Lessons From Superzoos Past, Straight From Retailers

RETAILERS WHO ATTEND SUPERZOO strive to make the most of their time, evolving their plan of attack each year based on past mistakes. With that in mind, we asked the PETS+ Brain Squad — our survey group of independent pet retailers and service providers — to share one regret they have from a previous show.

• In the beginning I didn’t take vendors up on evenings out. I wish we had agreed to that more often. We have made great friendships with other store owners, and built our vendor relationships. Take advantage of any networking opportunity you can. — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
• Not listening to my gut. — Marvin Schaffer, J&M Aquatics & Pet Center, Grand Junction, CO
• I visited booths of products I knew first … in hindsight, I should have prioritized new booths! — Johnna Devereaux, Fetch RI, Richmond, RI
• We have failed sticking to our original plan of using the first day as a fly-by. No purchases or lengthy conversations at booths on the first day. The excitement and vibe gets us every time. We have gotten better at observing and taking notes of booths we want to dig deeper at on day two. — Robert L. Critselous, Drooly’s Dog Bakery, Bentonville, AR
• Last year was the first year I did not finish my list of booths to visit before arriving in Vegas, and it meant spending a lot of my downtime in the hotel room frantically looking up booth numbers and planning my route on the show floor. Never again! — Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI
• My regrets involve overspending. I have learned a lot and am committed to not overspend this year! — Kristen Hawkins, Pup, Carl Junction, MO
• Overlooking emerging product categories or innovative companies that could help differentiate my store. My goal will be to take the time to thoroughly explore new products, ask plenty of questions and build relationships with vendors so I don’t miss opportunities that could benefit both my business and my customers. — Victor Santucci, Garden State Pet Center LLC, Audubon, NJ
• Not going to the pool party last year. — Bill Trufant, B & B Pet Stop, Inc.,
  Mobile, AL
• I forgot to write down the show specials for each booth that I want to revisit. — Michele Jaime, Fetch & Friskers, Boerne, TX
• I have regretted not checking the websites of the new vendors I ordered from, as I was shocked at their pricing in comparison to my cost. Rookie move! — Jennifer Thomas, Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery, Lawrence, KS
• Rushing through the show and potentially missing great new items for our shop. — Loree & Danielle Shirazi, The Original Paw Pleasers, San Diego, CA
• A few items I’ve regretted buying on a whim then never being able to move them. — Cassie Pomeroy, Pawtopia, Yukon, OK
• We saw a great pet furniture vendor while we were heading to find one of our vendors. We did not stop to get a card or take a pic of the booth. When we finished with our “must-see” vendors, we couldn’t remember where the booth was or the vendor’s name so we missed out. — Shell Tomjack, The sPaw, Rapid City, SD
• I have learned to immediately ask if they work with independent stores. — Alexis Quiroga, PAWsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX
• Impulse buying. — Ann Weber, Fancy Paws, Elkins, WV
• I’ve not given enough time to really check things out. — Ruth Sturgis, Dog Daze, North Syracuse, NY
• We never get all the way through the show. I think we get caught with brands we already carry, which is great, but it prevents us from being able to see other products that we maybe should bring in. — Lacey Welcher, Firehouse Pet Shop, Puyallup, WA
• There were a few brands I didn’t have time to visit with. The place is so huge, hard to get time to sit with everyone. — Sal Salafia, Exotic Pet Birds Inc. & More, Webster, NY
• No regrets. Looking forward to it. — Molly Lewis, Dog River Pet Supplies, Hood River, OR
• Not purchasing more. — Jessica Cooke, Yuppy Puppy, O’Fallon, MO