Poaching Pet Sales

What are the most frightening two words to a independent pet retailer?

One is the word Internet, simply because many suppliers are offering online retailers better pricing and supplies than their traditional brick-and-mortar competitors.

The other word is supermarkets, which have managed to grab more and more market share from independent pet retailers by stressing a lethal mix of convenience, assortment and pricing. Now it may be getting even worse as more grocery store operators utilize signage and other in-store materials to educate their shoppers as they walk the pet aisle. It may be a great reason why major suppliers such as Hartz, Mars and Purina are pushing grocery retailers to give the pet section more space. It also may be why other pet suppliers, including Multipet International and Big Heart, are also pushing for more space in grocery store aisles.

This battle can only get more messy in coming months.