Good Idea or total flop?!?

[Petorize]

Hey

I am currently looking into starting up a pet store on line providing accessories to all pet owners and people thinking about getting a new pet. I have found some suppliers for items but i do not have the space to hold the stock. I have spoken to a lot of people i know who have pets and i myself have pets so have an idea of the needs that people want to keep their pets happy. I have also spoken to a few local pet sitting companies that have given me advice on what they think and what their customers need. I wondered if there is anyone who has a business like this already set up that can give me more advice or if someone has any views if its a good idea or not. Any thing is welcome

Thanks

 

[Paul_Rosser]

There are quite a lot of sites already out there offering supplies for pets.

For it to work you would need to be different from the others, either in terms of price or the goods you can supply.

If you are in London this weekend then check out discover dogs to see what you competition is up to, also a great excuse to see lots of dogs!

 

[Christiane]

You could dropship if you can find a wholesaler who offers this service.

One of the pet shops I use started selling online and uses his wholesalers. He doesn't hold the stock. He buys it in once the order has been placed. It of course means it takes a few days for the item to be sent out. As we know, when we order online, we all want the stuff yesterday so not sure it's a good move !

 

[Petorize]

hey

Yes i have found a good supplier that if you place all orders by 11am they ship out that day for next day delivery to myself ready for me to send out to my customer. The goods are very good quality and the wholesaler seems to have a good reputation with customers who use them on a daily basis. I know there is a lot of online pet stores and such but im hoping with mine i will have advice for owners as well so not just a pet store, and guidance for people who want to get a pet.

Thanks for the comments it has given me some more things to think about and if its the right products for me to sell online

Thanks

 

[toastking]

In terms of pet supplies we got a rescue kitten and still buy the supplies almost entirely from the people who gave us the kitten. For us its been all about the established relationship with the couple (London based) who run the online store.

Without this, you would need to find another way to connect with pet owners. Maybe shows like crufts although I imagine youre not the first to try that, but there must be dozens of smaller pet shows.

 

[BustersDogs]

hey

Yes i have found a good supplier that if you place all orders by 11am they ship out that day for next day delivery to myself ready for me to send out to my customer. The goods are very good quality and the wholesaler seems to have a good reputation with customers who use them on a daily basis. I know there is a lot of online pet stores and such but im hoping with mine i will have advice for owners as well so not just a pet store, and guidance for people who want to get a pet.

Thanks for the comments it has given me some more things to think about and if its the right products for me to sell online

Thanks

If you're having to ask pet sitters what pets and owners need, then I'm not sure you're best places to advise owners on pet care or buying a pet.

 

[lazypbx]

If you're having to ask pet sitters what pets and owners need, then I'm not sure you're best places to advise owners on pet care or buying a pet.

That's a pretty sensible thing to do. Naturally you'll need to have a decent amount of knowledge yourself, but never underestimate the importance of market research. It's all too common for businesses to start up based on what one person *thinks* their customers need, and then for it all to fall down when they find out this wasn't the case. I'd be asking as many people as you possibly can about what pet owners want & need.

 

[bigt41gopeay]

That's a pretty sensible thing to do. Naturally you'll need to have a decent amount of knowledge yourself, but never underestimate the importance of market research. It's all too common for businesses to start up based on what one person *thinks* their customers need, and then for it all to fall down when they find out this wasn't the case. I'd be asking as many people as you possibly can about what pet owners want & need.

I agree. Doing research before hand is important. plus chose a marketing strategy that would work for you bets so people would know about your business

 

[Petorize]

If you're having to ask pet sitters what pets and owners need, then I'm not sure you're best places to advise owners on pet care or buying a pet.

I have had pets from a young age so yes i have some knowledge of what i want and what my animals need but this is not the case for every single owner as their wants and needs can be totally different to mine! I would not be the one giving advice to these people but i would make sure i had enough info and informative links for people to browse over to help them and guide them.

At the end of the day i am going to speak to as many people as i can for feed back if it be pet sitters or other dog owners, i will be putting a lot of time and effort into this so if there is no market for it then i have wasted time and money in something that will never work. I am researching as much as possible and this is why i have put this post here to get feedback from other people who run their own business and on line stores not just feedback from possible customers.

Thanks

 

[toastking]

I have had pets from a young age so yes i have some knowledge of what i want and what my animals need but this is not the case for every single owner as their wants and needs can be totally different to mine! I would not be the one giving advice to these people but i would make sure i had enough info and informative links for people to browse over to help them and guide them.

At the end of the day i am going to speak to as many people as i can for feed back if it be pet sitters or other dog owners, i will be putting a lot of time and effort into this so if there is no market for it then i have wasted time and money in something that will never work. I am researching as much as possible and this is why i have put this post here to get feedback from other people who run their own business and on line stores not just feedback from possible customers.

Thanks

Worth researching since you are a pet owner and you will buy one set of things or know one way of doing things, who is to say that another way isnt more popular and may provide a better way to make money?

It's basically the difference between what you want to sell and what there is a market for. If you can find a way to have both options without raising issues then you should have yourself a happy little business (assuming you can sell any particular item well of course).

 

[Nuno]

I'd never say not to start a business, but this sector is very crowded. After young Mums starting dropship sites to sell baby stuff I think this is one of the next largest bedroom businesses, and the churn is fairly high.

That said, if you can find a unique niche and work away at it you do stand a chance as the sector itself is growing slowly, and the retail end has moved away from the high street to shopping parks. If you could fill the needs of those who don't go to shopping parks, and target them for instance, you might have a healthy stab at it.

The churn is important, that's the rate businesses start and then close. To stand a chance you will need a good website, (a proper, pukka, ecommerce one), and a budget to get you up the pages to where the bigboys are. It's possible and could work well, but needs investment of time and resources.

Do your own market research. Make a list of questions, (not just questions which are going to tell you what you want to hear), and get out and about yourself. Ask dog owners walking their dogs. Ask at Vets, groomers. Ask anywhere dogs go.

Good luck.

 

[Marketester]

I agree. Doing research before hand is important. plus chose a marketing strategy that would work for you bets so people would know about your business

Definitely about research here. What different things can you offer?
What are the things that pet owners are looking for that doesn't exist on the market yet?

If it does, how can you do it in a better way?

Go and survey pet owners, professional that you don't know yet, it has to be the most objective way.

Doing some research at the pet show in London could be a good idea indeed. Targeted, cost effective, etc.

 

[BustersDogs]

Sorry, the first post made it look like you were relying on other people to tell you things so you could then advise owners. Apologies if I read it wrong. Just a bit fed up with pet shop staff telling owners, and selling owners, wrong advice and wrong products for their pet!