WE ASKED members of the PETS+ Brain Squad, “How are you currently servicing customers?” The answer “Online/phone orders, curbside pick-up” came in first at 68.6 percent. “Online/phone orders, home delivery” came in third at 48.1 percent.
Many stores already had these options in place. We asked the follow-up question “What role has e-commerce played for your business during the COVID-19 crisis?” Chris Guinn of Dog Krazy, with five stores in Virginia, said, “We had it before, and it’s helped us continue to earn revenue.”
Johnna Devereaux of Fetch RI in Richmond, RI, implemented e-commerce during the pandemic and said, “The plus side of all of this is that we have upgraded our website to include more of the products in our store, so that will stay around.”
The second most popular answer to the “How are you currently servicing customers?” question was “On-site with social distancing protocols” at 51 percent.” “Per usual” came in at 20.4 percent, “By appointment” at 17.52 percent and “Other” at 14.6 percent.
That last number represents many of the non-retail pet businesses surveyed, including pet sitter Kelly Catlett of Waggs 2 Whiskers in Bagdad, KY. She answered the follow-up question “Is there a technology or business practice that you’ve adopted that you expect to continue using once business gets back to normal?” with “Completing a virtual meet and greet and contract signed online.”
Finally, 10.2 percent of respondents answered the question “How are you currently servicing customers?” with “We’re completely shut down.”
As of April 23, 137 owners and managers have responded to part two of our COVID-19 Impact Survey. Stay tuned for more results. Join the PETS+ Brain Squad to take part in surveys. To hear more from your independent pet business peers, join our Facebook Community.
What’s the Brain Squad?
If you’re the owner or top manager of a U.S. pet business serving the public, you’re invited to join the PETS+ Brain Squad. Take one five-minute quiz a month, and you’ll get a free T-shirt, be featured prominently in this magazine, and have your voice heard on key issues affecting the pet industry. Sign up here.
