Starting a Pet Supply Business: 7 Easy Steps!

For animal lovers looking to start a venture, starting your own pet supply business makes perfect sense.

This is a great way to turn your passion into a career and help other pet lovers provide the best care for their animals.

From deciding on a product to partnering with private label manufacturers, this guide explores what it means to start a pet product business and outlines the steps you need to take to get started!

The pet care industry

A fascinating quote says plants are the new pets, and pets are the new children. And this is especially true in the United States, where the pet care industry has been growing steadily for years.

According to the American Pet Products Association reports that in 2017, Americans spent $69.51 billion on their pets. Approximately $30.32 billion was spent on food, $15.95 billion on vet care, and $15.73 on supplies and over-the-counter medications.

Other pet care expenses include boarding, grooming, training, and more. As you can see, there's a lot of money to be made in the pet industry. And with more than 68% of households in the U.S. owning a pet, it's no wonder the industry is booming.

Why you should get into the pet product business

Apart from being an unapologetic pet lover, a few key reasons why starting your own pet product business makes sense. Let's go over a few key reasons:

You're passionate about it.

If you love animals and have always dreamed of working with them, this is the perfect business. What better way to make a living than doing something you're passionate about? Being enthusiastic about your work will make the long hours and inevitable challenges worth it.

You have expertise in a certain area.

Perhaps you have worked in the pet industry before or have a degree in animal husbandry. Whatever the case may be, if you have expertise in this area, starting your own pet product business is a great way to leverage that expertise.

The competition is relatively low.

Compared to other industries, the pet industry is still in its infancy, which means there's plenty of room for new businesses. Of course, this also means that the competition is not as fierce as it is in other industries.

Small or starting businesses have a great advantage in this aspect because there are not as many established brands to compete with.

The industry is ever-growing.

Because pets are becoming more and more popular, the pet industry is growing rapidly. The entire industry is projected to reach $96 billion by 2025. So, if you're looking for a stable and profitable industry, the pet product sphere is a fantastic option.

7 Easy steps to starting a pet product business

Now that we've gone over some key reasons why you should start your own pet product business, let's go over the steps you need to take to make it happen.

1. Do your research

Knowledge is power, so the first step to starting your pet product business is doing your research.

Before you do anything else, take some time to learn about the industry as a whole. Read articles, books, and blogs about the pet industry.

This will help you understand the market and what consumers look for in a pet product. It will also give you a better idea of what products are already out there and where there's room for improvement. Here's a general guideline of what you should research:

• The different types of pet products available
• Which products are in high demand and why

2. Determine the product/line you want to sell.

After doing your research, you should have a good idea of what products you want to sell. If you're unsure where to start, think about what type of pet owner you are and what products you use for your pet.

Do you make your dog food? Use eco-friendly cleaning products? Or have a cat that only eats certain types of food? Here are a few examples of products you could sell:

• Dog food
• Cat food
• Pet toys
• Pet beds/furniture
• Cleaning supplies

3. Create a sound business plan

After you've finalized the products you want to see, it's time to start putting together your business plan. This document will outline your business goals, strategies, and how you plan on achieving them. Your business plan should include:

• A detailed description of your business
• Your target market
• Your marketing strategy
• Your sales goals
• Your financial projections

4. Find a reputable manufacturer.

Remember that you're not just selling products—you're selling quality products. So, it's important to find a manufacturer you can trust to produce high-quality items.

Spend some time researching different private label dog food manufacturers and comparing their prices, minimum order quantities, production times, etc.

Another more efficient way is to employ the services of a company like 3B Private Label Portal to match you with a private label manufacturer.

Doing so can lessen the amount of time spent on research and increase the chances that you'll find the best possible manufacturer. Here are some considerations to make when finding a manufacturer:

• Do they have experience in the pet product industry?
• Can they produce the type/quantity of products you need?
• What is their minimum order quantity?
• What is their production time?
• How much do they charge per unit?

5. Create your eCommerce store.

Now it's time to start selling your products! The first step is to create an eCommerce store. This can be done easily and affordably with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.

Choose a platform that offers a wide range of customization options so you can create a store that perfectly represents your brand. Once you have your store set up, you can start adding products.

Be sure to take high-quality product photos and write detailed descriptions to give shoppers all the information they need to purchase.

6. Go all out with marketing!

What use is an eCommerce store if nobody knows it exists? Marketing is such an important part of running a successful online business because it's what will generate traffic and, ultimately, sales.

There are several different marketing strategies you can use to promote your pet product business. A few popular options include:

Content marketing

Write blog posts, create videos or design infographics about topics related to your products. For example, if you sell dog food, you could write a blog post about the benefits of homemade dog food or create a video showing how to make it.

Social media marketing

Use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to promote your business. Be sure to post engaging content that will get people talking about your products.

Email marketing

Send out regular emails to your subscribers with updates about your business, new products, and special offers.

Influencer marketing

Reach out to popular influencers in the pet industry and ask them to promote your products to their followers.

7. Offer amazing customer service

Sometimes, fantastic customer service is all it takes to stand out from the competition. In the pet industry, offering quality customer service means being there for your customers when they need you—answering their questions, offering advice, or resolving issues.

Be sure to train your customer service team to be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about your products and the pet industry in general.

Final Thoughts

Starting a pet product business is a great way to tap into the growing pet industry. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can be on your way to starting a successful pet product business of your own. Just be sure to put in the hard work, and don't give up on your dreams!