Selling Pet Gifts at Pet Boutiques

By Carimé Lane

When it comes to gifts for pets, pet boutiques and markets need to understand how to appeal to those looking for pet-related gifts–and, of course–the animal they’re purchasing the gift for. Here, four owners of pet boutiques and markets share their tips on what sells best, selecting unique product and which toys dogs like best.

At both of her City Dog Market shops in Georgia (the Brookhaven 2,000-square-foot location and the Avondale 850-square-foot location), Owner Renee Palmer aims to serve up a five-star restaurant-like shopping experience that can’t be duplicated online.

She cultivates an interactive shopping experience where customers can “touch it, feel it and smell it.” For instance, she often sets up sample stations. “Nothing can sell the treat like the dog,” said Palmer. Once, she served goat milk pumpkin lattes in samplesized shot glasses (large enough to accommodate the dogs’ snouts, of course). She’ll also have toys that light up when played with on hand to get furry in-store ‘shoppers’ excited.

Palmer said that “without a doubt” her most popular products are dog treats and chews. These are made up of “health and wellness brands we feel good about carrying,” Palmer said.

They’ve also teamed up with a local manufacturer to create their own signature line of treats–also among their best-sellers. These items are geared towards pet parents who want to be clear about where treats are being sourced, assured that the products are made with ingredients free of additives and preservatives and are interested in sustainable farming. These items are purchased so frequently as gifts that Palmer often decorates them with a bow before placing them on the shelves. Your store brand should guide the product you select to sell, said Palmer. “Know your lane and stay within it,” said Palmer. “Over our 13 years of being in business we’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way–now that we’re clear about who we are, we stay in that health and wellness lane. It only makes sense.”

When looking for gifts to sell, you also want to keep your finger on pulse of what’s trending, said Palmer. Trends come in many forms: They could be the products themselves or certain colours, for example. In terms of products, CBD is hot right now–for humans and their furry friends. Palmer recommended maintaining a standard of quality when items such as CBD are trending. Since there are currently plenty of choices in the CBD space, shop owners need to be choosey.