Ten of the pet retail industry’s top professionals discuss trends, challenges and share advice they would give every retailer. Many of their concerns parallel those of private veterinary hospitals.
Source: Pet Product News International, December 2015, page 22 (direct link unavailable).
“If you aren’t paying attention and your customer base is evolving, you will be left behind if you don’t evolve with them,” says Loring Grow, owner of Furry Face, in Redlands, California and repeated Pet Product News Retailer of the Year.
Continuing Growth
- All-natural food and treats
- Alternative health care remedies
- Made in the USA products
- Demand for product and ingredient transparency
- Evidence that pets are good for human mental and physical well-being
- Mergers and acquisitions
Mounting Concerns
- Distributor consolidation
- Internet sales
- Regional pet retail chains
- Access to product variety
- Animal rights legislation
- Misinformation about pet food
Building Trends
- Pet services (grooming, spas, day care, etc.)
- Freeze-dried pet food
- Millennials becoming a growing force in the marketplace
- Pet tech
- Consumer spending picking up steam