WHO DO YOU LOVE? And why? No, we weren’t nosing around in your personal life with this question from a recent Brain Squad survey. Instead, we wanted to know which pet product companies go above and beyond for independent brick-and-mortar retailers — and how.

You answered! Some in great detail. A few even used heart emojis when discussing the topic in our PETS+ Community on Facebook.

We rounded up your favorites just in time for Global Pet Expo, March 20-22. Pack this issue, and be sure to visit these companies while there. Not attending? Go to the website included with each to learn more online.

One final note: This list does not include every company indies love, nor does it include every pro-indie effort by those included. Retailers, tell us about others via Brain Squad — sign up at petsplusmag.com/brainsquad if you are not already a member. Companies, help us get to know you better — email editor@petsplusmag.com.

Continuing Hemp Education

Every Tuesday, TREATIBLES founder and CEO Julianna Carella leads a training webinar for 10 retailer participants. To date, more than 500 have taken part, learning not just about the company’s hemp products but also about cannabinoid science and government regulations.

Alicia Towkaniuk, director of training for Kahoots Feed and Pet stores in Southern California, appreciates the opportunity to learn directly from Carella.

“She took the time herself to go over the basics of phytocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, ways that our customers’ dogs and cats can benefit from the cannabinoid spectrum and terpenes found in whole hemp oil, what goes into making quality hemp oil products and why Treatibles is a great option for our customers.

“[Carella] also taught us the proper verbiage to ensure we are sharing the most accurate information with our customers, and made sure we had the latest information on the legislation of hemp and hemp products. Team members have let me know they feel much more confident in answering customer questions about what hemp products are and how they can be beneficial.”

Jodi Ziskin, director of communications for Treatibles, shares additional resources available.

“We also support our retailers through our ambassadors and sales team, who regularly visit stores, provide in-store product demos, samples and more.”

treatibles.com

Support By Phone, Online & In Person

In addition to providing online training for retailers and in-store education for pet parents, PET RELEAF employees regularly jump on the phone to answer CBD questions.
Nancy Okun of Cats n Dogs in Port Charlotte, FL, calls her area manager, Reid Baker. She did so recently when a customer came in with a dog undergoing chemotherapy. He had lost his appetite, and his vet suggested CBD to stimulate it.

“The customer had many questions, some of which I couldn’t answer, so I got Reid on the phone. He was answering questions, the store got busy, and I had to give the phone to the customer so they could continue the conversation. It must have lasted at least 15 minutes. She was very impressed with Pet Releaf, and so was I.”

Such interactions are all in a day’s work for Baker, he says.

“This is exactly why I love independent retailers, like Nancy! Servicing them and their customer base allows us to have a stronger personal touch, helping them understand how our products can help pet companions is one of my favorite parts of the job.”

Baker also points out that Pet Releaf does not now or will not ever partner with big-box stores.

petreleaf.com

A Share of Online Sales

RAISED RIGHT PETS considers Adam Jacobson of Pet Pantry Warehouse in Connecticut and New York a partner in online as well as in-store sales. The Right Way Retail Alliance allows brick-and-mortar retailers that stock the company’s food to offer home delivery through its direct-to-consumer service. Each store receives a unique referral code and gets a percentage of purchases made with it online.

Jacobson sees the program as an extension of the customer service experience.

“For example, we have a customer who went to Florida for vacation, and her dog has a health issue that Raised Right’s food helps. Through the Right Way Retail Alliance, we were able to work with Raised Right to ship a box of food to her temporary address in Florida so that her dog could remain on her existing diet.” He adds, “Our customers have been extremely thankful for us going the extra mile to put their animal’s well-being first.”

Raised Right co-founder and CEO Braeden Ruud points out, “This is risk-free profit for retailers. Plus, the customer remains loyal to that retailer since the store continues to be part of the equation.”

raisedrightpets.com

Seasonal Offerings

In addition to releasing 20 new collar, harness and lead designs annually to encourage customers to buy several a year, UP COUNTRY offers free point-of-purchase signs and other branded materials, and polices its MAP policy to protect brick-and-mortar stores.

upcountryinc.com

DIY Microsites & Marketing

Where to buy” sections on product company websites typically include only the basics. FROMM FAMILY FOODS goes beyond that by offering each retail partner its own microsite that shows Fromm products sold, as well as a description of the store, its services, photos, videos and event listings.

