GROOM’D & Global Glory
- I couldn’t go to GROOM’D this year and appreciated the coverage! So glad you partnered with World Pet Association! — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
- Thank you so much for your awesome coverage of Global Pet Expo! I was at the show, but I still really liked seeing your interviews! — Jennifer Guevin, Holistic For Pets, Bradenton, FL
- Your coverage of Global was great! It was informative and helped me find new products I want to put in our shop. — Laura Burton, Lollypop Farm, Fairport, NY
- I really wish more indies realized the value of going to Global. No matter what you spend on travel, you will make it back and back and back. My team is currently adding up everything we got for free (what we would have paid/what we are able to charge), and then we will also be looking at all of the free product promised to us by reps I met, as well as the various deals only available to people physically at Global. Not to mention the lasting relationships forged — if a rep likes you, the benefits are astronomical. I’m still getting basically anything I ask for from a brand whose rep and I met three years ago and hit it off. I just want others to know it’s not just worth the cost, it’s worth the time away from your biz! — Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia, PA
Mar-Apr Good Reads
- I truly enjoyed reading “Indie Innovators.” It was really nice to see these folks honored for what they have contributed to the pet industry. It’s also awesome to learn from your fellow comrades in the trenches (so to speak). — Ruth Sturgis, Dog Daze, North Syracuse, NY
- I just read Stacy Busch-Heisserer’s column about having too many employees, and I completely agree. Less sometimes really is more when you have the right people. — Jennifer Hall, All Things Pawssible, Charlottesville, VA
- As busy as I am with trying to get just store stuff done, I really appreciate that I can find new products in PETS+. It saves me so much time, and my employees enjoy looking through the magazine and will point out “cool” things to me. Thank you for doing an awesome job of keeping indies up-to-date. — Paula Gorman, Pet Supplies ‘N’ More, Muskego, WI
Industry Thoughts
- The cost of shipping right now! INSANE. Some products become so expensive because of shipping that we feel bad and don’t follow our normal pricing protocols, with the hope people will still buy it, so we take the hit. I hope this can improve soon! — Erin Paitrick, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Summerville, Summerville, SC
- Reps ask all the time if I’m going to the big industry shows, and I always explain that it’s not worth it for me due to the disproportionate amount of dog-to-cat products. I would love to go to smaller, more specialized shows such as cat and small animal, or supplements, etc. Can someone put those on? — Angela Velasquez, The Kitty Bodega, Houston, TX
- We see so many social media posts from the “all or nothing” crowd. Raw feeders who won’t sell kibble. Kibble feeders who dispel the benefits of raw. Or they won’t bring in a product because they think people will think it’s too much $. It’s a headshaker because they’re hurting their business. Meet people where they are and help them make the best choice with whatever type of food. And in the words of WhizBang! Retail’s Bob Negen, don’t shop from your own product. You may not want to spend $100 on dog food, but there are those who won’t bat an eye. Get out of your own way and get off social media with the whining. — Pamela Modica, Lazy Creek Pet Food Center, Lexington, SC
PETS+ Etc.
- Would love a resource for dud items … one man’s dud is another man’s bestseller! My store has too many C-grade items, and I’d love a hub where I could sell them at a deep wholesale discount to another store rather than always donating them. — Julie Johannes, Happy Hounds Pet Supply, Bigfork, MT
EDITOR’S NOTE: Retailers do exactly this in the PETS+ Facebook Community. Join us!
- The PETS+ Sample Box is an awesome program that I am so happy to be a part of, but I wish that we could have a once-a-year (or even one-time) box dedicated to fish, bird, reptile, small animal. — Amber Hudson, The Aquarium Pet Store, Weatherford, OK
EDITOR’S NOTE: We would love that, too! Tell your favorite brands in those categories to email Publisher Desiree Lynch at desiree@petsplusmag.com to learn more about the program.