So last Tuesday, I’m driving past 12th Street in Columbia SC, see this big sign for ‘Greens Club Member Savings Event!’ right there by the new nursery place. Lights flashing and everything. Pulled over faster than my dog spots a squirrel. Been looking at getting that Japanese Maple for the backyard forever, saw their truck unloading some out front.
The Initial Hype and Info Hunt
Walked in, smelled that fresh mulch smell. Grabbed one of their shiny flyers near the door. Big, bold print screaming about ‘HUGE MEMBER DISCOUNTS!’ on plants, soil, fertilizer… even landscaping stones. Felt like hitting the jackpot. Asked the girl at the counter, Jenny maybe?, how this whole Greens Club thing works. She rattled off the benefits super fast: 15% off trees and shrubs weekly, 20% off annual specials, plus ‘secret sales’ emails. Sounded almost too good, you know?
Tried googling ‘Greens Club Columbia SC member deals’ right then and there on my phone. Big mistake. Website was slow as molasses in January. Kept showing me promotions for stuff not even in this state. Seriously, why show me deals in California?! Scrolled forever, found a section saying “Benefits” but it was super vague. “Discounts apply to select merchandise.” Yeah, which ones?! Need details!
Started searching social media groups. Bingo. Found a local gardening group. Folks were buzzing about it. Someone named Sharon posted pics of their haul: two huge hydrangeas they got for under $20 total thanks to a member flash sale. Okay, that got my attention for real.
Biting the Bullet & Signing Up
Went back inside, found Jenny again. Asked straight up: “Is it worth it? Like, right now?” She smiled, pulled out this tablet. Turns out signing up isn’t rocket science. Cost me $25 for the year – less than one bag of their fancy organic rose fertilizer.
She walked me through it on the tablet:
- Typed in my name, phone number, email – basic stuff.
- Chose a PIN number for checkout. Pretty simple.
- Boom. Got a confirmation text AND email instantly.
But get this – the confirmation email included a link to activate my online account. Why not just do it on the tablet? Felt like an extra step. Activated it later at home. Website still felt clunky.
Testing the Deals for Real
Okay, time to see if this actually saves me cash. Went back Thursday morning – heard whispers in that gardening group about a one-day perk for new members.
Here’s what I did:
- Found my dream Japanese Maple. Regular price: $89.99.
- Scanned my member barcode right from the email on my phone at checkout.
- Price dropped instantly to $74.99. Cha-ching! That right there covered half the membership fee.
- Grabbed some gardening gloves too. They weren’t on the weekly sale board, but the cashier said members got 10% off. Cool. Saved another $1.50. Every bit helps.
Jenny was there again. She reminded me to always check my member number at checkout – apparently prices won’t always adjust automatically. Gotta watch it. Also told me they sometimes have member-only plants in a special area near the back. Will scope that out next time.
The Big Drawback (Besides the Website)
Here’s the real kicker nobody warned me about: the parking. Especially on discount days? Forget it. That “Members-Only Reserved Parking” sign near the front? Total joke. By 10 AM on Thursday, it’s packed. Saw two non-members snag those spots while I circled around to the very back. Kinda defeats the purpose, ya know? Maybe buy the plants online first and just pick them up? Need to see if they offer that.
Also, get ready for the sales pitches. Signed up Wednesday, got my first “Members Exclusive Inside Scoop!” email Thursday afternoon trying to sell me a fancy compost tumbler. They will market hard. Be ready to hit delete.
Bottom Line After One Week
So yeah, the Greens Club website is frustrating and finding specific deals upfront? Like pulling teeth. But… saving $15 plus more on my very first purchase? That felt real. $25 annual fee seems decent if you buy plants or garden stuff regularly around here. Just manage expectations.
My tips if you join:
- Ask staff directly about unadvertised deals – they know stuff!
- WATCH your final price at checkout – make sure it adjusts.
- Go EARLY on popular discount days. Seriously. Parking is hell.
- Bring your member info on your phone OR get the physical card (Jenny offered me one after signup, I took it!).
- Don’t rely solely on their online site. Check flyers in-store and local groups.
It’s saving me money, so I’ll keep it for the year. But man, I hope they fix that website.
