How a Retailer Made More Than $5,000 on Nail Trims in July Alone

The new GREEN JUJU Goat Milk is doing really well. We’re implementing the fermentation protocol with ADORED BEAST probiotic products, which has offered a way to talk about the benefits of raw goat milk, fermentation and probiotics. We love when we can cross-promote products. — Jeff Jensen, Four Muddy Paws, St. Louis, MO

Products

• ID tags and calming products. For July 4th, we did a big push about pet safety and helping pets cope with fireworks. AUSTIN AND KAT‘s No More Wiggles and SUPER SNOUTS Chill Out were big sellers. — Cathy Dervalis, Dog Day Afternoon, Belleville, IL
• Bugs of all kinds are always our No. 1 seller, although definitely not our biggest money maker. We sell crickets (in three sizes), superworms, mealworms, waxworms, Dubia roaches and hornworms. — Barbara Clemmens, Aardvark Pet Supplies, Thornwood, NY
• NATURAL CRAVINGS Bully Sticks. We sell the premium thick ones for $10 to $25. We don’t need to do any promotions. Once people see the quality, they sell themselves. — Amanda Favoino, Paws of Distinction, New Paltz, NY
• BLUE RIDGE BEEF Shank Bones were a top seller in July. Aside from the nutritional benefits of a raw shank bone, it’s a long-lasting treat. — Jennifer Hall, All Things Pawssible, Charlottesville, VA
• LICKIMAT Wobble bowls. People are becoming more aware of the need for enrichment products for their pets. — Karen Komisar, Sea Dog Pet Boutique, Annapolis, MD
• We sold a lot of KURGO Gourd water bottles. It was HOT in July. — Mike Dan, RedRidge Pet Market, Richmond, VA
• Frozen yogurt. We sell a variety of brands/flavors, including THE BEAR AND THE RAT and BOSS DOG. They’re promoted on our website banner, so it’s a no-brainer for those doing curbside pickup. We also put a sign out on the sidewalk, so anyone walking their dogs has a reason to stop in. It’s a fun, inexpensive treat for their pets. — Jamie Judson, City Bark, Detroit, MI
• WACKYWALK’S Wunderball. They’ve been selling like crazy. I restock about every two weeks! Found this product on TikTok. — Brittany Jones, Eastern Pet Company, Elizabeth City, NC
• RAWTERNATIVE from the makers of GRANDMA MAE’S COUNTRY NATURALS. The price point is lower than other air-dried options, and dogs are loving it — so much so that it sold out, and even our distributor ran out. Comes in Lamb & Lamb Organs, Beef & Beef Organs and Chicken & Liver. Recommended retail pricing is $6.99 for the 5-ounce bag, $19.99 for the 1-pound bag and $49.99 for the 3-pound bag. — Jennifer Guevin, Holistic for Pets, Sarasota, FL
• Herb Salad by TWIN BEAKS AVIARY. Sold well because baby season was here, and it’s a great product to supplement a diet. It’s a product most people don’t know about and needs to be suggested to the customer, but nearly everyone will buy it. — Paul Lewis Birds Unlimited, Webster, NY
• Any squeaky toys that are alcohol-related. — Amy Tyler, Finnegan Farms, East Petersburg, PA
• The new TALL TAILS animated toys were a hit with customers. We brought in a few of each toy in the line and sold all but one in about 10 days. Re-ordered and sold most of them again. — Michele Saharic, Barkley’s Marketplace, Flemington, NJ
• PET RELEAF Peppered Bacon CBD chews! Sold more during July than ever before. I ran an ad on my social media page July 1 to remind clients that they help with anxiety and stress during fireworks. The sales were amazing that week, and many clients returned for more stating it made a huge difference! — Kelly Lawrence, Barkingham Palace Pet Grooming, Houma, LA
• PAWS GOURMET summer cookies. They came out with some cute designs, s’mores and ice cream bars, that my customers love. Retail is $2.69 each. — Lori Anderson, A Dog’s Dream, Seattle, WA
• ECO 88 stain and odor remover. The hectic nature of summer means an increase in kitten/puppy cat/dog accidents inside the home, and the heat amplifies the smell. No promotions. — Angela Velasquez, The Kitty Bodega, Houston, TX
• NORTHWEST NATURALS functional toppers. They come in Salmon With Shiitake and Maitake Mushrooms, Chicken Breast With New Zealand Green Mussels, and Beef Liver With Turmeric. As meal mixers have been getting harder to get in consistently, these have been a great add-on instead. We have them priced with the same margins as treats at $13.99. There is a buyer’s program, and we have had great success with these for dog and cat customers. — Kat Forry, A1 Pet Emporium, Oklahoma City, OK