“Retailers utilize an easy-to-use web portal to update their microsite, including adding events,” Bryan Nieman, brand director for Fromm, says.

The company also helps drive customers to such store events.

“The 2018 holiday season marked the second time we supported events with a special Buy 1, Get 2 Free printable coupon along with email marketing to consumers living near the event (utilizing our consumer email list). We supplied retailers with social media assets and a sign-up webpage to promote the offer with their consumers.”

frommfamily.com

Pet-Specialty Plus

PETCUREAN understands the role independent stores play in educating pet parents about nutrition.

“Shoppers are shifting their priorities to premium products, personalized customer experience and expert nutrition knowledge, giving brick-and-mortar retailers a leg up on the online competition,” says Annabelle Immega, trade marketing manager for the company. “Petcurean offers numerous opportunities for education, business planning, sales promotions and more, all exclusively available to our independent brick-and-mortar partners.”

Bill Greene, general manager and partner of Reber Ranch in Kent, WA, appreciates that Petcurean representatives not only work with employees of his stores, but also of his on-site service providers.

“Within our retail store, we have partnered with Petcurean because their food performs, and their line offers tremendous options when helping meet our customers’ needs.

“Additionally, they have partnered and supported our veterinary hospital and grooming salons with product training and tools, which really no one else is doing in pet specialty.”

petcurean.com

Exclusivity for Indies & More

When STELLA & CHEWY’S introduced its Raw Blend and Raw Coated kibbles in 2017, it did so only through independent brick-and-mortar retailers, which continue to have that exclusivity.

“Customers who purchase Stella & Chewy’s shop at a higher frequency,” says Molly Mulcahy, vice president of brand marketing. “With exclusivity, stores do not split visits with online or big-box. We drove over $20 million incremental dollars in independent stores in 2018.”

Other pro-indie efforts include its Red Door Retailer program for retailers above a certain distribution level. The company uses geofencing to drive customers to member stores and prioritizes them for on-site demonstrations and samplings. Members can provide feedback as part of an advisory committee. Stella & Chewy’s also invites team members to join its Stella Squad, an online training program with games and prizes.

This adorable Fetch RI customer dressed up as Fluff & Tuff toy Marge the Cow for the store’s #iamfluff event.

stellaandchewys.com

Creative In-Store Campaigns

For Halloween 2018, pet toy company FLUFF & TUFF created the #iamfluff campaign. It offered stores social media materials and free toys for a costume contest. Johnna Devereaux of Fetch RI in Richmond, RI, was one of 50 retailers who took part. “Fetch RI was having a Halloween photo fundraiser for a local rescue organization, and we were able to promote the event in a unique way because of Fluff & Tuff’s generosity. We had pups come as Fluff & Tuff toys, and when people saw the images we posted online, quite a few came in to check out the line. This company is very supportive of its retailers and has always been willing to help us.”

The toy company regularly sponsors such efforts to increase foot traffic. “Everything we do circles back to providing meaningful offerings to help our independent retail partners,” says Courtney Lawson Rush, director of sales and marketing for Fluff & Tuff. “We understand the importance of keeping things fun and fresh, and work to develop interesting marketing content to engage our retailers and their customer base.” f

luffandtuff.com

Loyalty, Support & Transparency

Because ANSWERS PET FOOD sells only through independent brick-and-mortar retailers, a true partnership exists. The company offers a frequent-buyer program, and its employees stand ready to provide sales and marketing support.

Eric Mack of Purrrfect Bark Market in Columbus, NC, can attest: “They love their retail stores and are protective of those who helped build the brand. They are always willing to help us build our customer base and keep them. They send people to us from social media, email and phone inquiries to their office. They help me with specials, ads, information and advice that only we can provide in our type of store.”

