Pet Specialty Blog

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As you may remember, we recently partnered with Picture People in their big photo contest.  At last, we know who the winners are!!

BEST PHOTO: RHONDA TAYLOR of Conestoga, PA
LOOK-A-LIKE: LAURA PALLOTTA of Waretown, NJ

Our biggest congrats were, needless to say, in order!  In addition, our assignment was to send a Big Pile of Everything… only one problem… our resident lover of BIG attention jumped into the box and wanted to go along!

Check out Macallan below, and be watching for photos from the recipients!

Greetings to all of our retail friends – it was great fun to run into many of you last week at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando. We’ll be in booth 2310 at the April Backer Show, so stop by if you’re in town!

Just wanted to send out a quick reminder for Picture People… here’s our little video about their contest.

Here at Kyjen, we’re always dreaming up ways to get the word out in a WIN-WIN fashion that really benefits our specialty retailers… This month we teamed up with Picture People, and boy, did we have fun!

They’ve got a fantastic contest going – check out the video, and then check out your nearest Pet People!

I’m in Mouthfuls every other week buying dog food since, as it turns out, feeding 300 pounds of retriever is no small feat! Milo, Macallan, O’Malley, and I give this place our biggest “paws up” rating.

Here’s why Mouthfuls rocks…

Atmosphere – Cozy neighborhood vibe… irresistible front window display, inviting atmosphere of abundance, great lighting, displays of varying heights arranged to draw customers through the store, just enough “departmentalization” to make products easy to find

Employees – Deb and the team are accessible, authentic, and enthusiastic – they really know their customers and care about their dogs.

Displays – Toys are set up in a casual “play-with-me” fashion via bins along the wall, leashes are organized and visible. There’s an inviting bakery case, and even a treat bar… and always something to play with on the checkout counter!

Assortment – Toys, travel gear, beds, food, and specialty treats – something for everyone — and the K-9’s love the abundance of Kyjen.

Sales Savvy – In tune with modern times, Mouthfuls has an attractive shoppable website that tells their story, as well as a Facebook page, and a blog. These folks are wise enough, however, to cover all of the bases – they recognize the importance of community involvement and in-store events, such as photos with Santa.

In short, Mouthfuls fosters a spirit of neighborhood camaraderie that keeps us coming back again and again. One of the rare specialty retailers that’s doing everything right!

Visit www.mouthfuls.net and you’ll be inspired immediately.

What can you improve? With the help of Kyjen and our new home runs like Invincibles and Dog Games, we invite you to get with the program!

If you’re a wholesaler, be sure to opt in at www.kyjen.com – we’ll keep you up to date on the latest and greatest!

For display ideas, send a photo of your store to me at Kim_m@kyjen.com.

We hope to see you in Orlando at the Global Pet Expo March 16-18 – Booth 1001!

The big push is on and the question becomes how to optimize fourth quarter sales and end the year on a successful retail note… let’s get festive!

This time of year provides a great excuse to change your environment – create an enticing atmosphere that will encourage guests to linger and SHOP.

First, assess your space. How far do you want to go… add some woodland trees that you could place toys and ornaments in… or garland with lights around the windows… or would it be better simply hang a canopy of white lights from the ceiling? Whatever the case, make it special. Inspire people to celebrate their pets this season!

Second, make it easy to buy. Email or mail a coupon to your customers – perhaps a buy-one-get-one-free special. If you enjoy in-store events, how about a “yappy hour” with dog treats and cocoa and in-store specials? A drawing or door prize is always a good addition. Maybe a fun afternoon event featuring photos with Santa?

Finally, be sure to have:

• Gift Registry – put a book by the register for people to register their pets’ holiday requests
• Impulse Items – stocking stuffers near the register, and if you don’t have stockings, you should!
• Dear Santa cards – pre-printed note cards on which the pet’s request is written in the blank… the card can then be conveniently left somewhere at home where Santa will find it

And don’t forget… right now is the time to get some great last-minute merchandise deals! Set up a wholesale account at Kyjen.com and check out the holiday toys and accessories that customers can’t refuse. We’ll get them to you fast!

Cheers!

Merchandising Real Animal Squeaker Mats

Real Animal Squeaker Mats – The secret to showing these guys off is to highlight all of their features and benefits. By varying the surface that faces out, the customer may see the durable multiple-squeaker mat, the giant grunt tail, and the high-quality faux fur. Get creative with a tag gun and some “C” hooks to show the animal faces!

Merchandising Tail Teasers

Tail Teasers – These show stoppers catch the most attention in the Kyjen free-standing display – good graphics and color in a go-anywhere container. If you have limited space, pegs on a slat wall, peg board, or grid work well. Be certain to line the cards up vertically or horizontally on the wall. Leaving a Tail Teaser open for customers and dogs to play with is a must (watch your breakables)!

Merchandising the New Outward Hound

Outward Hound – Fresh, colorful… and lost if thrown on a shelf! Show off our new line by pairing Treat n’ Ball Bags with their matching Backpacks. Keep it simple and streamlined so the customer can focus on one item at a time – blank space may help keep the look clean. Add in some of our prints for variety; shown here are Backpacks and Fanny Packs, but we’ve got an endless assortment of bowls, carriers, and life jackets to add to the mix. By displaying a broad range of goods, you can build a reputation as the travel expert!

In an effort to be the Virtual Visual Merchandising Team to our specialty retailers, we’re launching a series of quick hints for building effective displays in your store. Capitalize on Kyjen’s latest home runs by creating great displays that your customers can’t resist!

Challenge Toys for Dogs = Game Changers in Your Store
Merchandising Dog Games Puzzle Toys and Invincibles

Dog Games Puzzle Toys – Colorful and irresistible, they tell their own story for the Challenge category. The human eye can best focus on these if you put them in straight vertical or horizontal lines with a little blank space in between. Don’t be afraid to stack a few on a shelf – we’ve put intriguing copy on all sides of the box to grab shoppers’ attention!

Invincibles – These colorful critters are an ideal compliment to the Dog Toys, as they provide another kind of play. Easy to display, the hang cards can be on the same level or at alternating heights – the unstuffed snake faces catch customers’ eye.

One of the great advantages to owning a pet specialty store is SIZE, or at least it seems so when you’re paying your lease, figuring sales per square foot, and cleaning the place…

But just try to figure out what to do with all of that exciting STUFF that companies like Kyjen have convinced you that you must have (home runs like Invincibles and Tail Teasers, to name a couple)!

I manage the sales department at Kyjen, and it’s always my goal to be the “go to” resource for merchandising tips. After over fifteen years in visual merchandising, and another fifteen in interior design, people have somehow concluded that I occasionally know what I’m talking about when it comes to “curb appeal”, traffic flow, and all of those other good things that make up a fantastic shopping environment!

Currently, I have three large hungry retrievers at home, so I spend a lot of time buying premium dog food in little stores that must optimize their small spaces. What I love most is when I see a retailer using every square inch!

Take a minute to think about this – are you using all of your wall space? Do as many of your toys and travel items face the customer as possible? Is it organized in a logical fashion that shoppers can “read” left to right and up and down?

My guess is that you’re already utilizing the floor, but what about the ceiling? A hanging grid, or even a pot rack, are outstanding vehicles for showing off hanging merchandise.

Photos from couple of my favorite Colorado businesses are attached. I hope that they will inspire you to look at your space from a whole new angle!