How IndiePet is Serving the Independent Retail Community
These are exciting times to be in the pet industry. With pet ownership at an all-time high and consumers who love their pets and are ready for high quality personalized experiences, brick and mortar retailers of all shapes and sizes should be feeling good about the future. If you are an independent or neighborhood pet store operator, data shows that you are in a position to outperform other segments of the industry like regional grocery and multi-outlet stores. And you have another reason to feel good, you now have an industry association in your corner. IndiePet, the association of Independent and Neighborhood Pet Retailers, is focused on strengthening the approximately 8,000 independent and neighborhood pet retail locations serving pets and pet parents across North America.
IndiePet unveiled its plan to provide immediate value to the independent retail community at this year’s SuperZoo conference held in Las Vegas in August. By partnering with industry leaders like the World Pet Association, SPINS, the Pet Sustainability Coalition, and many pet product manufacturers and distributors, IndiePet was able to create a digital toolbox designed to provide valuable data and insights that help our members to compete with online and big box retail. This data provides macro-level category sales performance, operations benchmarking, and pricing and promotion insights that can only come from an association with cooperation of its members.
IndiePet’s digital toolbox includes a sales performance analysis by SPINS, a trusted partner who gathers, organizes, and delivers data tailored for independent retailers. This report includes 52 weeks ending July year-over-year sales growth rates for over 30 categories in retail stores and provides valuable insights to help you manage your store’s product mix, operations, inventory, and overall customer experience. You will see that the fastest growing categories — growth over 20%— include Pet Toys-Collars-Apparel, Pet Habitat-Travel-Other, Puppy/Kitten Food, Specialty Wellness Treats, Non-GMO Claimed Pet Care, and Conventional Pet Waste Management.
The World Pet Association (WPA), whose mission is to unite the pet community though knowledge, integrity, innovation and leadership, has provided their Retail Operating Performance Report to the IndiePet Digital Toolbox. The report presents a detailed analysis of key operating data of 155 surveyed companies operating 249 retail locations. This report will give you a benchmark for your own operating performance. WPA has provided useful instructions on how to read the report and pull information relevant to you.
Get access great content like this and so much more by joining IndiePet today!
IndiePet members who are manufacturers have also contributed to the toolbox with IndiePet’s Price and Channel Guide, a compilation of self-reported data from almost 100 manufacturer members covering where they sell their products and how they manage pricing (MAP/iMAP). This insight will help independent retailers with store product mix and pricing strategy.
The IndiePet digital toolbox is just one small part of membership. Association members will also benefit from networking opportunities where peers and partners can address shared concerns and best practices in a non-competitive environment. Technical and business education programs that enhance employee knowledge and service will also be available to IndiePet members. And brand building for the segment is a priority from the IndiePet board of directors. Focused messaging and practices describing why pet owners should go to Independent and Neighborhood pet retailers for the best-in-class service and experience will help members with their competitive positioning against industry players of all sizes.
Many more programs and volunteer opportunities will be announced in the coming weeks as the IndiePet board plans and prepares the 2022 programs in October. If you would like to be a part of these exciting plans, please join our growing community.
