Pet Store Franchises

4 Trends Impacting Customer Shopping in 2017

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The pet store franchise industry has been increasingly rising in the billions for the past decade. Since 1994, the pet industry has seen a growth of over 269 percent with initial expenditures floating at $17 billion and now reaching over $62 billion. The reasons behind this influx vary.

Of course, more people own pets now and the bond between human and dog companions is a strong marketing tendency that is visible throughout the marketplace from dog services to Hollywood. The industry also is building in diversity. More products, companies, and digitalized means of purchasing are available making pet parents’ options wide.

2015 was the year of startups.

New companies like TurboPup, an all natural premium power bar, Swifto, basically the Uber of dog walking, and Vet on Demand which offers remote veterinary service all began that year.

On top of this is the comprehensive market trend of premiumization —the bridge between the luxury world’s functions and the necessity of the mass consumer market. What this means for the pet store franchise is that pet owners are looking for healthy options for their dogs. Consumers are more cognizant of unhealthy dog food. They want human grade food without fillers and limited processed foods.

With 2017 underway, even more market-wide trends are going to be affecting the pet store franchise sector. This article will help illuminate some of the mystery behind digitalized shopping.

 

Experiences are Prevailing

This is something many marketing strategists argue will never die—personal connection.

This is good new for the pet store franchise, especially Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique. The uniqueness of the company is that shops offer all the amenities of big-box stores but with the personal flair that keeps customers loyal.

Retail stores are upping the experience factor in their design. Instead of a place to conduct a transaction, brick and mortar locations are a place for pet parents to have an immersive lifestyle experience.

Conversing with Splash and Dash employees or shop owners is what keeps customers continually coming back. Genuine interactions triumph thumb-swiping purchases. (At least for the pet store franchise sector, if you are in cosmetics this is a different story).

Development of the Flash Sale

Many gimmicky products rely on gimmicky marketing campaigns. The thing is, the gimmick works. Outside of the pet store franchise, products like Snapchat Spectacles are reformatting how retail works. Snapchat has set up exclusive vending machines in obscure places and this is the only means of purchasing the product.

Although interesting, many of these gimmicks are irrelevant to the pet store franchise.

What shop owners can take away from watching hot-selling products like this is the philosophy of the marketing. The lesson is: the classic idea of a flash sale is developing into the world where everyone has a smartphone in their hands.

The Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique terminal software, of course, allows customers to receive text messaging services. Apply your local marketing campaigns to this. When you plan a flash sale have an automated text message go out to inform customers. The flash sale creates a sense of urgency. The sale turns more into an event instead of solely being about the sale itself.

This drives traffic.

The Competition of Online Retailers

The direct-to-consumer revolution is something the entire pet store franchise needs to be cognizant of. Companies are sidestepping the middleman and distributing products directly to consumers. Companies like Chewy and Barkbox are pioneering a new era of delivering products from online purchasing to doorsteps.  

The pet store franchise sector has calibrated for this.

With the number of owned dogs in America soaring at around 80 million it is apparent that pet parents will need dog services like veterinarians and groomers. With the recurring revenue deriving from monthly memberships it is more affordable and convenient for customers to purchase their dog food in brick and mortar locations.

Regardless, customers will have to bring their animals in for grooming and factoring in shipping, it is more economical for them to purchase in stores. Door-to-door grooming services are at a disadvantage. They do not have the retail capacity that a pet store franchise has.

Another advantage that Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique has over the online competition is the shop owner. AI like chatbots powered by consumer and sales data create a replica of the interaction they would have with an actual person. This is not an authentic. Real customer engagement and genuine experience can not be replicated so easily.

This is why customer service is imperative to all brick and mortar retail stores. The pet store franchise just happens to have great advantage—the sector works with the kinship of animals.

Shopping Gets More Social….Media

In-app purchasing is huge.

Mobile purchasing is still secondary to desktop purchasing, but with Apple Pay and in-app purchasing making buying something a thumb swipe away, consumers are looking for that instant gratification more and more.

Apps like UberRush and Shopify are delivering products purchased online within the hour. The way these apps work is that one purchases a product and a delivery person is alerted—picks up their purchase—then delivers it to them. These apps are most effective in major cities and typically don’t pertain to the pet store franchise, but their success is an interesting retail trend nonetheless.

