Aspiring entrepreneurs are often looking for how to open a pet store from scratch. This is a very promising business sector: the pet products market is growing by 20% every year. The article presents the advantages and disadvantages of such a business, a list of permits, step-by-step instructions, as well as calculation of investments for opening your own pet store.

Opening a pet store is a promising business that promises a quick payback. Most pet supply stores return your investment in 12-18 months, and some much faster. But the short period of capital return is not the only advantage of trading in pet products.

Among the advantages is the growing demand: animals are kept in every third Russian family. In addition, most people, even in conditions of economic instability, do not reduce the level of spending on their pets. Thus, the store can count on a stable flow of customers even in unfavorable times.

For many, selling pet supplies gives them the opportunity to do what they love and help animals. Currently, there are many manufacturers of pet products, so each store can create a unique, competitive assortment. Another advantage of this business is the small list of permits - it is significantly smaller than that of a standard grocery store.

Opening a pet store is a promising business sector that promises payback in 12 months

As for the disadvantages, the main one is high competition. In most Russian cities, private and chain pet stores are already operating successfully. Food and fillers are sold in grocery hypermarkets. In most cases they cover demand. That is, a new store will have to immediately identify its competitive advantage: products from new manufacturers, low prices or promotions, self-service, online orders. Another disadvantage of the industry is the specific smell of animals and goods in the store premises. This may not seem serious, but sometimes this factor affects the selection of personnel.

If the store, in addition to products for pets, sells live animals, you will have to bear full responsibility for their health and maintenance. Sick, unkempt animals in an establishment can lead to litigation, not to mention a permanently damaged reputation.

What documents and permits are needed?

Any business in Russia must be conducted legally, and trade in pet products is no exception. Therefore, to open and operate a store, an entrepreneur will need registration package of permits:

1. Statutory documents: registration certificate of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, TIN certificate, letter of assignment of OKVED, premises rental agreement.
2. Permission from the sanitary and epidemiological service.
3. Fire inspection permit.
4. Pharmaceutical license (for the sale of medicines for animals, including flea collars and deworming tablets). To obtain it, you will need to pay a state fee of 7,500 rubles.
5. Veterinary certificates from the State Veterinary Administration, only if the store keeps and sells live animals. A separate certificate is issued for each animal confirming its health.
6. A production control program, a waste disposal agreement, a disinfection and deratization agreement, sanitary measures log books - everything for Rospotrebnadzor.
7. Personnel documents: contracts, work books, medical records with a medical examination and a mark on completion of sanitary training.

Just like in any other retail outlet, a pet supply store should have an evacuation plan in the event of a fire and a consumer corner should be formed. These documents are drawn up according to standard rules. Formation of the entire set of permitting documentation can take up to 6 months and will require 20-25 thousand rubles.

Careful placement of a varied assortment attracts customers with different income levels

Step-by-step instructions for opening a pet store

This section presents step-by-step instructions for opening a pet supply store. Let's look step by step at how to choose a location, what you need to know about the range of products and other important aspects of creating a business in the field of pet products.

Choosing a location and premises

Its success in the market largely depends on the correct choice of store location. It is better to locate a retail outlet with pet products in a place with high customer traffic. The optimal solution would be to rent space in a shopping center. There are always a lot of potential customers here who can provide the store with profit even on weekdays.

Which area should I choose? The size of the store directly depends on its assortment. If an entrepreneur plans to sell several categories of popular food, medicines and toys, a room of 15-20 square meters is sufficient. But if the store offers customers a wide range of food in different price categories, medicines and related products, as well as live pets, 50-70 square meters will be required.

Of course, the room must be connected to all communications and equipped with a good ventilation system. Poor ventilation will prevent you from effectively combating the specific odors of animals and feed. This problem is guaranteed to scare away buyers and provoke a conflict with neighboring retail outlets.

An important selection criterion is the ability to adjust the lighting: you need to strike a balance between bright light for customers and comfortable conditions for animals. The optimal solution to the light issue is 200-300 lux in the counter area and 100-150 lux in the area with pets.

Choosing a name

After selecting the premises, you can choose a name for the store, order a branded sign and print advertising posters. When choosing a name, follow two rules. Firstly, it is useful to make a reference to the animal world in the name of the store. This will help customers immediately understand that the outlet offers products for pets.

Secondly, you cannot use names that are officially registered as trademarks. There is a fine for this. You can check whether the name is registered as a trademark/company designation on the website of the tax service or through special online services.

If a store offers customers a wide range of feed in different price categories, medicines and related products, 50-70 square meters will be required

Product range

The standard range of pet store products includes the following items:

1. Food from different manufacturers, from economy class to prestigious brands.
2. Fillers for different types of toilets, as well as for cages and aquariums.
3. Bowls, drinking bowls.
4. Medicines, medications, vitamins, biological supplements.
5. Trays, brushes.
6. Accessories (collars, leashes, clothing).
7. Carrying bags.
8. Toys, houses, mattresses, scratching posts.
9. Cages for birds or rodents.
10. Aquariums and plants for them.
11. Shampoos and other cosmetics.
12. Rodents (rats, mice, chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs).
13. Birds (parrots, canaries).
14. Rabbits.
15. Fishes.
16. Turtles.

Recruitment

The most optimal opening hours for a pet store is twelve hours, that is, from 9 to 21 hours or from 10 to 22 hours. In this mode, employees work on a “2 in 2” schedule. Depending on the product range, from 1 to 3 people will be required.

A good option for forming a staff is the principle “1 person at the cash register, 1 consultant in the hall.” No special education is required to work in a pet store. You can understand the range and operation of cash register equipment in 2-3 days. However, having a veterinary education will be an advantage. Such a specialist will be able to competently advise customers and create a good reputation for the store. It is acceptable to hire senior students.

