Pet Product News - March 2016

BY LINDSEY GETZ

Summer is just around the corner, and now is the time to begin gearing up your merchandising plan to sell these seasonal products. You can attract customers to these items with creative display ideas or arrangements, and then drive home the sale by educating them on why they need these products.

As pet owners begin to make summer plans, they are eager to include their pets, which means they’ll be looking for products to help them to bring their dog or cat along on their adventures.

“Summer is a time for travel,
vacations, hiking, boating and
the beach,” said Michael Dagne,
president and COO of Pet Palette
LLC, a distributor in Sykesville,
Md. “As summer approaches,
we see an increase in products
that consumers need for these
activities. Pet owners are now,
more than ever, more likely to
take their pets with them when
they leave home. We sell a lot
of life vests for boating and sun
guard shirts for the beach. We
also sell a lot of hiking items and
items that help keep pets cool.”
Brian Frazier Wright, vice
president of The Green Pet
Shop in Deerfield, Ill., said
that high-quality, portable and
eco-friendly products are key
trends. The company’s KatPak,
for example, is a disposable litter
house that is perfect for summer
travel with a cat. And though
cats do tend to prefer warmth,
on hot summer days, many are
using The Green Pet Shop’s Cool
Pet Pad, he said.

“With the high temperatures of the summer and risk of heat stroke, it is essential for cats to have a cool place to relax,” Frazier Wright said.

Sherry Redwine, co-owner of Odyssey Pets in Dallas, said she sees sales of reflective collars pick up as the weather gets warmer. She also ramps up sales of floating toys.

“We love Planet Dog toys,”
she said. “They’re great year-
round, but because of the float-
ing factor, you can do a big push
for them in the summer.”
While certain products are
obvious as a summer sell, Car-
oline Gunther, owner of Wag!
A Unique Pet Boutique in
Hendersonville, N.C., said she
takes the opportunity to think
outside of the box. Life vests,
float toys and collars are given
front-and-center attention. But
Gunther said she also displays
and sells a lot of grooming sup-
plies in the summer—when pet
owners are washing their pets
outside. In addition, she sees an
increased interest in seasonal
allergy supplements and makes
sure those are easy for custom-
ers to find.

“When it’s a product that can get a seasonal boost, you want to take advantage of that opportunity,” Gunther said. “I’ve learned that you never want customers to spend a lot of time searching for a product. Give them ideas of products they might need for the summer, and it can be an easy sale.”

Make This Summer Sizzle
Creative displays and education will attract customers to products
that make it easy to have warm-weather fun with their pets.
PET PALETTE LLC

CYCLE DOG-EARTH FRIENDLY PET CO. presents the Trail Buddy Bowl foldable travel bowl made from post-consumer recycled materials. Made with FDA-approved food-grade-safe lining material, it is leak-proof and folds flat for easy storage on the go.

cycledog.com

EARTH HEART’S Travel Calm combines pure essential oils for relaxation with essential oil of ginger for stomach upset.

The spray is safely diluted for use with puppies from 8 weeks old, and is made in the USA, the manufacturer states.

Available in 2-oz. and 15-ml. sizes.

earthheartinc.com

WOODROW WEAR’S Power Paws Reinforced Foot indoor/outdoor socks for dogs offer a reinforced foot for added durability needed for camping, rock climbing, hiking, hunting, jogging or at the beach.

woodrowwear.com

ROLF C. HAGEN’S All For Paws Floating Bed is made of water-resistant fabric and is able to hold dogs up to 66 lb. The bed does not need to be inflated—it floats due to the small Styrofoam structure inside. When it is not in the pool, the item can be used as an outdoor bed.