How to open an online pet store? How to open a pet store from scratch: step-by-step instructions to help Making a pet store interesting ideas

28.10.2020

Pet shop design is a creative and interesting business. On the one hand, there is where to roam - after all, there are a lot of styles. On the other hand, a pet store should be cozy, comfortable and inviting.

When choosing design idea you should familiarize yourself with the most winning options and choose the one that will be close in spirit.

But there are basic design rules, deviating from which means making the interior unsuccessful and tasteless. They are as follows:

uniform design concept;
correct selection colors;
adherence to taste, a sense of proportion;
balance in details.

The design styles of pet stores can be different, but it is better to stick to a color scheme reminiscent of a bright summer day - blue, green, sunny yellow. Or pay attention to natural colors - natural wood, stone, sand.

Exterior design

In the external design, it is required to observe the measure. It is important that the entrance lobby attracts attention, but unobtrusively.

It's a good idea to use a backlight so that it can attract attention. This is especially true in shopping centers.

Signboard

The sign is not only information about the name of the store. This is his postcard. The signboard should not be cluttered with long inscriptions and large drawings. It should be well readable.

The emphasis on the bright sign attracts the attention of children, and these are the main “buyers” in pet stores. If not independent, then attracting the attention of moms or dads to such a store. Decoration in the style of "bright toy" will help the child to lure parents to the store.

It is especially important to make an accent sign, but it should reflect part of a single design concept. Or vice versa, you can play on the contrast between the discreet scale of the signboard and the bright colors inside the store. Any sign can be used. A monochrome design will look good, with a well-traced logo, in the spirit of graphics for a children's book.

Signboard
Signboard

Facade

The façade of a pet store is the part that is best viewed from any angle. It can be childishly playful, strict and intelligent, minimalistic or created in the style of individual countries. The main rule of the facade is that it should reflect a single design and not be the complete opposite of the interior design.

Facade

Internal design

The first thing that should catch your eye when a customer enters a store is a successful combination of colors on convenient shelves, racks and display cases. It is important to choose the right ergonomic counters. The more convenient it is to view a product, the better it sells.

Cages for birds and animals, aquariums

First of all, the cells must be clean. And their style and location are successful.

For example, dark tones of the interior and good lighting of the cells. Light highlights and attracts attention. All presented animals are clearly visible against a restrained dark background. And although the background colors are dark, the play of light and shadow of the dark background makes the pets themselves stand out directly. It draws attention to them, attracts buyers.

Cells can be highlighted. This will allow you to create a podium from the rack cage. All birds become the "stars" of the trading floor.

A technique that has already worked on cages will work well on shelves with aquariums. You can highlight racks and counters with sold animals, fish or birds with an accent color. But this is exactly how, without much expense, the store owner focuses on what needs to be sold first.

Cages and aquariums

Racks

Before deciding which concept to choose as a whole in the design, it is worth taking a closer look at the main popular interior styles. They are diverse, sometimes it is difficult to dwell on one thing. In this case, designers recommend evaluating the time and money costs, reading information about styles, and looking like excursions to competitors' stores. Then the choice will be much easier.

Fusion style

This style is distinguished by the freedom of choice in the selection of accessories and paints. You can decorate not only the interior, but also the showcase, using only your own taste.

Fusion

Minimalism

This is a discreet design without unnecessary details. Against the background of such an interior, bright accents look good, for example, decor on the walls, bright furniture. It is a style of convenience and comfort, but at the same time it is modern and dynamic.

Mentalism

Minimalism

High tech

It is a fashionable and youthful style, in demand among young and creative people... High-tech is innovative, unusual design features, original furniture and a little pretentious decor.

High tech

Ecostyle

This is a very popular style. He is for a healthy lifestyle, for love for our smaller brothers in particular and for nature in general. Differs in a combination of natural colors and environmentally friendly natural materials in decoration and interior.

Ecostyle

Mixed style

Mixed style, it's like a rainbow, gathers in itself best ideas and plays with different colors. And such an interior has proven itself well in a pet store. But everything is good in moderation. Excessive enthusiasm for variegated colors will make the store bloody. In such an interior, eyes will quickly get tired. Therefore, the golden mean - and works in the mixing of styles. It is better to use a basic pastel tone to create a general background. Against such a background, bright packaging colors and multicolored labels will work perfectly.

Mixed style

Also when creating stylish interior, you can use a technique often used in design - an accent wall. In this case, one wall in the store attracts attention. She is bright, beautiful, with intricate decorations. A wall like this works well if it's alone in a pet store. The rest should calm down and work to relax.

