Food for Thought

As the local neighborhood pet store, you know that the pet parents in your community count on you for all of their pet’s needs. With the recent surge in pet food buying, it is more vital than ever to give your faithful customers the opportunity to support your business both in store and digitally, if they so choose. Having a solid e-commerce option to give customers an omni-channel buying experience increases the chances they will choose to shop with you over big box stores and online retail giants. It also opens up the door for curbside pick-up and local delivery options as your community and communities everywhere navigate through the coming weeks.

2019 has come to an end, it’s time now to look ahead to the new pet industry trends and opportunities that will be brought by the new year. Since 1994, American pet spending has continued to rise every single year – even during the 2007-2009 recession – reaching an estimated $72.13 billion in 2018 and is now projected to hit almost $100 billion by the end of the decade. which is, well... now. This continued increase in industry growth means an increase in opportunity for your pet business to grow as well. It also means lot more new innovation and more competition to keep customers happy and shopping with you all year long.

At Pet Food Experts, we are always focused on ways to improve our services for our vendors and customers. One way that we do this is by keeping up with the latest trends and technologies in warehousing and distribution of goods. Our goal is always to make the order and delivery process as seamless and stress-free as possible not only for our customers but also for our internal teams. That’s why in the summer of 2018, we invested in the Lydia voice-activated picking solution. This ground-breaking software helps us streamline our process and increase efficiency in our distribution centers across the country. It took our team months of strategic planning, strong teamwork, and rigorous training to get things just right, but the rewards for both our operations teams and independent pet retail partners have been worth the wait.

Original Post by: NorthPoint Pets & Company A few months have passed since the FDA released a report about a potential relationship between grain-free pet foods and Dilated Cardiomyopathy or, DCM. We've all had customers walk through the door with concerns, some even have those same concerns shared with their veterinarian. However, very little research and data are available surrounding this potential relationship, and some within the industry have failed to recognize a greater problem. DCM is just one of many concerns pet owners have to face, along with cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and allergies just to name a few. The reality is that hyper-focusing on avoiding any one of these can increase the risk for the others. 

It's here, the sprint toward the end of the year! That's right, believe it or not, the holiday season is nearly upon us and it is time to start planning. This holiday season, 94.2% of consumers are set to purchase a gift for their pet. This is a huge selling opportunity for an independent pet retailer like yourself. Besides stocking up on inventory and creating attractive displays, there’s another tactic you can use to attract customers during the holidays and throughout the year. Promotions. Should be easy enough right? Fortunately, everybody loves a sale, and this super simple idea appeals to new customers while also rewarding loyal ones. All you need to do is get creative with your promotions and help create a seasonal customer experience that will draw them into your store during these peak retail shopping months.

Original Post by: inClover Research In both the human world and the pet world, probiotics and now prebiotics are all the rage. We hear talk about probiotic and prebiotic foods and supplements that will help keep our pets' digestive health in peak condition. When working in pet retail, pet parents will come to you looking for a solution when their pet has an upset tummy. It is in the best interest of you and the pet parents you serve to provide them with a solution that will continuously support the gut health of their pets and not just provide them with a quick fix.