Before opening a pet store, all employees must undergo training to learn:

• work schedule;
• store assortment, differences between different types of food;
• rules for the use and prescription of medications for animals;
• rules for caring for animals in the store;
• regulations for working with cash register equipment.

The most popular products in pet stores are food and fillers

Calculation of financial investments (business plan)

Is it profitable to open a pet store? Trading pet products is quite profitable: the average trade margin for any product is 50%. Thus, the markup on food and medicine starts from 20%, on accessories - from 40%, and on toys and houses can exceed 100%.

Pet products are in stable demand, so you can recoup your investment in 12-16 months. Consider a pet store business plan with calculations:

Conclusion

Even novice entrepreneurs can open their own pet store. This is a promising business because the demand for pet products is growing steadily. The amount of initial investment is 700,000 - 800,000 rubles. Before opening, it is important to obtain all permits from Rospotrebnadzor, the State Veterinary Inspectorate and the fire service. With good trading organization, investments will be returned after 12-16 months of work.

The sales volume of each pet store depends on how the advertising campaign is structured. It doesn’t matter whether the business is located in a residential area or in a passable place, customers will not come without advertising.

How to increase sales in a pet store: basic methods

These tips will help not only attract buyers, but also contribute to more sales:

• Open your store where customers will see it. The best option is places with high traffic: busy intersections, ground transport and metro stops. It is advantageous to locate a pet store in a residential area.
• Select your staff carefully. Knowledge of the product, pleasant appearance, and communication skills are required for sellers. They must create a friendly atmosphere, help customers, and recommend products that will suit them.
• Additional clients will be attracted by qualified veterinary care. Hire a veterinarian for evening or weekend consultations.
• Offer the most popular products. Keep track of what is purchased most often and what the cost range of these products is. Use this data to create a trading matrix.
• The bright design of the stands and large price tags attract attention. Information about discounts and promotions should be visible.
• Use several advertising channels at once: outdoor, print, advertising in elevators, through social networks, on the Internet.

Outdoor advertising for pet stores: photos of the best examples

As practice shows, pet products are most often purchased on impulse. To trigger this impulse and make a passerby think about his pet, make the sign bright and illuminated.

Stretch marks are especially effective when opening a pet store. But you don't have to use them all the time. It is enough to decorate the façade of the building in a bright way.

Signposts will help attract the attention of passers-by and inform about discounts and store promotions. This is a simple, inexpensive, but effective advertisement. The sign is installed on the sidewalk next to the store. This is a mobile design, you can change the location of the pillar to find the most advantageous position.

Use the space on pillars and banners to attract buyer interest. Standard phrases about a wide range and low prices will not help. Be more specific, talk about your promotions and discounts.

Dry food and canned food for animals, vitamins, toys and hygiene products. 10% discount on every third item in the receipt!

Every Monday - discounts on Royal Canin food!

Buy 3 kilograms of filler and receive a tray as a gift!

Leaflets and flyers: what to write and where to distribute

The text of the leaflet must indicate:

• Store Address. Preferably a schematic map.
• Name, slogan (if there is one).
• Brief description of the assortment. Indicating prices for popular products will interest potential customers.
• Information about discounts, promotions, special offers.

Often people do not save leaflets and, after reading them, throw them away. To make the pet store well remembered, use mnemonic devices, for example, come up with advertising in verse. Providing a discount to the flyer presenter will help increase sales.

Hand out flyers near the store. In residential areas, place advertisements in mailboxes. Find places where dog owners gather. There you can not only distribute flyers, but also communicate in more detail with potential buyers. For example, ask what food they buy or what toys are more interesting to their pets.

Promotion of a pet store on the Internet

The site is suitable only for large chains of pet stores or online stores. The amount spent on website creation, contextual advertising and SEO promotion will not be covered if the store is located in a residential area.

Social networks are less expensive and more effective in promoting small pet stores. Post news about discounts and new product arrivals on the page. The promotion will help stimulate demand. For example, subscribe to the VKontakte group, repost the post and receive a one-time discount. Another effective tool for promoting a group on social networks is a drawing of free goods for reposts or likes.

To make it easy for customers to find your store, place it on Yandex, Google maps and other popular resources.

About word of mouth and regular customers

Pet products are a category of products that are purchased regularly. Therefore, the only way to achieve stable high profits is to earn the trust of regular customers, to do everything so that the client wants to come to this particular pet store.

Be prepared for the fact that it will take several months to promote a new business. To get a business with established advertising and a base of regular customers, it is easier to buy an existing pet store.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

700,000₽

Starting investment (mini market)

200,000 - 300,000 ₽

20-25%

Profitability

From 6 months

Payback period

Pet stores have been and remain one of the most popular ideas for small businesses, with which small retail outlets can still compete with large chains. What do you need to open a pet store?

Your own pet supply store is perhaps one of the most popular business ideas , which comes to mind for budding entrepreneurs. Opening a small pet store requires relatively small investments, and the business itself seems simple to organize and run compared to many other types of small businesses.

One of the main advantages of pet stores compared to other types of retail is considered to be crisis resistance. Surprisingly, but true: it is easier for owners to cut their own food costs than to switch their beloved pet to cheaper food. Therefore, pet stores are coping with the unstable situation in the Russian economy more easily than other types of retail.

How to register a pet store

The most convenient organizational and legal forms for opening a pet store are individual entrepreneurs and LLCs. There is no consensus on which form is preferable. But for beginners in business who do not plan to work on a large scale and engage in wholesale sales, the best option is an individual entrepreneur. The fundamental difference between these two options is that when debt obligations arise, all the personal property of the entrepreneur can be called upon to fulfill them. The owner of the LLC is responsible exclusively for the authorized capital of the legal entity, which amounts to 10 thousand rubles (50% of this may be the funds of the project initiator, and the second half - the funds of the attracted investor).

