Keep Fluffy Happy at Retail

“If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” So goes the saying from America’s South, consistent with the much older guidance in Latin, “Pax matrum, ergo pax familiarum.”
     So what about, “If Fluffy ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”? Researchers at University of Helsinki, University of Gothenburg, University of Vaasa, and Aalto University found that seeking bliss for our household pets powerfully influences consumer behavior. Participants in their studies reported how choices of housing, vehicle, travel, and budget allocations were all shaped with Fluffy or Fido’s proclivities in mind.
     Retailers offering items for pets often verify an Eastern Washington University research finding: People are more willing to buy premium items for their pets than for themselves. About 80% of dog owners said they were serious about selecting healthy food for their dogs, but only 65% of the same people said they were serious about their own food selection. Many owners of dogs are as determined to maintain insurance on their pets as on themselves. Some time ago, sales of designer-label pet clothing and accessories began a growth spurt. More recently, dog massage services gained retail traction.
     We consider our pets to depend on us to defend them. It’s the same dynamic which helps explain why, during economic downturns, consumers cut back more on expenses for themselves than on expenses for their children. The research at University of Helsinki, et al adds to this the motivations arising from us wanting to pay back our pets for faithfully serving us. These animals provide companionship when we’re lonely, tactile comfort when nobody else wants a hug, an avenue for meeting others who have the same sort of pet we do or who agree the mutt is actually cute, a feeling of status if the breed is special, and a feeling of safety if the breed is big. Use these motivations as levers for retail sales to pet owners.
     Adults might not have as much splurge-spirit love for Henrietta the hamster as for Hank the family dog. Still, compared to owners of a cat or a dog, adults having fish or reptiles are more likely to also have kids around. Nearly 90% of households with a hamster include children. And for those children, there’s no question that Henrietta is worth a splurge. Just be sure you merchandise the indulgent items for those sorts of pets at the children’s in-aisle eye level.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

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