Readers Express Big Love for the Big Survey

Big Love & More For The Pets+ Big Survey

• Thank you so much for doing the Big Survey each year. It’s really helpful to see where we rank/align with our fellow retailers on so many issues. — Jennifer Guevin, Holistic For Pets, Bradenton, FL
• I loved the Big Survey results! It’s interesting to read what other retailers are doing, to help improve my approach to business by learning from them. The weird stories are always great for a laugh, too! — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• I really loved the 2023 Big Survey! It gave my husband and me a lot to think about and helped us look at our business with fresher eyes. — Elizabeth Zikmund, Give A Dog A Bone, Evansville, IN
• I found the Big Survey to be very informative. Was somewhat surprised that the majority of retailers don’t track sales per square foot. — Frank Frattini, The Hungry Puppy, Farmingdale, NJ
• In your next Big Survey, I’d like to see the questions: What are your busiest days of the week, slowest days of the week and how many days are you open. — Paul Lewis, Birds Unlimited, Webster, NY

Happy New Year!

• Thanks for a great year. Looking forward to more innovation from PETS+ in 2024. — Jeffrey Jensen, Four Muddy Paws, St. Louis, MO
• Thank you so much for doing all you do for our community — putting together the Sample Boxes, hearing our concerns and celebrating our success. Wishing you all a very happy new year! — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Stroudsburg, PA
• I am so excited for SUPERZOO 2024 and the partnership with PETS+! — Jennifer Thomas, Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery,
  Lawrence, KS

Editor’s note: Us, too! It’s going to be so cool.

Aw, Thanks!

• What you guys publish and put out there is top notch! Always impressed with your publication. It’s become a bible for me! — Sherry Cassin, Meow Mini Mart, Jersey City Heights, NJ
• I’m just happy us indies have a place to share ideas and get concise news and info about the industry. — Brett Foreman, Eupawria Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY
• I love how supportive everyone is in the PETS+ community. I’ve spent the majority of my pet career protecting what I know in order to survive the competition. I was hesitant to join the PETS+ Facebook group years ago because I didn’t think there would be anything to gain, but I was dead wrong. The generosity and support I see from people in our industry has inspired me to be more open and supportive in turn. I don’t see that anywhere else but at PETS+, and I love that! — Sheila Spitza, Wet Nose, Geneva, IL
• Thank you for all that you do to make PETS+ our favorite, and in our opinion the best, industry magazine for independent pet stores! — Amy Schiek, Lucky Dogs, Skaneateles, NY
• Everyone needs positivity, and I just wanted to say keep up the great work! — Cait Lauria, Groomington Coat Factory, Midland Park, NJ

Requests

• Highlighting all the “old timers” still loyal to independent pet shops should be a regular feature. Starting with VeRUS Pet Foods! The owner is so loyal it makes my eyes well with tears. He allows selling online, but at like $30 to $50 more a bag, and never have I seen it lower! He offers stack/pallet discounts, employee feeding, tons of discounts through Astro. I would like to support companies that have stuck it out with us. I know they all could sell out, but many still won’t. They should be celebrated. — Heather Miller, Just For Pets, York, PA
• I would like to hear how others handle showrooming. More and more often, I have people try out merchandise, take photos and then openly state they are going online to purchase. — Diane Mullen, Winni Paw Station, Wolfeboro, NH