The advent of Covid-19 pandemic had drastically altered many things around us, affecting even those things like pet food, and the shopping habits of pet owners. Meantime, E-commerce websites gained some market share in the pet food industry.
These days, the online sales in pet food grew steadily, including the number of websites on pet supplies that had popped up lately. The pandemic certainly helped the speeding up of the current trend some more, for reasons that people can’t get out of their homes.
Some industries might have opted to close their doors for a lengthy period of time, pet and Australia pet supply stores became resilient and many governments deemed them as essentials, alongside food and other necessities.
Restrictions / new setups
However, there were less movements from pet owners due to restrictions until these days where the situation slowly became normal again. This time, though, people got used the value of online shops for their pet supplies.
Research (April 2023) showed that consumer confidence grew in the pet retail business by around 0.4% compared to the numbers in 2019. In another part, there seems to be a rise in the number of people(32.4%) coming to pet shops and veterinary clinics.
With pet stores, however, it did not help much in Australia where Victoria bans commercial pet stores from selling puppies and kittens from breeders. Stores are now required to source dogs and cats from registered animal pounds, shelters or community foster care organizations.
Choosing pet supply stores
For pet owners, one very important aspect of their lives is providing their furry friends the very best possible care. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the right products and services for our pets.
This is also difficult these days, especially in the rural areas where one sometimes cannot find a single pet shop or pet supply shops. In the end, the pet owners consider pet shop supply storesvery important. They provide the pet owners a convenient and reliable source of pet supplies and services.
Local economy
From an economics standpoint, the local pet shops offer many employment opportunities for individuals in the community itself. This fosters economic health and stability at a micro-level.
Every dollar spent in local businesses, around three times as much amount is pumped back into the local economy compared to money spent in big enterprises.
The support one gives to local pet stores helps boost local economies. In turn, these businesses continue to pay employees, independent of how much the large companies are making.
In the end, this leads to job security for local residents and helps to strengthen the financial fabric of their own community.
Superior products and services
When shopping local, pet owners are assured that they are getting superior products and services when compared to large pet stores, including online suppliers.
For one, local pet store owners have more face-to-face contact with their customers, meaning they are better able to ensure that the animals are well taken care of and that the customers are getting the best products for their pets.
In addition, since local pet store have limited spaces, they have to be very selective when stocking their shelves, and owners personally choose which products they stock. The ability of being able to handpick items gives customers access to products seldom found in large-scale stores.
The selections are more diverse and allows them to discover a much wider selection of items that could be extremely beneficial to their pets.
Knowledge and expertise
One benefit that is not so obvious at first when shopping at local pet stores is the knowledge and service these can provide you, which is absent in larger establishments. You can easily find the product that suits your needs.
The staff are also knowledgeable about the products they sell. They can help explain the differences between various types of food, beds, and toys and can point out to you in the right direction to things you may not have considered.
Local pet stores are also more likely to have smaller sizes of certain items like treats and food, enabling you to purchase the exact amount and size for your pet instead of buying in bulk, for instance.
Professional services
In addition, small-scale pet stores may employ veterinarians or other pet health professionals. These professionals can offer additional pet-related services like pet grooming, vaccinations, and medical advice.
These experts certainly help the customers get the best care there for their pets.
Quality care
For pet owners, shopping at local pet stores means you are investing in the care and welfare of the animals they sell. Sometimes, many of the larger chain stores use questionable and inhumane suppliers from overseas. The animals they offer may not have received the proper quality of care they need.
When shopping at local pet stores, you are invested in the care and welfare of their animals. As a typical pet owner, you would consider your pets as part of your family, conscious of their health and needs from food, to toys, beds, feeding bowls, and many more.
Customer service
Local pet supplies store usually have their staff as experts in many things about pets, including the most exotic ones that are usually imported. They are more than willing to answer your questions and help you find the right products for your pet.
Additionally, the store usually has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that adds to the overall enjoyment of pet ownership. Customers often enjoy talking to the pet store staff, asking their opinions, and hearing stories.
This kind of engagement allows customers to connect with their local pet store and create a relationship with the business. These relationships are sometimes priceless in many ways, since it creates an extra level of trust with companies ensuringcustomers know they will always receive high-quality products and services.
Emotional benefit
More on a personal level, supporting local pet stores has a lot of emotional benefits as well. Pet owners are able to foster relationships with their local pet store owner.
These strong local relationships make these places (local pet shops and pet supplies)
Make those places an integral part of the pet owner’s social life. Besides providing pet owners with a sense of community, their local pet store can serve to remind them of how much their pets means to them.