Accent wall

Remember, pet shop design is driven by the emotions of the shopper. The interior of a pet store must give positive emotions, and not scare away customers. Therefore, it should have a pleasant aroma, and not the smell of untidy animals. A pet store should be touching, cause bouts of tenderness or wild delight.

Thus, by applying the fundamentals of design art, you can increase the profitability of your small pet store. You can sell the highest quality and most exclusive product, but potential buyers will not know about this if they do not notice your store and pass by. Therefore, do not neglect the design. It is important, it is very difficult to move forward without it.

The zoo market attracts forward-thinking entrepreneurs because it is resilient to economic downturns. Market products are in demand at any time of the year, both in large and sparsely populated areas. Many people are willing to spend their last hard earned money on caring for their beloved pets.

Some entrepreneurs start selling animals and accessories right away in order to generate more profit. There are "pitfalls": pets require considerable funds for maintenance - from 3,500 rubles a month plus cages, examinations and vaccinations in a veterinary clinic. We recommend starting with the trade in feed and themed paraphernalia.

The plan will allow you to calculate the investment and analyze the risks. You need to study competitors and find flaws in their work in order to offer the audience the best conditions. In this article, we present an example of a pet store business plan - based on it, you can draw up a project for your area or city.

The target audience

For an effective product presentation, you need to have an idea of who you are offering it to. Pet shop customers are pet lovers, people of different ages and worldviews. The target audience is approximately 60% women and 40% men.

According to the research results, the alignment is as follows: 35% of families have cats, 20% - dogs, 3% - fish and birds, 1% - turtles and hamsters. On rare species animals account for less than 1%. Each owner is interested in creating comfortable conditions for the wards, therefore he is ready to pay. The main focus should be on the most common pets - cats and dogs.

Brief analysis of the market and competitors

There are more than 30 million domestic cats and 22 million dogs in Russia. Researchers note the trend of an annual increase in demand. Accordingly, the number of sellers of feed and related products increases by about 25%.

Today, there is a balance of supply and demand, so the competition is high. But the convenient location and reduced prices for goods will allow us to take a place “under the sun” on the market. It is important to expand the assortment as much as possible so that the buyer can find everything he needs from you. Discounts, promotions, small gifts, additional services (haircuts, manicures for pets) will help you to "spin up". Online shopping is gaining popularity right now, so home delivery will be an advantage.

The Russian Federation ranks first in Europe and fifth in the world in terms of the number of pets in families. Annual spending on them is about a billion rubles.

Services and goods

One of the planning stages is choosing the optimal format for the pet store. There are such options:

A large store with 2 or more departments, a wide range of animals and accessories. Large pet stores employ more than 10 salespeople and consultants. Optimal format for million-plus cities.
Supermarket. A few consultants and cashiers will be enough.
Medium-sized store. Several species of animals, accessories, food, medicine, furniture and clothing for animals are sold here. We need two or three salespeople. The area is not less than 70 m². There is a catalog of rare products that can be delivered to order.
A small store for the sale of feed and care products. The area is about 10 m². Be sure to open in areas with high traffic.
Zoo department in the supermarket.
Special shop. A promising format for the zoo market, since in many regions there is a lack of a narrow range of products. An example is an aquarium or fish store.
Online store.
Zoocenter. Combining a veterinary clinic, a pharmacy, a shop, a pet hotel, a grooming salon.

As for the assortment, feed is in the greatest demand. Feed is divided by age categories, breeds, properties, composition and other characteristics. It is important to expand the range of animal nutrition to the limit.

The second most popular item is care products. These are shampoos, combs, dryers.

Accessories and medicines must be on sale.

When purchasing animals, it is important to check the availability of veterinary certificates. Otherwise, there will be penalties.

Premises

Suitable places for shops are shopping centers and sleeping areas of the city. That is, territories with the maximum traffic of the target audience. Of course, there should be no competitors nearby. The downtown location is prestigious, but not so important for a pet store - all the same, the bulk of buyers will come from residential areas.

The optimal store area is at least 50 m². You need a place for a trade zone, utility and storage facilities. Some buy or build a separate building. In this case, additional costs will be required for a cleaner, a security guard, landscaping, an advertising sign. It is also possible to buy or rent an apartment on the ground floor.