Answers also invited retailers such as Mack to tour its headquarters in 2018 and plans to expand access in 2019, in part with footage of its facilities filmed by Pet Fooled director Kohl Harrington. “We pride ourselves in being transparent,” says Answers creative brand strategist Coco Levitski.

answerspetfood.com

Incentives to Shop Indie

ZIWI has implemented several strategies over the past three years that direct potential customers to indies.

Marketing communications manager Sharon Durham lists them:

“A high-value coupon is included with the thousands of product samples we distribute each year, which can only be redeemed in retail stores. Our customer care team regularly directs consumers to our website’s store locator, and a link to it is provided on our social media sites. We’ve recently started using free product vouchers for giveaways and promotions, instead of shipping actual product.

“We do these things because we know that today’s customers value the personal service they get from independent retailers. When they receive one-on-one attention and talk with someone who is knowledgeable about our products, they are much more likely to become loyal, long-term customers.”

ziwipets.com

Drop-Ship Option

P.L.A.Y. offers easy online ordering, dedicated sales representatives, MAP policing and a wealth of marketing materials, but indies especially love its consideration of their square footage.

Sarah Johnson, sales coordinator at the company, explains:

“While the size of independent retail stores varies widely, many of them work with limited space, particularly when it comes to the bed category. In order to help these retailers compete with the big guys that can offer tons of bedding options, we offer a drop-ship option for special orders.

“Any of our retailers can offer our entire line of beds to their customers without having to physically stock them all. We recommend bringing some popular ones in to have on hand for sale and to show the quality and design in person, but then a customer can look through our showcase sheet and swatch book (provided to the retailer at no cost) to select the bed they want from the available patterns and sizes for each style.

Stores can display one of P.L.A.Y.’s Houndstooth Lounge Beds, and have on hand swatches of others.

“We’ll ship it direct to the store, or even directly to the customer for a small fee. This is another time when our short lead times can also really help our retailers. The retailer keeps the customer happy and local, and the customer gets what they want while supporting an independent retailer — it’s a win all around.”

petplay.com

Independent Exclusivity

RAWZ NATURAL PET FOOD sells only to independent pet retailers, and only those authorized independent retailers can sell its products online.

“We always encourage our consumers to shop locally whenever possible, but some of our consumers live in remote areas and depend on online shopping. It’s also the only way the small independent can compete with big e-commerce,” employee Amy Knox says. “Occasionally we find our products listed for sale on the big third-party sites, but we state on our website that we cannot guarantee the quality or safety of these products and always urge our consumers to refrain from purchasing our products through such avenues. We only place our guarantee on products purchased through authorized independent retailers.”
What the company does with its profits also proves attractive to indies.

“RAWZ donates 100 percent of its profits to service dog training and placement programs, as well as to traumatic brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation programs. It seems as though every day you hear of a high-quality, feel-good pet food brand being purchased by a large corporation, one that may not have the same standards of quality that the brand’s consumers are drawn to, and that’s concerning for both the retailer and the consumer. As a company that donates all of its profits, RAWZ is of no interest to these large corporations. We consider our 100-percent profit donation an insurance policy against third-party acquisitions.”

rawznaturalpetfood.com

Exclusive Raw Bar

VITAL ESSENTIALS offers only independent brick-and-mortar stores its VE Raw Bar, a merchandise display that holds 10 freeze-dried treats exclusive to indies.

“The display also includes a lighted sign that can be hung anywhere in the store or in the front window capturing shopper attention and interest,” marketing director Melissa Olson says. “The display is truly an interactive experience, giving retailers a competitive advantage. Best of all, most retailers report inventory turns ranging from 2.5 times to 4 times per month along with great profit margins.”

vitalessentialsraw.com

Super Imap

ANNAMAET PETFOODS may let online retailers sell its products, but a strict internet minimum advertised pricing policy requires them to price at about 10 percent higher than brick-and-mortar stores. Its IMAP policy excludes Annamaet from online promotions and coupons.
The company also provides support exclusive to indies, including a frequent-feeder program, customer coupons, and puppy packs to send home with new family members.

annamaet.com

Like Amazon, In A Good Way

RUFFWEAR offers the Latitude program. With it, brick-and-mortar retailers pay $99 for the year and get same-day free shipping with a minimum order of $100. The company also did away with pre-season ordering.

