National Pet Day is just around the corner! Self-quarantines, social distancing, and lockdowns have many businesses questioning how to continue connecting with customers when they can’t physically set foot inside your pet store.
National Pet Day is just around the corner! This annual holiday in April is an opportunity for pet owners to connect while celebrating the pets that play a significant part of our families.
Unfortunately, this year many pet owners will be unable to enjoy store celebrations due to restrictions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Self-quarantines, social distancing, lockdowns, and closings have many businesses questioning how to continue connecting with customers when they can’t set foot inside your store. In this article, we will highlight some innovative ways to help celebrate National Pet Day.
Shop with Social Media
Pet owners may be spending less time in stores, but they still need essentials like pet food, grooming products, and even chew toys to keep pets active and healthy. You can help by showcasing your products and making them shoppable on all social media platforms.
Arrange retail displays with featured products, and snap a few photos of what’s available in store. Then, turn on Instagram shopping and make purchasing easier than ever. Your customers will appreciate this and if they weren’t following any of your social media accounts before, this is an excellent opportunity to get them to become followers even after this pandemic is over.
Host an Online Class or Meetup
While people shelter-in-place and practice social distancing, many companies are offering virtual options in place of on-site events. Put your own spin on this with virtual training classes through Zoom or YouTube that takes the place of any in-house training you usually offer. You can even add some new options, such as videos showing how to change bedding for small pets such as hamsters and guineas or host a virtual get-together where pet owners can ask the experts questions they’d usually be asking in-store.
Bundle to Boost Sales
It can be easy for pet owners to feel overwhelmed when shopping for their furry friend. Help them get what they need with packages featuring essential items. You can even create themed bundles for keeping pets entertained while spending more time indoors! Add in a reusable shopping bag to help keep items organized. They’ll love the ease of shopping, and your business will benefit by focusing their attention on items of your choice.
Boost Cash Flow with Gift Cards
Many pet owners have stocked up on the essentials for the short term, but eventually, they’ll need to purchase more supplies. Encourage them to buy gift cards for future needs. This will keep your cash flow going and will boost foot traffic once shelter-in-place restrictions are lifted. Offer a free gift with the purchase of a gift card for even more sales during this slow time. With many in the media encouraging customers to shop local, this is an excellent opportunity to increase your sales.
Host a Donation Drive
More than six million pets will enter a U.S. animal shelter this year. During a health crisis, shelters struggle with fewer resources and volunteers. Support their needs with a donation drive. Customers can give through an online fundraiser, or you can offer to donate a portion of all proceeds to a local shelter or animal rescue. You can also consider in-kind donations, and encourage at-home shoppers to “purchase” much- needed items such as pet food and essentials through your online store. Gather up donations and snap some photos for social media before dropping them off!
Handy Store Fixtures has been working with independent retailers across many different industries for more than 60 years, and we’ve seen many changes throughout the decades. While this is an uncertain time for many businesses, we’re confident that together, we will overcome the challenges set before us. Once stores are filled with shoppers again, we’ll be there to help with all your fixtures and furnishings needs.