Staff

It is important to form a staff of competent specialists. Employees without education and experience will not be able to give the buyer comprehensive advice and recommend the best product. A good seller of a pet store knows almost everything about animals and will tell you which food is suitable, which medicines and vitamins are suitable for the animals and will not harm them. Buyers themselves in 90% of cases do not know what they need.

In the first months, the minimum staff will be enough:

Standard job duties sales assistant:

Assistance in the selection of goods and answers to consumer questions.
Sale of medicines (appropriate qualifications required).
Taking care of animals that are sold in the store.

At first, you can deal with the purchase of products, bookkeeping and marketing on your own. As the company develops, an accountant, a store manager, and a merchandiser will be needed. For the sale of medicines, it is worth hiring a specialist with a veterinary education. It's great if you can find experienced breeders. Pet owners trust professionals, so they will be happy to contact your establishment.

Equipment

To trade pets, you need special furniture - racks and trays. You will need showcases, a counter and a work table. For storage of pharmaceutical products - refrigerator.

A detailed list of the necessary furniture and equipment is presented in the table:

Name	Price	Quantity	Total amount



Counter


Cash register equipment

Other expenses

If you want to save money at the start, buy plastic stands. They are cheaper than metal ones, their bright design will attract buyers. Buy the rest of the equipment from your hands.

To use space rationally, purchase multi-tiered shelving that can be attached to the walls.

The documents

Traditionally, small stores are registered as individual entrepreneurs, large ones - as LLCs. An agreement with the Commerce Office will be required. You also need to get an extract from the state register, register with the pension fund and the tax office. When choosing a taxation system, indicate what you provide to the population (if you plan to be engaged in grooming, sewing clothes). For the sale of medicines (this includes flea collars, feed with medicinal additives), a veterinary license is required. A special license is also required to trade pets.

Individual entrepreneurs carry out activities under the unified imputed income tax (UTII). This option is suitable if the area of the retail space does not exceed 150 m². If the store is larger, choose the simplified system.

The collection of documents will require about 15,000 rubles.

Marketing

If the initial budget is small, an attention-grabbing sign is sufficient as an advertisement. If the store is large and the budget allows, printing products are used (ads for sticking, flyers, leaflets, business cards), advertising on the Internet (ads on forums, in social networks), advertising on radio, TV, in print media.

Organize a grand opening with balloons, discounts and gifts for visitors. Give your customers discount cards. An important factor is the comfortable atmosphere in the store. Consider zoning and themed design, keep animal cages clean, and eliminate unpleasant odors with air fresheners and ventilation. Your salespeople should be polite, but not intrusive.

Is it worth starting a business on the Internet

The online store can work both independently and as an addition to an offline point. You will need to hire couriers.

In a sparsely populated region, opening an online store is impractical. In large cities, it is an excellent solution, since residents of megalopolises, due to their busy rhythm, are increasingly buying on the Internet. When drawing up a pet store business plan, find all online competitors, mark their strengths and weak sides and also explore their range to offer a wider selection of products.

Financial plan: profitability and payback

1,358,000 is the approximate amount for opening an average store. Larger formats will require 3 million or more.

The average markup for popular product groups is 30%. For some positions, the markup sometimes reaches 150%. The average check in the country is 800 rubles.

With a well-thought-out business organization, you will soon reach a daily income of 20,000 rubles. If there are 25 buyers a day (with a check of 800 rubles), the profit per year will be 6 million.

The profitability of the business is 20-30%, the payback period is about 1 year.

Risk factors

The main risk lies in the sale of live goods and medicines. Both types of activities require appropriate licenses. If you provide these services without licenses, the point will be closed. Rosselkhoznadzor does not always issue a permit - study the requirements and common reasons for refusals.

When concluding contracts with suppliers, involve a lawyer who is able to foresee the nuances associated with deliveries and payments.

The "work" of non-professional sales consultants can reduce the potential profit significantly. Be careful when hiring. For inexperienced sellers, conduct training workshops, as pet supplies are specific products.

Conclusion

A pet store will be profitable if it is traded in a promising location. That is, in the center or in a residential area in the absence of competitors. The most profitable areas for trade are large shopping centers and markets. It is better to locate the store near bus stops, metro stations, crossings and intersections.

It is important to bring the service to perfection, not to overstate the prices, to work out the assortment, to make a bright, eye-catching trade sign. Ideally, if you cooperate with the manufacturing plants of the products directly. Ordering a ready-made business plan for a pet store or compiling it yourself is a personal matter, but it is important to collect detailed and accurate information about the industry. Then the risk of bankruptcy will be minimal.