The procedure for opening an individual entrepreneur does not require a lot of time and money. Detailed information on registering an individual entrepreneur can be found in this article. It is recommended to choose the simplified system (STS) as a form of taxation. An application to switch to it (by default you are assigned a general tax system) is submitted along with registration. If you are going to conduct only retail trade, then during registration you will be able to select OKVED code 47.76.2 “Retail trade of pets and pet food in specialized pet stores.”

As additional codes according to the latest classification (OKVED-2) for a pet store, you can choose:

47.19 Other retail trade in non-specialized stores

47.73 Retail sale of medicines in specialized stores (pharmacies)

47.74 Retail trade of products used for medical purposes, orthopedic products in specialized stores

47.78 Other retail trade in specialized pet stores

47.89 Retail trade in non-stationary retail facilities and markets of other goods

47.91 Retail trade by mail or via the Internet information and communication network

47.99 Other retail trade outside pet stores, tents, markets

53.20.31 Activities for courier delivery by various modes of transport

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To open a pet store in the selected premises, you will need to obtain permission from the SES and fire supervision. Also keep in mind that to sell medicinal products for animals, that is, veterinary drugs, you will need a license, as well as a secondary or higher veterinary education. The same license is used when opening a veterinary pharmacy. In connection with this requirement, small pet stores are often limited to selling food and other pet products, the sale of which does not require licensing.

If you intend to engage in animal trafficking, you will also need the appropriate veterinary certificates. All animals presented in the pet store will be required to undergo an examination by a veterinarian, following which a certificate will be issued that confirms that the animals are free of diseases.

Choosing the format and premises of a pet store

You should start looking for premises even before the individual entrepreneur registration procedure, since registration is carried out within 3 days, while searching for a place may take more than one month. First, decide on the format of your store. There is no clear classification, but several types of retail outlets can be distinguished.

kiosks and small counter-type pet stores with a narrow assortment. The most common format of pet stores. Most often, these are retail outlets with a minimum area (10-15 sq. meters), where consumer goods are sold - food for cats and dogs, pet care products and a minimum set of accessories.

pet stores with a wider range of pet products- counter-type or self-service stores of a larger area (usually from 20 to 70 square meters), where not only consumer goods can be sold, but also rare and expensive food, animals, veterinary drugs, etc.

highly specialized pet stores- stores focused on a specific type of animal, for example, goods for lovers of aquarium fish, amphibians and reptiles, stores of rare and expensive food, etc. Pet stores with a narrow assortment are found only in the largest cities of the country; in small cities such outlets are unprofitable.

Most pet supplies take up little space, so in an area of ​​20-30 square meters you can easily place a fairly wide range of them. The rental amount will depend on the region, location, area, room conditions, traffic and many other factors.

Average rental value of commercial premises of various sizes in Russia, rub.*

*according to analysis of advertisements on the Avito website as of March 20, 2019

The location must meet several requirements:

convenient location;

proximity to busy roads (and, preferably, to a veterinary clinic);

high cross-country ability;

lack of competitors nearby.

Ready ideas for your business

Before you start looking for premises, research the density of competition in your city using online map services. As a rule, it will be highest in the city center, but new residential areas may lack pet stores.

The most difficult thing for individual pet stores is to coexist with and compete with chain stores: prices in the latter will be much more preferable and will lure away customers. But networkers are mainly concentrated in the largest cities of the country. For example, in Moscow, according to the 2GIS service at the end of March 2019, there are 975 pet stores, and more than 68% of them are chain stores - that is, those that have 2 or more outlets. Moreover, slightly less than half of this number (423 points) is accounted for by large retail chains with at least 20 pet stores. At the same time, if we compare the Moscow market with the Krasnodar market (169 pet stores), we can note that the share of chain pet stores does not exceed 38% (64 pet stores). Moreover, exactly half of this number (32 stores) falls on the two largest chains in the city.

Ready ideas for your business

In addition to the area, the location of your pet store is also important. It can be opened in a separate building (on the ground floor, in the basement) or in a shopping and entertainment center (MEC). The latter option would be ideal if it were not for the high cost of rent, as well as the increased risks of competitors appearing from among network operators, with whom it is difficult to compete in prices. But a pet store in a separate building has one advantage over a location in a shopping center: pet owners can enter it along with their pets. This is important if you are also going to sell dog clothing that requires pre-trying before making a purchase.

When choosing a location for a store, study traffic flow (traffic is counted on weekdays in the morning, afternoon and evening, as well as on weekends at different times). The presence of direct and indirect competitors, their range and pricing policy are also taken into account. If all conditions are satisfactory, a rental agreement is concluded. The main thing that you should find out after you find the desired premises is why the previous tenants did not take root in the old place. Good places are usually not empty.

How to properly formulate a pet store’s assortment

A convenient location is undoubtedly a plus for your pet store, but it is far from the only condition for its success. People should find not only your store, but also the product they need in it. Therefore, carefully consider the range of products that will be presented in your store. Regardless of its format, product groups usually remain unchanged. This includes food and various treats, animal care products (shampoos, brushes, nail clippers, etc.), accessories and medicines. In addition, clothing and furniture for pets (mainly cat houses, scratching posts and dog beds) are in good demand.

What exactly will be included in a particular product category, which brands to choose and which price category to place special emphasis on, depends on the area where your retail outlet is located. In this case, the preferences of the residents of the area and the species diversity of animals are of decisive importance. It is almost impossible to predict in advance which foods will work and which will not, as well as to analyze how many bird, fish or rodent lovers live in your area.

