Help with market research (pet shop)

[Sookiesue]

Hope it’s ok to post here. Can’t find anything that says it’s disallowed

I’m looking to open a dog-specific pet shop in our local town but I’d like to gather as much info as possible. If anyone could see to answering any of the questions I’d be forever grateful (and you’d be helping to provide a future for me and my two hounds!)

1. If you could shop locally for your dog products (rather than say, pets at home) would you and why? What if it was slightly more expensive?
2. What would you like to see sold in the shop?
3. Would you consider using the shop if it also offered a grooming or daycare service?
4. Would you be interested in paying a little more for quality brands and/or eco ethical products?

Any other pointers would be massively appreciated! Thank you x

1. If you could shop locally for your dog products (rather than say, pets at home) would you and why? What if it was slightly more expensive?

I would always like to support local shops and most of what Pets at Home sell isn't what I would buy my dogs.

1. What would you like to see sold in the shop?

Toys and treats for larger dogs. My local pet shop has a good range of stuff but most of it is too small for my golden retrievers.

1. Would you consider using the shop if it also offered a grooming or daycare service?

Grooming no but Daycare yes if it was a good set up.

1. Would you be interested in paying a little more for quality brands and/or eco ethical products?

Yes.

Oh and I like a friendly welcome for my dogs. Pets at Home giving a treat at the counter makes it a popular place for my dogs

1. If you could shop locally for your dog products (rather than say, pets at home) would you and why? What if it was slightly more expensive?

I have a local pet superstore where we are greeted with a smile, Elfpup gets a fuss and some treats and if the staff see you dithering they come over to help. There is also a small independent. You are ignored completely until you go to pay. Guess where I shop?

2. What would you like to see sold in the shop?

Top quality food, toys that don't break after 5 minutes and more interactive enrichment toys.

3. Would you consider using the shop if it also offered a grooming or daycare service?

Would be of no interest to me.

4. Would you be interested in paying a little more for quality brands and/or eco ethical products?

Yes probably

I love mooching around a good pet shop, sadly out town, despite being very much like how you describe your town, only has PAH and a doggy market stall.
I would absolutely support a good local shop but I’m not interested in diamanté collars and retractable leads (and my dogs are fed raw).
I do spend more on ethical products and UK produced items - perfect fit harness, equafleece, etc. And grain free meat treats So yes I would buy them from a local shop.
I groom my own dogs but have to buy the equipment online so items like coat king and greyhound stripping knives/stones would be amazing to get locally.
I am interested in boarding for my pups if I do ever take a holiday.

1. If you could shop locally for your dog products (rather than say, pets at home) would you and why? What if it was slightly more expensive?

I already shop in a local independent dog shop - it is slightly more expensive than say, pets at home but I don’t mind. I like supporting a local business, I like that she welcomes me and my dog like old friends and that she listens to her customers and what they’d like. She does regular events in the shop - puppy play sessions, breed specific play sessions. She’s knowledgeable on dog nutrition and behaviour and gives advice.

1. What would you like to see sold in the shop?

This shop sells what I like to see - grain free/raw food, handmade collars from local businesses, eco branded toys/beds etc.

1. Would you consider using the shop if it also offered a grooming or daycare service?

Yes - or just general advice on local daycare etc.

1. Would you be interested in paying a little more for quality brands and/or eco ethical products?

Yes, as above. If it helps, the shop I use is: www.houndsonline.co.uk

I think a shop aimed solely at dogs in a town that already has a pet shop would struggle unless you have a really good uniques selling point or could be a stockist for well respected brands. I agree with buckingfrolicks that a "dog central" that was more than a shop would be better. Maybe a cafe or something that is dog friendly and also has a small shop area.

I do majority pet shopping online as it's just so much cheaper and easier. If I can't get what I need online then it's generally PAH because of the range. I'm not just buying for my dog so being able to go to a large shop that has has plenty of parking and a wide range of things for all my pets is a big plus. We do have a small local pet shop which I try to use but to be honest find them more expensive and less helpful than PAH. So to question 1......I'd shop locally and would be happy to pay a LITTLE extra to do so if the service and product was worth it.

Once a year (xmas) I make a trip to an independent boutique dog shop. It's a nice shop, good service and stocks top of the range products but it is a faff to park and is expensive. They're the only local stockist of our favourite brand of dog toy so they get a treat at xmas but it's the only time I go.

Groomers and day care I would choose independently to a shop so would only make a difference if yours happened to be my first choice. If I did use your day care it still wouldn't necessarily mean I would buy from the shop unless the other boxes were ticked

You're being naive of you're ignoring the online market. Only last year when pets at home where struggling with sales because the online competitors where stealing their market share, and the only way they survived was by reducing their prices.

correct sentence would be "you're lucky to live In a town where the majority haven't caught up with online purchasing" but will catch up soon or later. A business plan should have a projection for the next 5 years so hopefully you have something in there to tackle the online problem. the online problem is real, I mean look what happened to high street book stores?

Moreover, your business is not feasible it's one of those day dreams we all have once in a while of a successful wishful thinking business & success. You should be handing out this research to your local patrons not online strangers who are scattered all over the country.

Most successful boutique shops have a very good website for selling their stock online.

I love the idea of a cafe/pet shop combination. We have mainly dog friendly cafes in my town but as I said above not much choice in pet shops.

A form of swap shop/ charity donation side is a nice idea too but I’m not sure how it would work.

Also, on a viability side note, tourists tend to leave their pets at home, so may not be looking to buy pet supplies on holiday

I always look for super good, natural dog treats... so perhaps try stocking them! :) nothing coloured.

Re a grooming service... it depends. You'd have to be better than whatever people were already doing. So think personable and super friendly with animals when recruiting every member of staff.

I honestly think shops of any kind will only survive if they can offer something that people want but they can't get online. After all I can have things delivered next day in a variety of places if I am not in and returns are so easy.

I have spent hundreds can't bring myself to say actually 4 figures on my dog but perhaps less than £100 in a physical store since I got him 16 months ago.

OP remember to factor in rates and staff (as you will need to be open all the time through holidays and illnesses otherwise people will go somewhere else)

Down here a lot of tourists come because the county has s dog friendly. They come with their dogs and want to spend money on them. Doggy day care does extremely well in the tourist season.