"Pet stores must put customers first"

As the former president of the international pet speciality chain Petland, you have extensive knowledge of the pet supplies market. How have pet supplies retailers in the USA overcome the recession to date? The pet industry segment of the U.S. economy has risen despite the country’s economic downturn. People are spending more dollars on their pet, purchasing new products or services that go far beyond the imagination of retailers years ago. For instance, 50 years ago, a hamster would have a cage, not the three-storey condo that is offered today. Not only does this type of product exist, but it is available in a wide choice of colours and materials. U.S. pet retailers are offering a vast array of pet products available for most pets including ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, dogs or cats and consumers are demanding them. Pet owners desire products and services which enhance the quality of the pet and will continue to purchase them for their pets. Today’s products go far beyond just the essentials of feeding, health or basic care of pets and include ways to enhance the pets’ life and in turn that of the owners as well. Secondly, during the recession, people have been spending more time at home and with their loved ones, which include both family members and their pets. Pets provide people with the warmth, comfort and companionship that constitute a two-way street with their owners and families. People need to love something that loves them back, and pets do. As in any relationship, you shower the ones you love with many things to show your affection and pets are no different. Good pet retailers will offer their customers a good product selection that meets the customer’s demands and helps continue to ring in the sales, even when the economy takes a dip. Chains like PetSmart and Petco are continuing to expand and have developed their specialist competence further at the same time. Do independent pet retail store operators still have opportunities to assert themselves in the market? There is nothing better than local pet stores. They can not only survive but thrive over the mega mass merchandisers and big box outlets. The key is personalised customer service. The big stores cannot come close to offering the level of engagement and connection of personalised service that a local retailer can and does offer every day. The average manager at a mass merchandiser has his mind on the multitude of products sold throughout the store. When a customer asks if they carry…