You can partly get an approximate picture by carefully studying the assortment of other similar pet stores located nearby, but this does not always work. As the entrepreneurs themselves note, in one area of ​​the city, for example, dogs of large breeds may predominate, and in another - small ones (however, a relationship can be established here. For example, by counting the number of private houses in the yards of which large dogs are often kept for protection, and apartment buildings, the residents of which usually have small animals), residents of one area prefer to keep birds, and residents of another – rodents...

Ready ideas for your business

Generally speaking, cats and dogs come first in popularity among Russians as pets; there are about 30 and 20 million of them in Russia, respectively. However, there is a lot of competition in this segment. Rodents and birds are much less common. Food and equipment for keeping amphibians, insects, reptiles and fish can also be included in the assortment, but these positions should not only not predominate, but also occupy a significant share of the assortment. They can be a competitive advantage if a rare pet lover comes to your place looking for something he couldn't find at other pet stores in your area.

Pet products in high demand:

dog food;

cat food;

cat litter;

repellents for insects and ticks (including collars);

shampoos for animals;

"bones" and other treats, toys;

ammunition for dogs;

cat carriers, cages, etc.

The most popular items in the pet store are animal food and litter. Therefore, these positions sometimes account for up to 80% of the total assortment. But you won’t earn much on them, since the markup on them is less than on other positions.

Therefore, the optimal ratio between food and accessories in the assortment of a retail outlet is 50% to 50% or even 60% to 40%. As for feed, again, preferences may vary, so at the very beginning of your work, do not try to save on purchasing goods by purchasing feed in large packages right away. It is better to try to cover a larger assortment range, albeit in small quantities (this applies not only to packaging, but also to the number of items). Even though in the first weeks you will have to go to the wholesale warehouse for goods more often or contact suppliers, but you will not accumulate illicit liquid, which will later be difficult to get rid of. You can also consult with suppliers on selecting a pet store’s assortment by finding out the list of the most purchased products from them.

To identify the preferences of your customers, do not forget to ask visitors to your stores what kind of pets they have and what food they prefer. Offer them services for purchasing large packaging of food to order, which will be more profitable for them than buying food by weight or in small bags. Keep in mind that food in large packages is usually purchased by owners of adult dogs and large breed puppies. But cat lovers and owners of small dogs prefer to take food in small bags, because, in their opinion, it quickly dissipates in large bags. Inside the pet store, follow the principle of separation of goods; display cases for cats and dogs should be decorated separately.

If your pet store is located in the city center, in a shopping and entertainment center (whose visitors are usually more solvent) or near a beauty salon for animals (there are such specialized establishments in large cities), then you can also include a small number of products in the assortment premium segment - stylish clothes for small dogs of the Chihuahua, Toy Terrier, Spitz breed, unusual carrier bags, etc. But still, it is better to bring these categories to order, offering customers to choose the items they are interested in from catalogs.

As for suppliers, it is better not to focus on the products of one company, but to buy products from different companies, choosing where the prices are cheaper and the range is wider. The store owner should go to negotiations with suppliers himself in order to evaluate the goods and agree on the best conditions.

Pet store staff: requirements and salary level

In a store that sells exclusively food and accessories, there are no requirements for personnel. However, if you are trading in veterinary drugs, you must have on staff a certified specialist in the field of veterinary pharmaceuticals with higher or secondary veterinary education and at least 3 years of work experience. In any case, experience in sales and working with people is also highly desirable.

A pet store sales consultant must know almost everything about animals in order to help the buyer with the choice of food, medicine, vitamins and flea remedies. Since the majority of pet owners are amateurs, the sales consultant must be able to promptly recommend to buyers the products their pets need, which the former often forget about, for example, flea treatments - anthelminthics. Most often, the responsibilities of sales assistants in small pet stores are quite broad: they are involved in displaying goods, working with the cash register, advising customers, and keeping order.

Salaries for pet store employees are usually formed according to the “salary plus percentage of sales” scheme. On average in Russia, judging by the advertisements on the website hh.ru, employers offer pet store employees a salary of 27 thousand rubles.

In Moscow and St. Petersburg, salaries can be 2-2.5 times higher. The number of employees and their schedule is determined depending on the size of the pet store and operating hours. For a small pet store, even two sellers are enough. It is possible to reduce wage costs when the store owner himself takes over the counter. In addition to paying salespeople, you need to consider the cost of an accountant, who is best outsourced. For a wide-format store, it is worth thinking about dividing responsibilities and hiring an administrator, sales assistants, a cleaner, etc.

Pet store franchises: pros and cons

Opening a franchise store can be a useful step not only for budding entrepreneurs, but also for those who want to save on purchases. One of the key advantages of purchasing a pet store franchise is the opportunity to receive discounts and networker privileges. Due to the fact that the chain purchases large volumes of pet supplies, it receives a substantial discount from suppliers. Often, chains of pet stores are opened by distributors themselves.

Typically, companies offer approximately the same franchise package. In addition to exclusive delivery conditions, it includes assistance in selecting premises and forming an assortment, rules for displaying goods, advertising materials, and a staff training program. Thanks to a franchise, it is much faster and easier to resolve the issue of documents for the sale of veterinary drugs and animals, since the parent company already has some of the documents. Often, franchisees have the opportunity to connect to a ready-made online store.

Since cooperation with a large company usually involves a large lump-sum payment, not everyone is ready to buy a franchise. You should not attach excessive importance to the branding of the company. It would be most advisable to purchase a franchise only if there are pet stores in the chain in your city, and the chain itself is popular among the population. Otherwise, a brand from another city will mean absolutely nothing to a local buyer.

