Over-the-counter wellness products are just what the retailer ordered.
By Elisa Jordan

A well-informed staff can help pet owners and pets—and make the sale.

Conscientious pet owners have long concerned themselves with the health and well-being of their pets. Now, with more access to educational information, such as the Internet and marketing materials from manufacturers, owners are savvier than ever when it comes to animal care.

Interest in wellness products may be a signal of another pet industry growth spurt, just like boutique items a few years ago.

“When we opened the store in March 2003 we thought the market was going to be more for people who babied their pets, really upscale and novel accessories,” says Pam Guthrie, owner of the Wag Boutique in Raleigh, N.C. “We found out that that’s not who our customers are. They’re people who really care deeply about the health and wellness of their dogs. The store has evolved over the years to meet that customer need.”

Sandie Wheeler, owner of Pets Gone Healthy in Marlborough, Mass., says that because her store caters to the whole idea of wellness and health, her customers know exactly what they’re getting when they walk through the door.

“Customers can basically come into the store and not worry about reading a label if they don’t have time to,” she says.

As with many things in the pet market, consumers have started to transfer their own interests to their pets.

“As people are starting to want to get healthier and are more aware of the environment and these types of things, it’s trickled down to their animals,” says Gayle Dalton-Smith, co-owner of Precious Pets in Norcross, Ga.

Guthrie has installed an entire pet nutrition center in her store, but any retailer can address the health needs of their customers by simply providing the right products.

A vibrantly healthy pet is the payoff when retailers give owners the right advice. (Courtesy of Central Life Sciences)

But is it appropriate for retailers to provide wellness products in lieu of going to the veterinarian? Los Angeles-based Jeff Werber, D.V.M., who has his own line of products and serves as advisor to 8 in 1 Pet Products, says it’s perfectly acceptable for minor ailments.

“We’ve been trained in human medicine that when we have a cut, we go to the drugstore and buy bandages,” he says. “We buy cold and flu medicine or vitamins without the opinions or guidance of our physicians. Yet it baffles me that some veterinarians are so anti pet parents using common sense to take care of some simple things themselves before going to the doctor.”

From a doctor’s perspective, Dr. Werber says, treating small problems with over-the-counter products has another benefit: If the products don’t work, customers are often more receptive to the veterinarian’s advice.

The Region and the Season
That’s where the retailer comes in. Customizing the stock to fit the region is the first step in providing optimal wellness products.
Katrina Boucher, owner of The Cape Cod Dog in Eastham, Mass., says the humid weather, damp grasses and mold of Cape Cod impact the animals.

“More than 80 percent of the dogs that live here on the cape have lyme disease, including one of my own dogs,” she says. “So I’m always looking for really good repellent. We get people who visit the Cape who have never seen a tick. They spend 20 minutes on the beach and their dogs are literally covered in ticks. They find me and some of them are literally shaking. They ask, ‘How do I get these off my dog?’”

Affordable Everyday Wellness Products Customers can start with the retail shop before going to a vet. w Flea and tick treatments w Hydrocortisone spray w Toothbrushes w Supplements w Hairball remedies w Pheromones w Anti-anxiety w Omega-3 fatty acid w Salmon oil w Medicated shampoo w Ear cleaner w Comb and brush w Nail clippers w High-quality food w Training products w Life jackets w Water containers w Cooling products w Eye cleaners

On the other hand, at Moochie and Co., an independent chain with 10 stores in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, flea and tick protection is less of a concern, so the staff focuses on boat and summer safety by carrying life jackets and water bottles with attached dishes for drinking.

“Dogs can swim, but if they fall off the boat they can’t swim that well,” says merchandising coordinator Kristie Lewis. “We’re really trying to focus on water safety, summer safety, what you can do to keep your pet safe in the summer and keeping them hydrated all the time.”
Guthrie’s area has a similar need.

“We’re in an area of the South that gets really hot really fast. People don’t realize that you can leave your dog out in the heat of the day and if that dog doesn’t have adequate shade and water it can die—and it happens fast. We carry cooling products like cooling bandannas.”

Universal Health Care
Wellness need not be so dramatic. Vitamins, joint supplements for older pets, hairball remedies, shampoos, hydrocortisone sprays and ear cleaners, says Werber, are ideal examples of great everyday products. A holistic—that is, treating the whole pet—approach to treating pets helps keep them healthy and gains the trust of their owners. It can be a very personal relationship. At The Cape Cod Dog, for instance, Boucher recommends a supplement and salmon oil—a combination she uses on her own dogs—for allergies and skin ailments.

Getting to know pets’ individual needs narrows down the best products for treatment. Bradley Logan, co-owner of three Petland stores in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev., asks several questions to determine possible solutions. If someone complains about excessive shedding, for instance, he begins by asking what they mean by “excessive” and then determines what to ask next from there.

“Is your dog scratching and itching all the time or just a little bit?” Logan says. “What are you feeding your dogs? I might ask how often they’re shampooing the dog. After that I might suggest some other supplements or shampoos. I might put them on a better diet or recommend certain grooming tools. If a dog is shedding excessively I might also suggest they see their veterinarian.”

Wellness Is the Word • E-mail blasts and newsletters inform customers about products, safety topics and outreach programs, such as adoptions and spay and neuter programs. • Signage, posters and window displays can draw attention to specific areas you want to promote. • Have sales for special occasions, such as discounting toothbrushes and toothpaste during Dental Health Month. • Don’t forget behavioral products; they can be a major component to a pet’s health and happiness. • Ask what the pet’s name is; it builds a personal relationship with the owner.

It helps to have veterinary referrals on hand in case the situation calls for it. Dalton-Smith and her business partner, Candy James, visit local veterinarians to build relationships and learn about their areas of expertise.

“If someone comes in with a specific need, we try to find the right vet,” she says.

Wheeler has also formed relationships with veterinarians and makes referrals, which her customers appreciate.

Werber says many veterinarians have no problem educating retailers and discussing products; then retailers know what to recommend and why and when a vet should get involved.

“Our customers count on us to be the experts on pet care,” says Richard Shiu, co-owner of Best of Show in San Francisco. “By marrying our knowledge and being conscious of our society and environment, we build customer loyalty.”

Boucher thinks store owners have a responsibility to educate people about the products in the store and what makes them so wonderful, particularly if the product costs a little more money.

“You need to explain to them why you chose those products,” she says. “Then they’ll trust you.”

Werber says that if retailers enter their stores every morning with the approach of ‘What kind of help can I provide for this animal today’ rather than ‘What kind of sale can I make today,’ then everybody wins. <HOME>