RANGE REVIEW: PET & BIRDCARE
For them it must be like being back at the supermarket again, only this time instead of meat and vegetables, its fat balls and bags of peanuts. “Customers are looking for
products that the birds will eat and keep coming back for, so the days of just corn are well gone and No Regrow is more the standard now. Feeders are much improved, as they can be taken apart for easy cleaning to stop disease spreading.” Paul Laurie is co-owner of Bird
Ventures, a retail outlet in Norfolk that specialises in wild bird and other wildlife products, ranging from its own food to swift nesting boxes and hedgehog habitats. “We also supply good quality dog foods and dog care products with our ethos of health and wellbeing, using natural products rather than inorganic or synthetic based products,” says Mr Laurie. “Over the past five years we have seen our wild bird food seed sales remain steady and an increase in suet-based foods; our hedgehog food offering is now six different foods and sales have increased five- fold over the period.”
Maximising sales It sounds as though retailers don’t need much advice on product presentation, as they seem to be flying off the shelves but we asked Mark Portman what approach Gardman takes to helping stores to maximise sales.
“As the leading wild birdcare brand (GFK report) we offer the signpost to this category, working with our retail partners in various ways to develop growth. “With Gardman wild birdcare we
offer a full portfolio of products to ensure that the retailer can offer a ‘one-stop’ shop for the customer; we help with category promotions, off- shelf display stands and investment into gondola ends. In addition, we are developing new POS materials and looking to invest in consumer advertising for 2018. All of this is to help to drive category growth.” As a new pet food brand, Purely Fish stockists are “extremely important to us in helping us to
DIYWEEK.NET POLL
What’s the biggest trend you are currently seeing in the pet & birdcare sector? Natural and chemical-free products
Holistic food and grooming products Fashion-led pet accessories Specialist bird seed mixes
Novelty bird houses and tables 16 DIY WEEK 13 OCTOBER 2017
28% 27% 18% 18% 9%
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promote our brand and the many health benefits of our product to the consumer,” says Karen Scott. “We like to make all of our stockists, regardless of their size, part of our Purely Fish network with online promotion via our website and social media channels. Point of sale material is extremely important to help the retailer in spreading the word.” For Bird Ventures, its policy for maximising sales opportunities is straightforward: “It comes down to really knowing the products and knowing your customers – it’s the only way to sell effectively,” says Paul Laurie.
“Finding ways of attracting customers and increasing footfall is paramount to improving sales. Bird Ventures offers excellent customer service and encourage dog owners to bring their pets in to the shop to fit collars and harnesses etc. “Our range of bird feeders is extensive, therefore giving our bird- feeding customers as much choice as possible. Squirrel-proof and large bird-proof feeders of good quality always sell well as do products with good guarantees, giving customers confidence in purchasing the more expensive items.
Online business
Online business has a part to play for customers stocking up on products they use regularly but face to face interaction in store remains an important part of pet care retail for information and advice. “I believe that, while online shopping is convenient for the customer and may even save them money, many people still want that interaction with our pet shop and products,” explains Mr Searle. “For instance, you cannot receive advice about your pets from an online shop in the same way you can in a store or try something on for size without the hassle of worrying about having to return it.” He continues: “As an independent
retailer we need good niche products to be different to the larger stores and groups. We have seen an increase in customers wanting the latest item to stop their dogs barking or pulling and even the classic electric tennis ball throwers
and self-cleaning cat litter trays, so there is a calling for these products at the moment.” There is no doubt that we will see continued growth in online shopping for pet products, as consumers look to save time and money – but this can be more effective when combined with an excellent in-store experience. Gardman’s Mark Portman believes that “online shopping will continue to increase for both pet and wild birdcare; we are seeing the trend accelerating and latest Mintel reports shows this is to continue. The opportunity exists for suppliers and retailers to work together in partnership to develop portfolio, promotions and delivery options in order to exploit this online growth trend.” Bird Ventures has a different view on how it benefits from the internet: “Our customers seem to use the internet to compare prices and we have gained online customers because prices and delivery costs are increasing from online businesses,” says Paul Laurie.
“When the Government finds a way of taxing online business in the same way as bricks and mortar, we may see a further increase in customers using our services.” For relatively new brand Purely Fish, the company’s sales channels are currently “split between big name retailers, smaller independent stockists and online sales channels including Amazon, Ebay and our own online shop,” explains Karen Scott. “In this digital age, online shopping across all sectors is an important and continuing growth route to market. We expect to see our online sales increase over time as our brand awareness grows.
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