We calculate the income and expenses of a pet store

What investments will you need to make in a pet store?

To open a small counter-type pet store with an area of ​​10 square meters. meters in the region, you will need 400-500 thousand rubles. To open a mini-market, you will need approximately 700 thousand rubles. If we talk about opening a pet store with an area of ​​50 square meters. meters will require an average of 1.5 million rubles, and a large store with an area of ​​100 square meters will require at least 2.5 million rubles.

Start-up costs, in addition to purchasing goods for a pet store, include repairs (the design of pet stores does not play a big role, so investments in this item are not large), shelving, display cases, cash register equipment and software. Racks are selected depending on the types and dimensions of your products. Keep in mind that food in large packages takes up a lot of space. To save space, they are usually placed on the floor. Food in small bags is displayed on the shelves, and various small items (pet toys, medications, treats, accessories, etc.) are displayed on the display case. It is also advisable to include 2 months’ rent in the starting costs.

To purchase commercial equipment for a pet store with an area of ​​about 50 square meters. meters will require about 100-150 thousand rubles. Glass showcases can be made to order. One glass box will cost 10-15 thousand rubles, but in any case it will be more profitable than installing anti-theft equipment, which costs at least 70-80 thousand rubles plus materials for marking each product item.

The daily revenue of small pet stores in practice rarely exceeds 10-15 thousand rubles, while larger pet stores can sell 30-80 thousand rubles per day. The average markup on products sold is 50% (depending on the product category, it can range from 35-65%). For the most popular items (popular food and litter) the markup is usually less (15-25%), and for less popular ones it can sometimes reach up to 200%. The optimal inventory is determined by the amount of inventory balances in the amount of two months' revenue at purchase prices.

It is not difficult to calculate that a store, for example, with an area of ​​30 square meters, working with two employees and an outsourced accountant, will not go into the red if the revenue exceeds at least 150 thousand rubles per month. The key expenses of the main period will be employee salaries (about 90 thousand rubles, including deductions) and rent (about 30 thousand rubles). Pet stores, regardless of format, begin to break even after six months of operation. The profitability of a business selling pet products is usually at the level of 20-25%.

According to pet store owners, you shouldn’t hope for big profits from one point. Having decided on the assortment, worked out the sales technology, and received the most preferential terms from suppliers, entrepreneurs, as a rule, open the next similar store in another area of ​​the city. At least three to five retail outlets located throughout the city will bring good profits.

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An interesting idea for a novice entrepreneur might be opening your own pet store. From an economic point of view, the attractiveness of such a business is quite obvious, because according to statistics, every third family necessarily has a cat, and every fifth has a dog. There are also lovers of aquarium fish, birds and hamsters. The demand for pet products is stable at any time of the year, so we can talk about the profitability of the business. The main thing is to correctly determine the range of products needed and draw up a competent business plan.

Opening a pet store: the pros and cons of business

As with any business activity, opening a pet store has its pros and cons:

Since there are still more advantages to starting this business, it makes sense to invest money in a pet store. When promoting an idea, decisive importance is given to the competent territorial location of the premises and a carefully selected assortment.

What documents are needed to open a pet store from scratch: requirements and permits

In order to work calmly, and not wait for the arrival of regulatory authorities, it is better to immediately legalize your business.

Where to start preparing all the necessary documentation:

1. Naturally, the first step should be to register the enterprise as an LLC or individual entrepreneur. Registration as an individual entrepreneur is advisable if the area of ​​the pet store is less than 50 m2, and the planned turnover will be small. Registration of the status of a legal entity (LLC) makes it possible to conclude contracts with wholesale suppliers and obtain a license to sell medicines if there is a veterinarian on staff.
2. The next step is obtaining permits from the SES and fire inspectorate. They will be issued on the basis of a report from commissions that will visit the establishment to check its compliance with current regulations.
3. Permits from the environmental protection society and veterinary service will also be required.
4. License for sale of veterinary drugs.
5. OKVED codes (47.76.2; 46.38.22; 46.11, etc.) and the optimal taxation system (STS or ENDV).
6. Registering a cash register.

An entrepreneur will have to spend several months and about 70,000 rubles to collect and prepare the necessary documentation. Professionals will resolve all issues faster.

What is needed to organize a pet store from scratch?

To start a pet store from scratch, you will need not only the official registration of the enterprise and obtaining permission to work. We will have to solve a lot of organizational issues regarding the choice of premises and the purchase of equipment, interior design and advertising events, drawing up staffing and selection of assortment. But first things first.

Location

According to experts, the most successful option for locating a pet store may be to place it in the premises of a veterinary hospital or on the territory of an animal hotel. This is explained by the fact that people with animals regularly come to such institutions. It is this category of visitors that is most interested in purchasing goods in a pet store.

If the implementation of such an option is unrealistic, then you can open a store in any other public place, not necessarily on the main streets. You can even rent a small room in a large shopping center or in a residential area.

The main thing is that the retail outlet is located on the ground floor of the building and has a front entrance, the sign above which can be used as advertising. It should be bright and memorable.

Premises for a pet store

To choose the right premises for a pet store, first of all, you need to decide on its format:

• To operate a small stall, 8-10 m2 is enough.
• An average pet store will require a space of 50-80 m2.
• Well, a supermarket for animals should be located on an area of ​​at least 100-150 m2. In this case, it is better for an entrepreneur to rent a separate one-story building.

If the area of ​​the pet store is sufficient, the optimal solution would be to allocate thematic zones in it. For example, these could be the departments: “Everything for cats”, “Aquarium”, “Clean paws”, “Poultry house” and so on. Store visitors will be able to make purchases more conveniently and purposefully.

