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5 Innovation Challenges for Pet Store Owners and How to Leverage Pet Retail Data

May 13, 2021
by SPINS Marketing

Challenges for New and Established Pet Store Owners Coming out of the Pandemic are Real

It’s not news that the last year has been (and continues to be) a challenging time for pretty much everyone. Pet store owners had a unique set of obstacles: Creating a safe store experience for customers and their employees, competing with big-box retailers as customers consolidated shopping trips, and gaining inroads with new pet parents who were part of the adoption boom.  

More so than ever, it was a struggle to keep the doors open and continues to be a challenge as the recovery continues. Here at SPINS we speak to retailers like you every day and understand that you want to know what’s happening in your store, in the market, and in the future—all without sacrificing your data confidentiality.   

Here are 5 challenges pet store owners have told us they’re facing today and how SPINS is ready to help you tackle them:

Related: Complete Your Innovation Health Check to Discover How You Differentiate from Other Pet Retailers

Solution: New Pet Attributes

SPINS is excited to add enhancements to our Pet Attributes library on May 31. Attributes let retailers go beyond label claims and understand what qualities are within a product so they can accurately track their performance and spot emerging and declining trends. This update will bring: 

  • 8 new wellness ingredients and 4 new meat protein/quality ingredients  
  • New popular ingredients in Treats and Foods  
  • Attributes that focus on joint, skin & coat health 
  • Stalwart product differentiators in pet food & treats 
  • Ingredients that are commonly avoided or sought depending on the attribute and shopper preference 

Solution: Post-COVID Trends Report

After more than a year of pandemic lockdowns and altered daily routines, some normal behavior is returning little by little. Pet retailers are trying to understand what COVID shopping behavior was a fluke, what is here to stay, and what the future holds. SPINS will be releasing a trends report that looks at data from the last 12 months and helps you begin to put those findings into action. Keep an eye out for more updates as the release date nears. 

Solution: Expert Walk-through at SuperZoo

We’re excited to (safely) be face-to-face with everyone at SuperZoo, the pet industry’s biggest trade show in Las Vegas from August 17-19. Attendees get to see the latest, greatest, and upcoming products to hit the market, making the show a front-row seat to innovation. We want to help you make the most of your time at the show: You can book time with a SPINS expert to walk the expo floor to get our take on what trends are hot, which ones to keep your eyes on, and what makes sense for your business. Contact us if you’d like to schedule time to meet during the expo! 

Solution: Comprehensive, easily accessible data

SPINS data solutions bring a comprehensive view of the market, product categories, and today’s shopping trends. With our data, you can:

  • Differentiate yourself with the latest product innovations
  • Identify shopper trends through SPINS’ unique pet-specific product attributions
  • Benchmark performance to understand how your store is performing against the competition

That’s why SPINS recently became the official data provider for the Independent & Neighborhood Pet Retail Association (IndiePet). The IndiePet Association works to strengthen the approximately 8,000 independent and neighborhood pet retail locations serving pets and pet parents across North America.

Related: How Joining the SPINS Pet Community Helped a Retailer Grow by 300% 

Solution: Neighborhood Pet Channel

SPINS established the Neighborhood Pet Channel to help the innovative, trend-setting independent and neighborhood pet retailers compete with big box stores. When retailers join SPINS Neighborhood Pet Channel, they enjoy the comfort of knowing their data is safe from the big players. Your data is secure and you gain access to data that helps you understand your store performance, identify trends you should be paying attention to (or might already be ahead on), find key differentiators for your store. (For more information, see how the Neighborhood Pet Channel is helping retailers answer 5 crucial questions about their business.) 

SPINS can help you tackle each of these challenges with comprehensive data and our team of experts. Complete the form below to get started.

CONTENT
Challenges for New and Established Pet Store Owners Coming out of the Pandemic are Real
Solution: New Pet Attributes
Solution: Post-COVID Trends Report
Solution: Expert Walk-through at SuperZoo
Solution: Comprehensive, easily accessible data
Solution: Neighborhood Pet Channel