Starting your own business is always a risk that justifies possible future welfare. Owning your own business is the dream of many. But thinking about a potential business, the question arises of which field of activity to give preference to.

This article will focus on how to open a pet store, what documents to prepare and what to expect from a business.

Any entrepreneurial path has its own advantages and disadvantages. When the advantages of a business justify its disadvantages, it can be profitable.

Advantages of a pet store:

demand (at the moment, every third family has a pet that requires care and attention);
the possibility of obtaining a stable income;
in case of profitability, it can pay off in a short time;
the pet market is annually enriched with a variety of new assortments;
average level of competition.

Disadvantages:

at first it will be quite difficult to determine the range of products. After a while it will be clear what the locals prefer;
a high degree of risk (on how competently the store is geographically located, its profit will largely depend);
a characteristic smell in the room, which is extremely difficult to get rid of;
a high degree of responsibility for the animals that will be sold in the establishment.

As we can see, there are still more advantages, which means that investing your money in the pet business is not such a fantastic idea. The decisive importance in this matter is played by the competent territorial location of the store and its business plan.

A step-by-step process for organizing such a business is presented in the following video:

Required documents and permits

In order to start your own business, you will need the following list of documents:

registration . The choice of the first or second format will depend on how large the store you plan to open. For a zoological tent it is possible, but a large point will require;
licenses and certificates for the entire range of products offered due to its specificity;
veterinary certificates (in case the store sells animals);
medical certificates for each employee of the future institution.

In addition to the above package of documents, you may also need permits for trade in a specific premises from the following authorities:

sanitary and epidemiological station;
fire protection.

Only after their approval can the work be legal.

Format options

Immediately after you have assessed your opportunities and risks and collected the required list of documents, you should think about which store format will be more preferable for you. Among all the possible options, the following can be distinguished:

Large store with a wide range of products designed for both common animals and exotic species. It also usually contains a variety of food, clothing and toys. And the headquarters of sales consultants has over ten people in one shift.
An establishment of any scale, the main principle of which is self service... This format allows you to keep only 2-3 sales assistants, who can be cashiers at the same time.
Medium-sized store... The assortment of this format is quite diverse, but still inferior to the first option. Some types of animals can be sold in it: fish, birds, etc., different types of feed, animal care products and much more.
Small shop, which specializes exclusively in the sale of feed for different types animals and their care products. The presence of specific pharmacology is allowed.
Small zoo department in a large shopping center or hypermarket, the assortment of which has a narrow focus.
An establishment of any scale with a narrow specialization, which offers products exclusively for cats and dogs, or, conversely, for exotic pets.
Shop on the Internet or on social networks... At the current level of development of online trade, this option may well turn out to be cost-effective.
Opening zoological center... Its peculiarity is that the center includes several departments at once, for example: a veterinary pharmacy, a pet clothing store, possibly a veterinary clinic, etc.

The choice of this or that format will depend on how solvent residents of the area in which you are going to open an institution.

What are the best animals to trade?

Any such store implies the presence of some animals for sale. This is a big responsibility for the owner, but the risk can be justified if the object of the trade is chosen correctly.

If you are just opening an establishment and have no idea how much it can be in demand in a particular area, then you should not provide too wide an assortment of animals. This can be very risky.

It is best to start trading with small kittens, puppies, inexpensive fish and birds.

As the point builds its reputation, there will be an opportunity to sell other species of animals, for example, iguanas, hamsters, chinchillas, and more.

Please note that if you decide to start trading in animals, you will also need to take care of the related products. Otherwise, who wants to buy a chinchilla if it is not possible to get specialized food for it.

And one more piece of advice in this regard: at the beginning of the work, you should not start selling expensive pets. Earn the trust of your customers and then you can think about how to start supplying more expensive copies.

Related products

This is perhaps the rare case when the range of products can be as wide as possible, while the quantity of each type of product can be relatively small. Even if the sold winter down jackets for dogs will be sold in a single copy, you will know that next time they can be ordered from suppliers in several units.

It must be remembered that each pet has a number of features that your potential buyers always strive to take into account. Therefore, let them find everything they need in your establishment.

When making up the proposed assortment, take into account the following list of goods, which can be expanded if necessary:

The success of the enterprise largely depends on the well-coordinated and trusting work with suppliers. The best option for finding suppliers is the internet.

Give preference to those that have positive reviews... Work experience and extensive interaction with different companies are also important.

Paying attention to the price that suppliers set, also learn about the possibility of returning the goods in case the quality does not suit you. Responsible companies always provide this opportunity to their clients.