To save money, it is best to rent a premise that is already ready and adapted for work in a non-residential building. This makes it easier to obtain all the necessary permits and open your store faster.

Furniture and interior design

You rarely see interesting interior solutions in pet stores, and you can play on this to attract visitors. A colorfully designed facade with funny images of animals, as well as aquariums or cages with birds displayed in the display windows, will most likely arouse the interest of buyers and a desire to visit the store. Inside, the interior can be complemented by paintings of pets, funny plush toys “living” on the windowsills, and original furniture. Fresh flowers and plants will be an excellent decoration for the store and an excellent backdrop for wildlife. This is something you don’t need to save money on!

Proper placement of cages, terrariums and aquariums will allow you to view them from all sides. The best option for installing them would be special podiums. If you suddenly want to update your interior, then shelving on wheels will come to the rescue. They can be moved in any direction, easily creating different compositions. However, without closed display cases, a work table and counters, the list of furniture will be incomplete.

Reference . Only food and large objects may be freely available. Veterinary products must be placed in closed display cases.

Equipment and inventory

As for setting up a stall for selling feed, equipping it couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is install shelving and table scales – that’s all you need.

It will be more difficult to decide on a pet store, because the purchase will require significant costs:

• Refrigeration equipment (cabinets and display cases) – 77,000-80,000 rubles.
• Cash counter – 3,000 rubles.
• Lamps for heating animals, UV radiation systems – RUB 5,580-76,130/piece.
• Cages, aquariums, terrariums - from 1950 rubles/piece.

Moreover, ordinary cages used at home are not suitable for keeping animals in a store. They must have a certain margin of safety, be easy to clean, and so on.

Installation of electrical equipment will also be an expensive part. But you can’t do without it, since many animals need lighting. If an entrepreneur does not yet have enough funds or experience to keep large breeds, then at first he can start selling small animals - hamsters and budgerigars. They do not require special care and can be kept in ordinary cages.

Range

Professionals know how difficult it is to create the desired assortment immediately after opening a store. Typically, this takes about three months, taking into account the specifics of the region. At first, in order to establish trade, you can borrow the experience of existing pet stores, and then use your own developments.

According to experts, the greatest profit for business comes from animal feed. Food for cats and dogs sells out best, and a little worse for rodents and birds. The second most popular group of products are tray fillers and care products. The sale of cages, aquariums, food bowls, cat houses, and animal care literature also brings a certain profit, but it cannot be compared with the sale of food. However, the store’s assortment should be varied, since the quantity and quality of goods affect the level of sales and profitability of the business.

The ratio of product groups in the pet store’s assortment as a percentage:

Staff

Recruiting employees for a pet store is undoubtedly an important step in establishing a successful business. Moreover, this business has a certain specificity – working with animals. That is why only people with a veterinary education can apply for the position of sales consultants. At a minimum, the store must have 2 sellers. Among the professional qualities they should have: communication skills, desire to learn, knowledge of the topic. Sellers will have to spend 40,000 rubles monthly on salaries. plus 10% of revenue.

Who else to invite to work:

1. Store directors . At first, the entrepreneur can perform the functions of a director himself.
2. Veterinarian . It is not necessary to enroll him in the staff. He can work independently, conducting a private reception.
3. Accountant . With a small turnover and in the process of promotion, accounting can be ordered from an outsourcing company. The monthly cost of such a service will cost 2,600-3,300 rubles.
4. Cleaning woman . The salary of a cleaning lady is usually 12,000 rubles.

If the store is a family affair, then try to do it on your own, without involving outsiders.

Marketing and advertising of a pet store: how to promote a business from scratch?

Even the best pet store must take care at the start of the project about proper advertising for its promotion.

When asking the question of how to promote a business from scratch, you can get many solutions:

• The original design of display windows and a bright sign will certainly attract the attention of passers-by to the store.
• Posting advertisements at bus stops, billboards and in transport will allow you to reach a significant resource of potential buyers.
• Promoting your store through social networks and thematic groups on the Internet will expand your audience of customers.

In addition, it would be a good idea to carry out all kinds of PR campaigns:

1. Feed tasting events.
2. Promotional programs such as “Buy two products for the price of one”, “Make a purchase, get a gift”.
3. Bonuses and discounts for regular customers.

Ready-made business plan for a pet store from scratch: calculation of profitability and costs

In its most general form, a business plan is presented as follows:

• The store is located on the ground floor of the building.
• Its area is 60 m2.
• Number of employees – 3 people.

Start-up costs:

Monthly expenses:

The monthly amount spent on the operation of the store will be 167,000 rubles. The average turnover of similar stores is up to 2,750,000 rubles. in year. Subtracting monthly expenses and 10% to sellers, we get a balance of about 470,000 rubles. With a business profitability of 10%, the initial costs will pay off in about 1.5 years.

Types of pet business that have become familiar in Europe and America are just waiting for Russia and the CIS countries. In this collection, we have collected ideas for pet products and pet services that are surprising to Russians and come from the West.

From all sides, even in our country, increasingly stronger voices of the “greens” are heard, boiling down to the increasingly popular slogan: “Don’t breed or buy these, while there are those homeless people.” This is usually followed by a photograph that amazes even the hearts of stone. And indeed, the politics of the civilized world is increasingly turning its face to “our smaller brothers”, their rights (the same as those of people), the era of barbarism is almost left behind.

