Petco, the second-largest U.S. pet retailer is going all-natural. To a point. Representatives for the chain say that by next May, cat and dog treats and food sold at its retail locations and online will contain no artificial flavors, preservatives and colors. Company officials believe healthier foods and snacks that replace items with artificial ingredients will make up more … [Read more...]
Search Results for: home delivery
Vetsource doubles technology investment
By doubling the investment in technology and scalability, Craig Sutter, chief technology officer of Vetsource, explains how recent funding will help veterinary practices and pet owners. This investment means our platform — which supports tens of thousands of veterinary practices and pet owners — is poised to evolve with additional tools, like in-depth data analytics on … [Read more...]
Nearly all pet owners bought food in stores in 2017
Physical stores are not dead, despite industry fears of e-commerce taking over. 88 percent of dog owners and 93 percent of cat owners bought products in the category in a retail location in the past 12 months, according “Pet Food in the U.S., 13th Edition,” a report from Rockville, Md.-based market intelligence firm Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com. The … [Read more...]
Pet owners prefer to buy from brick-and-mortar stores
Pet Food in the U.S., 13th Edition states that about 88 percent of dog owners and 93 percent of cat owners admit to buying food for their pets from a store within the last 12 months. One demographic most comfortable with non-traditional purchasing options is millennials. This group was more likely than any other to buy items through a website or app for home delivery or … [Read more...]
Opinion – Veterinary distribution measured, supply chains challenged
Almost concurrently, I read about AVDA’s survey of veterinary distributors and a supply chain report on Amazon as a competitor, yet partner. The move to online is apparent in both articles and signals how much distributors are at the front line of a changing economy. Direct-to-consumer sales threaten their business models, which previously relied on shipping large amounts of … [Read more...]
Petfood e-commerce IS changing the industry
STOP. LOOK. LISTEN. As the internet age matures, online pet food purchasing options are spurring growth as a legitimate retail channel. “The channel making the biggest strides is the internet channel, which now ranks as the fifth largest for pet products and as the third largest for pet supplies,” said Packaged Facts in its U.S. Pet Market Outlook report, published in May … [Read more...]
Dog harness review is helpful
Using a harness for a dog instead of a collar has huge benefits. Finding the best adult dog or puppy harness can be a daunting task. This review of harnesses does all of the work of finding a quality harness. Source: Whole Dog Journal, April 2017. For dogs who pull on leash, WDJ strongly prefers harnesses over choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, and even flat … [Read more...]
Top-selling dog foods, treats make up big bite of Amazon sales
Pet food made up approximately 35 percent of Amazon’s $2 billion in U.S. pet product sales in 2016. Here are the top 5 selling products and SKUs: Taste of the Wild dry dog food - High Prairie Canine Formula with Roasted Bison and Venison Taste of the Wild - Pacific Stream Canine Formula with Smoked Salmon Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free dry dog food - Original … [Read more...]
Editorial – Consumers getting dental messages
February is National Pet Dental month, but dental care for pets is a daily routine we rarely get established as animal health pros. Even veterinarians admit they don’t brush their own pets’ teeth daily. Still, the amount of media attention to this topic in February is admirable. In this consumer article Sarah Young summarizes the importance of dental care, a daily routine, … [Read more...]
The impact of pet food purchase frequency
Veterinary teams and retailers often struggle with managing pet food marketing opportunities. In addition to space and inventory concerns, ensuring the product moves out is critical to getting margin on sales. David Sprinkle shares that the frequency of pet food purchasing is a key factor to pet food retailing and target marketing. Frequency of purchasing affects everything … [Read more...]
Top 10 pet food brands sold online
It’s a changing landscape for what brand of pet food is sold and also the source from which it is acquired. Note the increases in home delivery percentages in the top two retailers. Source: Petfood Industry, April 28, 2016. Consumers have really embraced the subscription model when it comes to purchasing pet food online. It’s a product that is much more convenient to have … [Read more...]
Editorial – Re-examine your e-commerce strategy
"Digital channels have become the dominant medium for influencing decision-making and building a stronger relationship between the brand and the end user”, says a 2011 Oracle report. It is past time for veterinary hospitals to reassess and update their digital strategies to include product sales. While this article focuses on distribution, consider that for many consumer … [Read more...]
Editorial – Things that keep vets up at night
The results of dvm360’s triennial survey are out. The survey makes clear veterinarians are concerned. They feel the same changes we feel and more. Addressing their concerns with proper action remains a strong challenge. Enterprising reps will set aside the detail book and use these survey results to have solution-centered dialogues with their accounts. “B” accounts will … [Read more...]
Editorial – Most dog seatbelts aren’t safe
Recent articles and videos question the safety of pet harnesses for automobiles. The not-for-profit Center for Pet Safety found a majority of pet harnesses marketed today do not work during sudden maneuvers. Supported in part by Subaru, CPS conducted tests on 25 harness products. Of these, only four protected a pet according to its protocols. Source: The Huffington Post, … [Read more...]
Telehealth can benefit small private practices
Erica Jain shares reasons small medical practices can benefit from telehealth technologies. These benefits also apply to veterinary practices. Telehealth technologies level the playing field between large and small medical practices.” – Erick Jain Source: Medical Economics, July 27, 2023. Link. Jain asserts telehealth services help: Overcome staff shortages Streamline … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 12, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 5, 2023. Link. Most read posts from January 5th AHD Bulletin – Handling tardy clients. Link. Clarifying the recission of the FDA VCPR waiver. Link. Does post-transport, pre-processing rest make a difference in calf growth performance. Link. Virus hunters spotting threats in new … [Read more...]
