Hi Wags World! Just want to say a quick thank you to everybody that reads our posts. We appreciate you and we hope you get something from our PUPDATES. For all of our southeast Michigan pet store owners looking for cat and dog supplies, foods, treats, accessories, and so much more, we are trying our best to be a great resource for you not just for food but for advice, resources, and a community to share your cute pets! Thanks for being a great audience.
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We went down to Global Pet Expo this past week in Orlando, Florida and had a blast! We have some exciting takeaways that we’d love to share with you.
1 - There are a LOT of companies doing a LOT of really cool things
It would be impossible to shout out everybody that’s making waves in this growing industry. We’re excited to be a part of it . There’s no way we could have met everybody doing awesome things either, this place was super massive! However, there are a few things that we’d like to make a note of.
The holistic cannabis and CBD-infused sub-industry is growing in a lot of exciting ways. We know that a lot of our Ann Arbor and Chelsea clients have been asking us about these products, and while things may have changed in Michigan with the 2018 election, it’s still a bit sticky as a pet store to get into the CBD field. It’s so new, and while we have heard miracle success stories with CBD treatments, we also aren’t entirely certain of where things are going to go in the long run. We met some great people doing some really innovative things with CBD oil with products such as CBD-infused paw pad oil, treats and oil droppers, and even lotions that soak into dog skin. Pretty amazing stuff all around.
We’d like to make a quick shoutout to Spina Organics, a new company based out of Los Angeles that offers all natural, organic dog grooming products. The shampoos are above all healthy, in addition to being beautifully scented and complemented by extracts which will enhance the natural beauty, health and shine of your dog's coat. Keep an eye out for Spina Organics shampoos and an ear out for recommendations at your local Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies stores in Ann Arbor (2425 W. Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103) or Chelsea (1192 S. Main St, Chelsea, MI, 48118) in the near future! As a bonus, the company is also run by some terrifically nice people that care deeply about pets, the pet industry, and independent pet retailers. Love em!
Pet tech is growing considerably. Some of the new products we saw included FaceTime-like applications that allow you to see and even talk to your pets while they’re at home alone. They also can send notifications when motion or noise is made, so you can always be on top of what’s going down at your house when you’re not there. We also saw cool GoPro-like toys, such as a ball that has a camera in it so you can see what your dog gets up to when they’re going ballistic playing out there! We also got to meet with the people at Shameless Pets, a new treat manufacturer that uses upcycled food ingredients. Super innovative!
2 - Thank you to the people that are in business to help pet retailers!
We were privileged to attend a number of seminars that showcased the intellect and passion of some individuals doing big things for pet retailers and pet businesses. Some of the highlights include Lynn Switanowski at Creative Business Consulting Group who spoke on building brand loyalty and improving customer service. At Wags to Wiskers Pet Supplies, we are pretty proud of our store environment and what we do for our customers, but she provided some means and ideas that will make your experience at our stores better. We LOVE our customers, and it’s time we showed it even more!
Another shoutout to Candace D’Agnolo at Pet Boss Nation. Pet Boss Nation is a really welcoming, fun community dedicated to providing the tools and support for pet businesses to succeed! In an environment that stays competitive due to new retailers, big box stores, and eCommerce giants, it’s great to have a resource like her that’s dedicated to building businesses.
Lastly, we want to shoutout our team at Pet Engine Marketing, an agency designed to assist independent pet retailers with their marketing needs and digital presence. In a rapidly growing and fast moving industry, we’re lucky to have resources at Pet Engine to keep us up to date with the newest trends, strategies, and industry news.
3 - We and the pet industry want YOUR input
We have a great understanding of our roles within the Ann Arbor and Chelsea, Michigan communities. We love being able to provide products, resources, advice, and more to our customers. We love having dogs and cats and hedgehogs and lizards and birds in our store! It’s really wonderful. However, we know it’s a competitive market and that the options for you as a consumer are more plentiful and convenient than ever! So we want to know from you, how can we make your experience better? We are considering offering some new services in the next 6-12 months. What would you like to see us focus on?
Smooth process for curbside pickup, including online ordering and payment, text alerts, and more.
Improved eCommerce options from Wags with popular items, online deals and coupons, including possible 5-mile radius delivery options.
Subscription-type service that you pay for monthly, with small deliverables dropped straight to your door.
Improved community events and opportunities: gift card giveaways, cuteness contests, cat and dog events, photoshoots, educational classes or seminars.
Something else? Got an idea? We’d love to hear it!
Please let us know! Our customer’s voice is super important to us and we want to be the best pet supply store in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and southeast Michigan! Thanks again for your support.