• ETTA SAYS chews. We are running five for $10 on the 7-inch chews, and the 3-inch chews are $7.99 so some customers like to break those into smaller pieces and make them last longer! — Kristen Watson, The Hipster Hound, Savannah, GA
• Our bakery items. We made new higher-priced items, and they blew out of the store. We made carob “Oreos” and ice cream sandwiches. — Sheila Raebel, Dogma Dog Bakery, Arlington, VA
• Decorated/fancy dog treats from WOOFABLES. We recently restocked with summer treats, and they’re super cute. Retail for $2.50 to $3. — Natasha Arritt, Shaggy to Chic Boutique, West Des Moines, IA
• For retail, our HAUTE DIGGITY DOG plush toys were huge sellers at our festivals and brewery events. — Catherine Crews, Canine Crews, Chicago, IL
• Life jackets. We buy PAWS ABOARD and KURGO. Living in Florida, it may seem like it would be life jacket season year round, but it really picks up in the summer! — Rachel McGinnis, Leo & Lucky’s, Parrish, FL
• HAPPY DOG OF CAPE COD Yak Chews and Elk Antlers. They are AWESOME! Prices range from $10.99 to $65.99. We love this company! — Cherie Iannuzzi, Percy Paws, North Conway, NH
• STELLA & CHEWY Raw Coated cat kibble has been flying off the shelves. It’s a super palatable product, easy for owners to transition to. It’s low carb compared to some other kibbles, so it’s very easy for retailers to push the product and feel better about the nutritional value. The price point is pretty fair with 5-pound bags retailing for $19.99. — Zachary Dewitt Skilos, A Family Pet Store, Milwaukee, WI
• CANOPHERA Chew Sticks! This has proven to be a great new brand! With zero promotion other than a Facebook post, we have had to completely restock twice in the last month. — Gloria VonZech, The Principled Pet, Collingswood, NJ
• BONES & CO Goat Whip has gained huge momentum for me. Folks are buying in multiples and love the ease of serving it. We use them for special pop-up events, too, as puppuccinos for dogs that visit our store. — Kim Gatto, The Wagging Tail, Las Vegas, NV
• Since so many pet parents have gotten puppies in the last few months, we decided to put together a Welcome Home pack. We included discount coupons for our store, free dog wash in our self-wash, some treats and general info sheets. We also walk through the store with new parents, showing them some of our great products for their new baby. It has made a positive impact on sales and future sales. — Thea Christopher, Salty Pets, Cape May Court House, NJ
• YAK9 Dog Chews. Made with yak milk by a local sherpa co-op in the Himalayas and in several different flavors such as honey, turmeric and blueberry. The price is very competitive with others on the market at $24.99 for large, which is larger than most. The packaging is a burlap bag, and if you send back 12 bags you get a yak chew for free! — Darrel Day, Dog Gone Holistic, Lithia, FL
• We have a local breeder finishing out her spring breeding of Golden Retrievers, and FROMM Puppy Gold made it to the top of the list in July — she sends home a bag with each puppy. — Janelle Pitula, Wags to Whiskers, Plainfield, IL
• ARTERO long-pin slicker brushes. I’m located next door to a grooming shop and gave the groomers several brushes to use with clients to show them proper brushing technique — they’ve gotten an influx of matted Doodles — along with a 10% off coupon for purchase of the brush. About 80% of clients they are talking to about brushing come over to buy it. — Kerrie Beck, Cody’s Creations, Medway, MA

Services

• Our DIY dog wash has been our best-selling service due to the fact that people can schedule their appointment online, plus it’s very reasonable at $20 that includes shampoo, towels, blow dryer, and use of the tub with hot and cold water for one hour. — Bethany Stockman, Laconia Pet Center, Laconia, NH
• Our walk-in nail trim services were up 40% due to the vet two doors down no longer offering stand-alone nail trims and referring all of their clients to us. We completed nail trims for 276 dogs at $20 each. Our bathers and receptionists are trained to do the nail trims, so we do not have to disrupt groomers while they are grooming. — Teresa Hogge, Belly Rubs Biscuit Bar & Spa, Ashland, VA
• Last-minute requests for pet sitting. We’re talking two days prior to a prospective client leaving town. I have never had this many last-minute inquiries for pet sitting in the past 17 years. Perhaps it’s a result of the influx of first-time pet owners during Covid lockdown. — Ashley Cook, Viva La Pet, Dover, NJ