90% Of Pet Indies Would Disagree With These 10 Comments

Here at PETS+, we love an indie outlier. With that in mind, we recently gave the PETS+ Brain Squad this prompt: “Make one comment about the pet industry that 90% of your fellow indies would disagree with.” Here are 10 of our favorites:

“We as indies are partly to blame for brands seeking big-box growth, due to store conditions such as poor in-stocks, lack of assortment in the brand, cleanliness, hours of operation/closures, over pricing, poor staffing, etc. We need to look internally and fix what we can to keep brands loyal and growing. Just like us, they want, deserve and need to see growth. Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA

“Consider paying your manager more than you.” Natalie Bosch, Albany Pet Hotel, Albany, OR

“You can beat Petco’s prices. I do it all the time. At least the in-store price; online is different. I price on the low side in order to capture more sales. It has worked for us.” Shelly Nicastro, Essex Bird & Pet Supply, Essex, MA

“We need more difficult customers. Really, we do. They make us work harder, explain better, and just do better. Once we have them, we keep them, but it takes a lot of work. LOL!” Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX

“Building a successful pet business is easy.” Jodi Etienne, Razzle Dazzle Doggie Bow-tique, Bradley, IL

“You do not need to bend over backwards for your customers — i.e. come in early/stay late. People prioritize what is important, and if they feel it’s important they will make it work. Shell Tomjack, The sPaw, Rapid City, SD

“The chains around me help me, and I’m grateful for them! People go because that’s what they’re familiar with. It introduces them to exotics, and then we always do our best to ensure they find their way to us.” Paige Elder, Buzz N’ B’s Aquarium & Pet Shop, Erie, PA

You don’t have to be full-on food/raw sales all the time. More freezers don’t equal more success. Beth Staley, Happy Dog Barkery, Downers Grove, IL

“Brands going into big-box stores is not the worst thing that could happen.” Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD

“I can’t think of anything I believe that 90% of indies would disagree with, but I can think of what 90% of the veterinary community would: That grain-free foods have absolutely no relationship with DCM.” Chip Bridges, Blue Ridge Pet Supplies, Black Mountain, NC