Aug 3-9
BUYING Complete any prep for Superzoo, happening Aug. 13-15 in Las Vegas, NV. You’ve already planned your booth visits and filled out order forms for existing brand partners, yes? But have you signed up for our ebulletin and followed PETS+ on Facebook? Per usual, we’ll be reporting live from the tradeshow floor and sharing dozens of videos each day. Plus, as SUPERZOO media partner, we’ll be producing the Show Daily. Whether you’re at the show or not, going to petsplusmag.com/bulletins and facebook.com/petsplusmag gets you all the news and product finds delivered to your inbox and feed. Don’t miss out!
Aug 10-16
NETWORKING Those of you attending Superzoo will have a variety of networking options to choose from, but please put the Retailer & Emerging Brands Networking Experience at Mini Golf at Swingers, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, on your schedule. Three reasons to not miss it: 1) You’ll get to chat with the newest brands in the industry in a casual setting, 2) Catit will be the Elite Sponsor, PETS+ will be the Media Sponsor, and we’re making this the SUPERZOO meetup for the PETS+ community, and 3) it’s free food and drinks and fun! Just show your Retailer badge to get in. See you in Vegas!
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Aug 17-23
INSURANCE Commercial insurance rates continue to rise for many small businesses. If you’ve recently been hit with an increase, Lisa Prakobkit of Modern Paws in Tampa, FL, recommends calling in a pro: “Go with a broker who can shop around for you. They’ll usually get you the best rates.”
Aug 24-30
MERCHANDISING Frozen products — bags, boxes and other containers — are a challenge to keep orderly on freezer shelves. Members of the PETS+ Facebook Community recently shared these organizational tips: Use vertical shelf dividers from your freezer supplier for large items and put smaller products in clear plastic or wire bins. Jodi Etienne of Razzle Dazzle Doggie Bow-tique in Bradley, IL, adds: “It doesn’t hurt to ask manufacturers to kick in $ or order you something.”
Aug 31-Sep 6
HOLIDAY PLANNING You should be pretty much done with holiday buying at this point, but if it doesn’t look like you’ll have enough product, Julie Johannes of Happy Hounds Pet Supply in Bigfork, MT, suggests: “Look to your main distributor to see if they pre-purchased. If many of the good holiday toys are no longer available, this is a great place to start.” And Jeffrey Jensen of Four Muddy Paws in St. Louis, MO, offers that it’s not too early to start planning: “By September, we like to have all of our holiday plans solidified so all we have to do is execute. It really helps the store teams to know what’s coming up for the next four months, how it all flows together, so it’s not so overwhelming. We’ll have Halloween/Fall set up by mid-to-late September once the weather starts to cool down a bit. Then we’re ready for our Christmas receipts to begin arriving in October.”
Sep 7-13
OPERATIONS Having your services be in demand over the holiday season? Great! Dealing with frustrated regulars who fail to book well in advance each year and push for you to fit them in? Not so much. Follow the lead of Kristina Robertson of The Pet Spa at Barkley Square in Falls Church, VA: “In September, we start to send gentle reminders to schedule before the holidays. We even offer a ‘Schedule-Early Discount’ or free luxury product upgrade to those who do.”
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Sep 14-20
INVENTORY Get ready for your end-of-quarter count. Dorothy Vetrovec of Nature’s Feed in Spring Grove, IL, recommends barcode scanners: “They run about $300 each and are so worth it!”
Sep 21-27
MARKETING Indies regularly say that positive word of mouth ranks as their preferred method of marketing, both for its authenticity and low — if any — hard cost. Take inspiration from Canadian chain The Bone & Biscuit Co., which shot in-store videos of customers sharing why they love shopping there. The posts have more than 1,000 likes across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Equipment costs vary for such an effort, but you can invest in a quality microphone with a branded flag, plus a stand for around $250. If you have the space, set up during Neighborhood Pet Store Day on Sep. 27 and make the most of the increase in foot traffic. If you plan on just using your cell phone, at least opt for a plug-in and clip-on mic set to reduce background noise. Good luck! We can’t wait to see your customers’
appreciation videos.
