The shift to battery-powered Outdoor Power Equipment can easily be seen in the DIY market, as evident in our recent DIY OPE Trends Research, but how is it impacting Landscapers?
The Farnsworth Group recently completed a public industry study over Professional Landscapers tracking their behaviors and perceptions of battery powered OPE compared to more traditional, gas power products. Below are some highlights of what we learned now having completed this study several times over the past 5 years.
Share of Battery Equipment Continue to Grow
From 2018 to 2020 we have seen the share of battery equipment purchased in the past year by Landscapers increase from 21% to 27%. This increase in battery OPE purchases is now starting to impact the overall share of battery OPE vs gas OPE in their fleets.
Over 75% of Landscapers surveyed stated they are purchasing MORE battery powered today compared to the prior 2-3 years. Nearly 70% are likely to purchase battery powered OPE in the next 5 years. Both are the highest percentages we’ve seen since The Farnsworth Group began tracking this measure in 2016.
Battery Concerns Remain, Benefits Gaining
Landscaper needs for OPE are very different than DIYers, which is why we often see increased concerns among Landscapers as well as concerns of different features of battery OPE. The biggest concern is clearly run time – batteries not lasting long enough to finish the job. This concern has been a constant in recent years. “Not enough power” also remains a concern, but that concern has been decreasing in recent years as Pros begin to try battery products more and more.
While concerns remain, it’s important to note that the percent of landscapers citing perceived benefits has increased. Some of biggest benefits seen by Landscapers are fuel cost savings, exhaust free and reduced noise levels. However, these may not yet be enough to overcome concerns about run time.
Gas Still Perceived as Better than Battery
Like DIYers, when it comes to a direct comparison, Landscapers rate Gas higher than Battery when across various factors.
Bigger the Firm, More Battery OPE
At The Farnsworth Group, our focus is providing clients with a deeper understanding of specific product, brands, channels and customers to uncover nuanced opportunities in the market. Results from our recent OPE study highlight the need to dig deeper into your audience.
Landscaping firms with $750K+ in annual revenue historically see increased Battery OPE purchases. However, smaller firms are gaining ground. Larger firms also cite different levels of concerns and benefits when it comes to pros and cons of Battery Powered OPE.
Landscape Pros Slowly Gaining Trust, But Gas Still Dominates
Due to the needs of Landscapers vs DIYers, professionals are adopting battery powered OPE much slower. While there are pro segments that are engaging first and more often, and there are categories that have higher share of battery use, the trends indicate our industry has yet to achieve the battery OPE use seen in the DIY market. However, the willingness to purchase is growing.
Want to understand your brand’s strengths, product factors that drive decisions and Pro segments that are aligned with your offering? We utilize custom research to dig deeper into customers to help you improve your market strategy. Contact us to discuss how our industry expertise can help.
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