And this is not a fashion for sentimentality, this is not a well-fed bourgeois man in the street “going crazy”, “you see, he feels sorry for the little animal”... No. If we speak in the dry language of biological science (and only then - jurisprudence), then domestic animals (domestic animals) are biosocial creatures, the same... as you and I - people. They have the beginnings of everything that man himself has developed in the course of evolution. And the percentage of these rudiments is unknown to us - well, our science has not yet matured to understand such things, obvious to any compassionate child. However, even science has already established that they can suffer, experience emotions and suffer from neuroses in the same way as their two-legged owners. And therefore, the rights of domestic animals should in some sense be the same as those of people - who gave birth to this biosocial phenomenon, a “phenomenon” that cannot go to live in the forest, people either need it or don’t need it, but having adapted to existence in the garbage bins of the metropolis, poses a threat...

What does all this have to do with business?

But what... If we consider the tendencies that are happening in politics and public opinion as trends, then you can see and guess in which area very soon business initiative will be in demand and encouraged, and in which - both socially and “from above” ”- is reproachable (and therefore not sponsored), or even criminally punishable!

If you travel geographically in your imagination (go to the West), then any business initiative related to the humane treatment of animals and the protection of their rights is the trend of today. If you decide to stay in your geographical place, but travel in time, you will still see that sooner or later the same thing awaits Russia and the CIS countries as the West.

Compression garments for racehorses

It’s strange that this idea was only recently thought of. Look at the athletes - their arms, legs and abs are tightly bandaged with all kinds of bandages and other equipment. And all with the goal of preventing injury to ligaments and joints. But a horse on a hippodrome is the same athlete (and if we talk about the money circulating in this business, then the amounts are quite comparable).

The Australian company Hidez has launched a compression sports suit for horses that improves blood microcirculation, reduces muscle tension and relieves pain from sprains and sprains. The founders of the Hidez company are athletes with 30 years of experience, being aware of all the trends and new products in the world of sports, they are sure that there are a lot of things in sports that can be successfully used for animal athletes.

The only strange thing is that it was not the British themselves (avid horse lovers) who did it first, but the Australians.

Hospice for sick and elderly pets

Entrepreneur Mary Craig from Stamford organized a mobile hospice for pets, Gentle Goodbye. A veterinarian with 20 years of experience offers end-of-life care and “in-home euthanasia” services to Westchester County residents. “I often hear from owners who have experienced the death of a pet that they would like their pet to die at home. But, unfortunately, their veterinarian did not offer such a service,” says Mary Craig...

And the next creative idea for a pet business could be given under the heading “Why does a goat need an accordion?” (option: “Why do you need an accordion on your butt?”)

It’s no coincidence that I remembered the button accordion and accordion. When I came across this business idea for animals, I remembered an old, old song by Pete Seeger, a good American grandfather-bard from the beatnik generation. Here are her simple words. Soon you will understand what we are talking about and what the pet business has to do with it.

Little boxes on the hillside

Little boxes made of ticky tacky

Little boxes

Little boxes

Little boxes all the same

There's a green one and a pink one

And a blue one and a yellow one

And they"re all made out of ticky tacky

And they all look just the same

Hotel for... insects

In April 2011, a hotel for insects called Insectopia opened in Paris. A hotel for crawling, flying and jumping guests was built in the thirteenth arrondissement of the capital on the left bank of the Seine River in the Park des Moulins. The joint design project of the studio SeeWhy and Vaulot&Dyevre represents small wooden houses with red roofs, similar to birdhouses. Several dozen of these houses, mounted on a wide stick, resemble both a beehive and a fairy-tale tree. A total of three Insectopia "housing complexes" were built in the park.

“With this project we wanted to contribute to the support of species within the city. The mayor of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, Jerome Coumet, himself asked for the development of the architecture of an elite residential complex. A hotel for insects evokes positive emotions in people. Insects live in a universe invisible to us - small and at the same time limitless...

A hotel for insects is not just some stupid curiosity or a game of the well-read Weber - the mayor...))) Insectopia is designed to stimulate people's vivid imagination, arouse their curiosity, and make them take a break from everyday life. Quirky miniature houses awaken children's imagination and smiles in adults, and therefore make people more humane towards the same animals and, perhaps, even towards each other.

Is your face already twisted into an insidious grin and a sarcastic remark is ready to fall from your lips? I warned you at the beginning of the article - in a sick society, this trend (kindness to smaller brothers) does not work. First, you and I will live in a healthy society, and then we’ll talk. And why not create this “healthy society” in your head, once and for all deciding: “You live in the world in which you want to live, and I will live in a world of goodness, beauty and happiness. This is my world. If anything, come and visit.”

As I said above, domestics are biosocial creatures and equating them with the gray wolf living in the forest is vile. Our family suffers from neuroses, like real residents of the metropolis, and this applies not only to “frail Italian greyhounds.” They, the animals that we have tamed, have a very subtle mental organization, initially schizophrenic, as part of the scientific community of zoologists believes. Of course, we pulled them out of the animal kingdom, but didn’t raise them to humans, leaving them somewhere in the middle.

That’s why the business idea of ​​sedative (nervous) drops for dogs is a current trend in the pet business. And this applies to dogs of all breeds and sizes, even scary ones!

Calming drops for dogs

Probably everyone has already heard today, and if you haven’t heard, then hear now that, for example, a few weeks before the New Year celebrations, you need to take care of the preventive administration of a sedative for those dogs that clearly suffer from firecracker explosions. You shouldn’t laugh merrily and drunkenly at your bulldog as he pitifully crawls under the bathtub - you should still give him some pills, and in advance.

And here is information on an interesting pet business idea.

Rescue Remedy pet sedative is a product of the British company Nelsons Bach, which specializes in the field of homeopathic medicines. Experts say they have found the secret formula for a sedative that Martha Stewart used on her horses. Based on it, they created a special non-alcoholic sedative for pets.