Location selection

The determining value of the future profitability of the establishment is played by its territorial location. The ideal location for any store is regional cities... If you place a point of sale in large city, that is, the risk of not withstanding the competition and ultimately failing to fail.

And as for too remote corners, for example, villages and villages, here such a store will most likely not be in demand.

When starting such a business, carefully research the future location of the store and the paying capacity of local residents.

Conduct a terrain analysis. If there are already too many pet supply stores on it, then it makes sense to consider some other territory.

Necessary equipment and personnel

The number of staff in your establishment will depend on how large it is. When choosing personnel, pay attention to their education, it is good if it is veterinary. However, there are people who are infinitely imbued with love for our smaller brothers and know more about them than any specialist. These employees will always be the face of your store.

You will also need the following equipment:

trade racks different sizes and structures for the presentation of small and large goods;
counter and display facilities;
houses, aquariums and animal cages (if you intend to sell them);
equipment for customer service (lockers, cash desks, etc.).

Advertisement of the establishment

As you know, advertising is the engine of commerce. When opening a point from scratch, try to make as many people as possible know about it. Come up with an original name and creative slogan. If you have no thoughts on this, contact an advertising agency.

In the first months after the opening, it makes sense to use the services of promoters who distribute leaflets on the streets.

Project costs

Statistical data revealed that a successful pet store pays off in the first year their work. However, at the start, it will still require serious investment. The costs will be directed to:

rental of premises;
purchase of goods that will be put up for sale;
the costs of registering an individual entrepreneur or LLC;
payments to staff;
taxes;
running costs.

In the field of private entrepreneurship, one of the most successful business projects, the development of which requires relatively minimal costs, is the opening of a pet store.

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What kind of efforts will have to be made in order for this project to become stable profitable business, you can find out from the small instructions for the pet store and everything related to its opening.

How to do it right?

To start your own business from scratch, you need to follow the instructions for opening a pet store, which involves several stages:

registration with the tax authorities as an individual entrepreneur or LLC;
searching for premises for a pet store and signing a lease;
registration of premises for a trading platform, purchase of equipment;
selection of the assortment of the pet store;
personnel search;
search for regular suppliers and purchase of goods;
promotion of an advertising campaign;
opening and starting work of a pet store.

Where is the best place to start a business from scratch?

The easiest way to start from scratch is a pet store business project in a non big city, where there are either no such trading platforms at all, or their assortment is rather narrow, which already excludes a high level of competition.

As for the indicators of profitability and payback, it is better to start in a big city - in the center or in one of the large sleeping areas.

Store staff

The staff of the average pet store includes the following employees:

2 sales assistants (1 salesperson - for a small retail outlet of the zoo kiosk format);
veterinarian;
accountant;
store director.

Work in a pet store should be organized in 2 shifts - best of all, 2 people in each shift.

What documents are needed for this?

Opening a store involves obtaining the necessary package of documents, which, in the case of a pet store, includes:

licenses for the sale of specific goods (feed, vaccines, etc.);
veterinary certificates (if the store also sells animals);
permission of the fire supervision and SES for trade in a specific room.

The financial side of the question: is it profitable to open it?

Pet shop information would be incomplete without mentioning a business plan. The success of the project itself largely depends on the literacy of its preparation.
First of all, the business plan is determined by the type of pet store - it will be a full-cycle store or a service point. The main difference between them is that a full-cycle pet store sells both animals and means for their maintenance and care, while only related products are sold at service points.

Pet shop business plan

In the context of the development of a promising business, it is better to stop at a full-cycle pet store, which most assess as a business project with a medium-high level of success.
In such a store, the following groups of goods are sold:

animals;
pet food;
remedies, vaccines, etc.;
animal care products;
accessories for animals.

It should be noted right away that the main profit in a pet store comes from feed - it is this group of products that is in stable and high demand.

Accessories and care products also bring high profits, but they cannot be put on the same level with feed. The question of profit from the sale of live animals is rather controversial and depends on the general situation on the market and trends in keeping pets. For example, if keeping chinchillas, which are quite expensive animals, has become fashionable, then, naturally, their implementation will bring great profits.

In the very general view The business plan of an average pet store can be summarized as follows:

		Amount in USD
Expenditure	Administrative expenses
	Payment of the unified social tax
	Rent
	Payment of wages
	Payment of utility services
	Advertising
	Purchase of goods
	Accounting department
	other expenses
	Total expenses (monthly)
Income items	Sales of goods (monthly)

How much is it?