“Responding to challenges from retailers and the ‘right now’ mindset of customers, Ruffwear is encouraging smaller, more frequent orders. This helps retailers more accurately address customer needs and eliminates big spikes in production.

“It takes the risk off the retailer, so that they can order what they need, when they need it,” Susan Strible, director of marketing, says. “For example, if it’s a dry fall/winter, they aren’t stuck with a bunch of snow boots they ordered last January.”

Also a plus, the company’s store locator allows retailers to sync their inventory with the tool so customers can check product availability.

ruffwear.com

Marketing Materials Galore

PURA NATURALS PET understands that independent pet store owners wear many — in some cases, all of the — hats. With that in mind, it offers for easy download a variety of marketing materials: images for print and online use, logos, product data and educational documents, testimonials and digital catalogs. There are also blog posts, social media images and web banners available.

puranaturalspet.com

Stephanie Troxell and Tori Rosay (from left) of Dexter’s Deli in San Diego, CA, won the 2018 contest.

A Trip to Big Sky Country

In addition to providing free educational and marketing materials, policing minimum advertised pricing and offering a 100-percent guarantee on its products, WEST PAW welcomes input from its independent retail partners.

“We are always available to hear their concerns and/or suggestions about what they feel is working and what is not,” public relations lead Amy Schumann says. “We think we’re very approachable and fun, which makes retailers enjoy working with us.”

Each year, one indie in particular more than appreciates working with the company: the winner of its Make It Montana contest. West Paw randomly selects a retail partner to receive a five-day trip for two to Bozeman, MN, where they have five days to explore company headquarters and the state.

westpaw.com

CBD Consumer-Loyalty Program

HOLISTIC HOUND helps independent pet stores reward buyers of its CBD products. According to founder Heidi Hill, her company offers the only Buy 5, Get 1 Free national promotion through Astro Loyalty.

holistichound.com

Map Policing & More

While INCLOVER does sell its products online, the company provides protection for its brick-and-mortar retail partners.

Allie Sparrow, director of business growth for the company, explains: “InClover closely monitors our approved online sellers to be sure that they are adhering to our MAP policy and has limited sellers on Amazon to one exclusive partner so that we may maintain control on the platform. InClover does not and will not offer our supplements for sale on Chewy.com.”

She adds, “The education that we provide to our retail partners allows them to offer a service that the online retailers cannot.” In-store seminars are open to store employees and customers, plus area veterinarians.

inclover.com

Highest Fill Rate & Extensive Selection

JONES NATURAL CHEWS takes pride in its 99 percent complete order fill rate, one of the highest in the industry. Retailers get what they need, when they need it. The company also offers such a wide variety of products that stores can regularly encourage customers to try something new.

jonesnaturalchews.com

In-Store Tools & Free Exchanges

Sure, pet parents can order clothing for their dogs and cats online, but even the best sizing guides can fail. WOODROW WEAR helps brick-and-mortar stores compete by offering tools that ensure a perfect fit. Its Try-On Socks kit includes one of each size, with the size knitted onto the top.

“Customers can try the socks on their dog without opening the store’s inventory or making a mess on the floor or tearing the packaging,” company owner Lorraine Walston explains. “If the dog isn’t with the customer, they can stretch the sock and see how comfortable it is, how much it stretches, and how even though it doesn’t look like the right size, it actually does become the right size.”
Woodrow Wear also offers an inventory exchange program.

“[Retailers] don’t need to store what isn’t selling or keep seasonal items for a year. We exchange sizes and colors that aren’t moving for others that will. Our theory is that we’re both doing better if the indie is moving socks. These trades are done for free with a new order or for a small shipping fee if done alone.”

woodrowwear.com