Across the country the frenzy of Black Friday has taken over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. As a small business owner it can often be difficult to compete with big box stores and online retail giants on these days. In response to this, small business owners have joined together to claim a day of their own. Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday there is now Small Business Saturday. The movement has grown into a holiday shopping staple aiming to support small businesses just like you.

Pet Food Experts is pleased to announce that we have acquired Monarch Pet Products. Monarch Pet Products located in Denver, CO has been servicing independent pet retailers in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming since 2009. This acquisition means we will be gaining over 365 new independent pet retail partners in the Mountain Region and expanding our distribution footprint from 29 states to 32 states.

As the temperatures outside steadily drops and the sun sets earlier in the evening sky it's a sure sign that winter is creeping up on us. Humans are not alone in suffering from the harsh effects of winter; our four-legged friends are also feeling the effects. Make sure your furry friends are safe and warm this winter. From apparel all the way to diet you can find ways to help your customers' pets survive the winter and make your store thrive.

Email marketing gets a bad reputation, some even say the practice is a form of antiquated marketing with little return on investment. Well I am here to tell you this just is not true. In actuality, research supports that people do read most of their emails and don't mind them from companies they do business with as long as they are interesting and relevant. In fact, with the proper strategy any business can succeed with email marketing, even pet retailers.

Halloween isn’t the only thing to celebrate this month! The American Humane Society established the month of October as National Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month in 1981. Since then, pet lovers everywhere have celebrated shelter dogs and rescues during this month. Each year, there is an estimated 3-4 million animals in shelters looking for their forever home. Join in the celebration by observing Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month in you store this October.

Summer is officially over, but that doesn’t mean flea season has ended. There is a common misconception that fleas and ticks are exclusively a seasonal concern; they come out in the warmer weather and die off in the colder seasons. We look forward to that first drop in temperature that signals the pests are heading south for the fall/winter months, but are they? Many aren't aware that the dropping temperatures can make the perfect environment for the flea population to surge.

It's official, CBD products are here to stay. Google the term “CBD”, and you’ll find that it’s projected to be a $2.1 Billion industry by 2020, an astronomical jump compared to last year's CBD market of around $202 million. When it comes to CBD brands and their products, it can feel like you’re swimming in a sea of options. With so many brands coming out with their own CBD line and making claims about their product being the most effective and the best priced on the market it can feel overwhelming to know exactly what to stock your shelves with.

Do you find it difficult to draw in new customers while maintaining a strong connection with your current customers? Now, there are many ways you can build customer loyalty and promote your business, but holding a successful store event is a sure way to show customers you are grateful for their business and engage new customers that stroll in.

Word-of-mouth is an independent retailer’s best friend. One happy customer tells another and now you have two happy customers and so on. Customer advocates help keep your marketing costs down and let you provide better customer service.

When customers enter your store looking for pet food, they’re often confused. Is limited ingredient best for their precious pet or should they go with one of those pre-packaged frozen raw diets? Some pet lovers ask outright which is the best dog food for their pooch? Others might not let up they are confused unless asked.