Sustainability is no longer a niche—it’s the new baseline for credibility. But brands that treat it as a checkbox miss the bigger opportunity. The gardening brands that win will connect transparency, product innovation, and community-building into one coherent strategy. They’ll become not just vendors, but partners in a larger lifestyle movement.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

LAWN CARE INSIGHTS

Early spring lawn care isn’t just about healthy turf—it’s a case study in seasonal readiness and consumer behavior alignment. As homeowners gear up for outdoor improvements, key lawn interventions like raking, dethatching, and aeration mirror the need for precisely timed product launches and content strategies in garden and home care marketing.

For performance marketers and eCommerce teams in the lawn and garden sector, understanding the micro-seasons of lawn care allows for tactically aligned campaigns—from promoting soil health products when lawns are emerging from dormancy to pushing power rakes as growth accelerates in late spring. Just like a mistimed rake can damage new grass, mistimed campaigns can miss peak buyer intent. Strategic timing, informed by horticultural insights, is the lever for maximizing ROI in this category.

GARDENING INDUSTRY TRENDS

The Lawn & Garden Equipment Market is projected to grow significantly from 2025 to 2032, driven by factors such as technological advancements and regional demand surges. The market’s expansion is propelled by consumer preferences for energy-efficient, durable equipment, and the increasing emphasis on sustainable landscaping practices across the globe. By 2030, the market size is anticipated to reach $42.32 billion.

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

Scotts Miracle-Gro has unveiled a new eco-friendly line, O.M. Scott & Sons, featuring 100% recyclable paper bags for lawn care products like seeds and grass food, free of artificial ingredients and pesticides. This move highlights a growing trend in the gardening equipment eCommerce industry toward sustainability, addressing consumer demand for environmentally-conscious products.

ROBOTIC MOWER TRENDS

Unsplash

The robotic lawn mower market is experiencing significant growth, predicted to reach $2.4 billion by 2032, driven by declining labor costs and increased consumer interest in autonomous gardening solutions. These machines are favored for their convenience and eco-friendliness, although maintenance costs may hinder widespread adoption. Europe currently leads the market.


GAS-POWERED EQUIPMENT PHASE-OUT

Gas-powered leaf blowers are increasingly being banned across US cities due to their environmental and noise pollution. The shift toward battery-operated, eco-friendly alternatives is growing, yet faces resistance over cost and efficiency concerns. Cities like Cambridge, Massachusetts are leading, requiring electric landscaping tools, which impacts consumer behavior and the eCommerce market as demand for sustainable equipment rises.

Influencer Corner 📣

Optimization Hub ⚙️

CHECKOUT OPTIMIZATION

Checkout optimization is critical for reducing eCommerce cart abandonment, with best practices including transparent upfront costs, diverse payment options, and a smooth guest checkout process. High cart abandonment is linked to hidden fees, complex navigation, and lack of trust signals. Implementing clear, secure, and streamlined checkout processes increases conversion rates significantly.

SEARCH INNOVATION

Generative AI is transforming consumer decision-making by aiding complex choices like luxury trips and financial investments through recommendations and comparison tools. Brands can gain competitive benefits by integrating AI in search strategies, focusing on Google's E-E-A-T principles, and utilizing AI for content creation and optimization. Early adoption of AI-driven strategies enhances brand discovery and engagement in a digitally evolving marketplace.

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