Along with these delivery apps is the ongoing influence of social media. It is reported that consumers are 67 percent more likely to buy from the brands they follow on Twitter, and 51 percent more likely to buy from a brand they follow on Facebook, according to a study by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies.

Fortunately, Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique has state of the art terminal software that focuses on generating a positive social media presence. This can be reinforced by shop owners also taking the initiative to update their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram regularly.

 

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Translate Your Leadership Skills into Sales in the Pet Retail Franchise

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No one invests in a pet retail franchise based solely on financial reasons. Yes, you can make some great money owning your own small business, but the underlying reason many invest into the pet retail franchise is because it gives them an opportunity to do something they love—a small business with their name on it that is rewarding and that shop owners can be proud of.

There are varying schools of thought on different methods of leadership for small business owners. The Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique model is one of altruism.

This pet retail franchise article will explain how to take this abstract concept of caring leadership and apply it to business practices.

Sales Goals met with Care in the Pet Retail Franchise

So how does caring tie into leadership and sales goals?

Let me pose a question.

In one sentence, what is the key to leading people? Now there are a lot of cliche ways to go about answering this question. Arguably within all these cliche, yet truthful responses is the elemental idea of caring. When you show a person, an employee, a customer that you care, the engagement you have with this individual can be more honest and productive.

Applying this to the pet retail franchise sales floor is the best way to gain traction. Not only will you build more clientele, but the clientele you retain will be more trusting of you—credibility. Your staff will be more apt to reason with you. Shop morale boosts and the business goals of your shop will happen at a much quicker rate.

You are the Face of Your Shop

Every customer should come in and see your expertise.

This means knowing about your product, the value which is an extension of products beneficial facts. Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique shop owners are known for their conviviality, so let this characteristic be a showcase for yourself and your shop.

Your goal should be to show your customers you care.  Shop owners want customers to make the healthiest decision for their pet. Premium dog food can be expensive. You want your customers to know that you are steering them to make these decisions because of the health benefits for their dog. The same premium food that you have on your shelves is the same food that you give your dog at home. If customers make a small investment in more premium foods this is preventative care for their dog. Choosing a food that has no fillers and limited processed ingredients—but is more expensive—inevitably leads to a healthier gut.

The same is true of the unlimited monthly membership. (Unique to Splash and Dash in the pet retail franchise). When dogs’ skin and coat are cared for regularly this decreases the chances of dogs developing skin disease and hair matting. Also, having a trained eye observing a dog will help spot out problems earlier when they are more easily treatable.

You should be able to define and instill the value of the monthly membership in 30 seconds. This means not only believing in the monthly membership, but being able to convey to a customer why it would be worth it—convenience, affordability, and exemplary service.

These are the tactical elements of transforming your caring nature as a small business owner into high sales goals.

Ask Questions

The key is understanding your customers.

Empathize with them. What is their motivation and rationale behind either (a) seeing the value in the monthly membership or (b) declining to sign on?

As shop owners, you inherently understand why the monthly membership is vital for a pet owner’s convenience, but put yourself in their position. Ask them questions about their lifestyle.

 

  • Do they struggle to find time to run their errands throughout the day?
  • What other businesses do they visit in the vicinity your shop?
  • How often does their dog need to be groomed?
  • What is their primary concern with their dog?
  • I.e How can Splash and Dash make their pet parenting experience easier?

Once you get the answers to these questions you can start to form a genuine bond with customers. You can then show them how the monthly membership can help them and most importantly their dog.

If they shop at the grocery store across the street from your shop, show them that while they grocery shop their dog can get their grooming. If a customer’s dog is prone to ear infections, inform them on the medicated shampoos and bathing methods that your shop uses to prevent this.

Many have trepidations about being a “pushy” salesman. Wise, Splash and Dash is not a used car lot. It is a pet retail franchise that operates on a basis of love. We want customers to have an all over positive experience inside shops and the key to facilitating this positive experience is to have the mindset of caring. Show your customers this mindset. Inform and educate them on how Splash and Dash can benefit them.

 

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