This unusual medicine for animal anxiety includes 38 herbs, each of which has a special effect on the animal’s body. For example, holly flowers have a calming effect on aggressive and jealous dogs, clematis, elm, gentian and wild rose will help horses yearning for their owners or partners, mountain rose and violet will calm fearful and nervous cats. Moreover, the manufacturers of the homeopathic sedative medicine claim that it even helps reptiles and fish.

Pets should be given a sedative in the following cases: before visiting a doctor, during illness or injury, increased anxiety, loud noises, if the animal remains with a stranger and in an unfamiliar environment, in case of melancholy.

But let's talk about joyful things.

This success story of New York entrepreneur Gail Nord attracted the attention of all the media in the city. It’s been a long time since something like this happened in this city, when an unknown small businesswoman managed to achieve such tremendous success. And the fact that Ms. Nord opened her business with her own funds, without attracting investors and without bank loans, only makes this story especially attractive.

Taxi for dogs

Taxi for dogs? Have you ever thought about the fact that usually a dog is an eternal prisoner of an apartment in a high-rise building and a tiny piece of “nature” under the house? Where does the dog go at best? To the veterinarian and rarely, rarely - to real nature far from your neighborhood. Large dogs will not be allowed on public transport; taxi drivers also refuse to carry a creature that is a little more than completely dirty. To them, upholstery is more valuable than humanism, and they can be understood. But for some entrepreneurs, there will always be others who will offer the missing service!

In distant Europe, the pet business came up with the idea of ​​special taxis that transport animals, and this is not uncommon there. Judge for yourself: franchises have existed in the West for a long time, that is, companies sell a ready-made, established business for transporting animals to many who want it.

Pet transport companies adhere to an unshakable condition - they do not put animals in cages. And many companies transport animals without owners. And therefore...

What qualities and skills should a taxi driver who transports pets have?

Firstly, love animals and not be squeamish,

Secondly, do not be afraid of animals,

Thirdly, have some skills as an animal psychologist, that is, be able to calm an animal if it suddenly becomes uncomfortable in the car.

But the problem is much more complicated. Solving problems (including business problems) associated with sometimes inhuman customs laws. It’s scary to make yourself dependent on that same inert bureaucracy that services the foreign relations of the states of the world... Of course, we only recently seem to have weaned ourselves from sending armies against each other, just like that, but you want logic and humanism in the policy and practice of foreign affairs relations between countries of the world...

But nevertheless, animals should not suffer from human stupidity. And therefore, brave Western business is not afraid to challenge the most senior officials, to build their own and others’ happiness on this dubious basis...

International pet transportation service

“Pets are not household items, they are living creatures just like people,” is the main belief of married couple Kevin and Angie O’Brien.

The project was simply named - PetRelocation (translated as moving, transporting pets). Already having experience in the business sphere, the O'Brien couple wisely distributed the available money - renting an office, advertising on the Internet, creating a website, hiring couriers, purchasing a license allowing the transportation of animals along state lines, and paying for membership in the international association IPATA, which gives the right to transport animals abroad.

The company's current slogan is “Any pet, anywhere, anytime.” The O’Brians say: “We transport all types of animals to a wide variety of locations. Examples from our experience are a dog from the American Seattle to the Chinese Shanghai, rats from South Africa to San Antonio, frogs from Switzerland to the USA. Of course, there are many more cases of transporting dogs and cats, but we also have monkeys and pythons.” And parrots, we would like to add on our own behalf...

An interesting idea for a pet business - diapers for dogs seems to be on the surface. However, not all veterinary clinics have heard that this can be sold in our pet stores. No way for the average person. He (God forgive me) would rather decide to put his dog to sleep than come up with the idea of ​​a diaper...

The author of the idea for the Washable Wonders washable diaper business is Canadian entrepreneur Ann-Marie Fleming. Her company produces products for elderly and sick dogs, and the range includes not only these diapers.

Let me remind you once again that domestics are biosocial beings, just like people, we ourselves made them such in the course of evolution, therefore we must also be responsible for everything.

The name speaks for itself. These soft, stretch, reusable lycra diapers come in a rainbow of colors and are designed for pet birds (parrots, canaries). They allow birds to move freely around the house, and their owners and guests do not have to worry about the fact that they may spoil anywhere. The original shape of the diapers and their equally original colors will help you easily keep your birds and apartment clean.

A disposable wipe is inserted into the diaper and then thrown away when soiled. These original diapers are reusable and will last for years.

Temporary families for pets

One of the most common types of services not only in America, but also in our country is animal care services, or so-called hotels for pets during the absence of their owners. But in America, a new profitable idea of ​​modified animal hotels, in which pets are given to families while their owners are away, has become increasingly popular.

The advantages of such a scheme for placing a beloved animal are obvious and understandable: firstly, the animal is definitely better off at home than in a hotel, and secondly, such services are cheaper, and finally, organizing a similar service for finding temporary families for pets is much easier and less expensive than building a hotel!

Buddy's Sleepovers and Playdates service focuses on services for finding temporary families for pets during the absence of owners. Moreover, in this case we are not only talking about dogs, you can adopt any pets! Using the service, you can adopt your pet not only during holidays, vacations or business trips, but also for several hours, during which the animal is walked and entertained to the fullest program.

Someone will note that such times will not come soon in Russia and the CIS countries. Not soon, if you rely only on the natural evolution of the morality of people living in their country, closed from the whole world...

But usually the “advent of humanism” is accelerated by the country’s entry into some (beneficial for it) organization and the forced signing of certain agreements.

The day is not far off when lucrative membership in some elite international organization will force our governments to sign conventions that will legally force all of us to think about humanism. And then the time will come for pet business ideas with a human face. So you need to start thinking about such business ideas now.

17.09.2017

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