10 years and counting elevating care for cats
The Cat Friendly Practice® program is a global initiative. It is a team education approach for veterinary teams to ensure an entire staff is educated and knowledgeable about cats’ needs and behaviors. Developed by the AAFP and leading feline experts, the program seeks to improve the improves the overall delivery of care to cats. All clinic staff who work with cats must meet a … [Read more...]
2020 e-commerce surge carried pet food along for the ride
“One of the driving factors behind the e-commerce growth trends for pet food was the growth of millennial pet owners who were preconditioned to online shopping. The pandemic has taken this storyline and put it on steroids,” according to Tom Elliott citing a new report from Capstone Headwaters. In a related discussion, Fritz Wood, CPA and Vertical Vet's Dr. Ernie Ward … [Read more...]
Who’s watching the kids?
Commentary Two articles and Thanksgiving experiences prompt this post. Whether rural, urban or suburban, parents are taxed. The effects of changing school schedules, daycare limitations, restrictions on gatherings and physical distancing play out in family lives and at work. Virtual care helps, but only goes so far. Even with optimum resources, parents are stressed to know … [Read more...]
Some perspective on drive-through or curbside services
COMMENTARY Louis Sullivan (1856-1924) helped pioneer and change the face of architecture. This quote is attributed to him, “form follows function.” In this context, writer Mark Wilson reviews fast food chains’ $290 billion race for the perfect drive-through. What does this have to do with animal health? Drive-throughs have been a staple of fast-food revenue for decades, … [Read more...]
Read this BEFORE you head out on vacation
Scott Edinger compares returning from vacation to a space shuttle on reentry. With the right preparation before a flight, the friction on reentry can be managed well with the right angles. Metaphors aside, he offers good counsel that may be more relevant now than in 2012. Source: Harvard Business Review, June 27, 2012. Link. Clear the decks Allow yourself to check … [Read more...]
Leading and working through a pandemic
HBR is publishing daily articles and resources on how to manage yourself, your team, and your company through the coronavirus crisis. The resources are provided at a dedicated Coronavirus Special Coverage page < link >. HBR opened access for these resources to all visitors, so this content can be easily shared with your own teams, colleagues and network. Source: … [Read more...]
Dealing with procrastination
Eric Olszewski stopped putting things off when he learned to see life as one big deadline. A perpetual procrastinator, he would let time fly by until panic set in, at which point he finally buckled down and did whatever it took to get through the work he was avoiding. He learned he was suffering from too much freedom. . . . simply overwhelmed by the multitude of options in my … [Read more...]
And on the 7th day, FedEx delivered
FedEx will start delivering packages seven days a week next January. It is also taking back nearly two million home deliveries currently handled by the post office. Source: Associated Press, May 30, 2019. Link. Consumers want packages over the weekend,” President and Chief Operating Officer Raj Subramaniam said in an interview. “As soon as we went to 6-day, we started … [Read more...]
Managing perfectionism
When your patients can’t talk to you, it is hard to not seek perfection. Rebecca Knight offers ideas of how to let go of a penchant for perfectionism. It is a double-edged sword, she writes. It can motivate you to perform at a high level and deliver top-quality work. Or, it can cause you unnecessary anxiety and slow you down. Many perfectionists have a proclivity to ruminate — … [Read more...]
Rubicon Scientific announces new president
Congratulations to Lionel Reilly, DVM, on his appointment as president of Rubicon Scientific < link >. The market for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) is projected to reach $9,162 million by 2025. Rubicon is located in the KC Animal Health Corridor with offices in Sabetha, Kansas. Source: Rubicon Scientific, April 30, 2019. Link. Rubicon Scientific LLC is an … [Read more...]
How to decide whether to relocate for a job
Whether or not to relocate for a new role is a big decision, professionally and personally. Animal health pros are routinely faced with relocation decisions as companies merge. The same is true for associate veterinarians and veterinary nurses looking to advance their careers. Author and professor Jennifer Petriglieri offers some ideas to help think through whether the move … [Read more...]
10 Excel functions everyone should know
The title says it all. Take a look to see if you can add to your spreadsheet skills. Harness just a few of these ten items, and you can transform your typical work day. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 10, 2018. Link. Whether you want to help justify data-driven business decisions at a high level, or simply get home to your family earlier, mastering the right Excel … [Read more...]
Perfectionists and business days dwindle
Alice Boyes, PhD, discusses perfectionists, their strengths and how their tendencies sometimes lead to self-sabotage in the workplace. She offers practical solutions for minimizing the downsides of these tendencies and to keep things moving. Procrastination or decision paralysis is one of the perfectionist traits that slows progress. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 2, … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – New product redirects destructive cat scratching
“Veterinarians now have a way to stop destructive scratching in the home without declawing procedures or ineffective alternatives,” said Dr. Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, Dipl. ACVB, Veterinary Services Specialist at Ceva Animal Health in a statement released November 1, 2017. FELISCRATCH by FELIWAYTM, is clinically proven to stop and prevent both vertical and horizontal destructive … [Read more...]