Taking into account the minimum prices, the following costs are obtained, which determine the price of the pet store at the time of its opening:

Thus, the price of a pet store that will need to be paid to successfully open it and start selling will be at least $ 10,000.

On average, according to experts, and the experience of working pet stores confirms, this amount is fully paid off in 1 year of the store's operation, and then the entrepreneur works almost exclusively to increase profits.

If we take into account the net profit from the sale of goods in the amount of 15,000 dollars per month, the profitability of a pet store is about 10%, which is a fairly high indicator in the modern market for goods.

How to attract buyers to a pet store?

Location and design of the pet store

The success of a pet store as a business project directly depends on the literacy of the location and design of a pet store.

Experts advise you to follow the following guidelines:

choose the right area of the premises - in principle, it can be a small kiosk with an area of up to 15m2 and a huge sales area of 300m2, but in the case of a full-cycle pet store, it is best to stay on a room with an area of approximately 150m2;
It is optimal to place a pet store on large streets with busy pedestrian traffic (in the city center) or on other frequently visited streets (in sleeping areas);
it is best to organize a pet store in premises on the ground floors of residential buildings with a convenient entrance from the street;
the design of the pet store must correspond to the subject of the product - if the area allows, it is optimal to organize thematic departments ("Terrarium", "Aquarium", "Bird yard", "Cat's room", etc.);

prerequisites are the correct grouping and proper arrangement of goods (feed, medicines, animal care products and other goods must be stirred under different showcases and labeled accordingly).

Advertising campaign

Even the finest pet store, ideally located and ideally designed, will not be recognized without proper advertising.

For a full-cycle pet store, it is optimal to conduct an advertising campaign in several directions at once:

advertising on the pet store itself (creative design of the main showcase, which can be seen from the street, bright signs and announcements);
advertising with placement in the city (here options are possible from periodic posting of ordinary advertisements to ordering thematic bigboards in key points of the city);
advertising on the Internet (promotion of a pet store through its own website, social groups and thematic communities).

In addition, an excellent PR move for a pet store will be holding all kinds of promotions: tasting food, introducing a discount program for regular customers, offering profitable programs like "2 for the price of 1" or "Buy a large package of dry food - get a bowl as a gift."

Video: how to promote your own pet store at the lowest cost

Online store

Today, many entrepreneurs planning to engage in such business projects are trying to organize the trade process exclusively through the Internet - that is, to open an online store, and not a real pet store. Online trading is a very promising area today.

However, in the case of opening a pet store, a project that exists exclusively on the Internet can be doomed to failure. There are several reasons for this, among which the main one is the specificity of trade, which practically excludes the possibility of buying goods online (we are talking, first of all, about the most popular goods - feed and live animals).

Nevertheless, it makes sense to create a website for a real pet store that will perform several functions at once:

informative (publication of thematic articles, information about goods, etc.);
advertising (placement of advertisements, information about promotions, etc.);
retail (over time, through the site, you can sell certain groups of goods with delivery to other cities, which is especially important for pet stores selling unique products - for example, exclusive toys or animal care items, organic shampoos, natural medicines, etc.).

In general, opening a pet store can be an excellent start for a successful and stable business. The main thing is to competently organize its work according to a previously drawn up business plan, pay due attention to its placement, design and constant advertising, both on the streets of the city and on the Internet.

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Aspiring entrepreneurs are often looking for how to start a pet store from scratch. This is a very promising business sector: the market for pet products is growing by 20% every year. The article presents the advantages and disadvantages of such a case, a list of permits, step-by-step instruction, as well as the 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 on investment in 12-18 months, and some return much faster. But the short return on capital is not the only benefit 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 steady flow of customers, even in unfavorable times.

For many, trade in pet supplies gives them the opportunity to do what they love and help animals. There are many pet product manufacturers nowadays, so each store can form a unique competitive assortment. Another advantage of this business is a small list of permits - it is much smaller than that of a standard grocery store.

Opening a pet store is a promising business sector that promises a return on investment in 12 months

As for the shortcomings, the main one is high competition. Private and chain pet stores are already successfully operating in most Russian cities. Feed and fillers are sold in grocery hypermarkets. In most cases, they cover demand. That is, a beginning store will have to immediately indicate 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. It may seem frivolous, but sometimes this factor affects the selection of personnel.

If in the store, in addition to products for pets, live animals are sold, you will have to take full responsibility for their health and maintenance. Sick unkempt animals in an institution can become a pretext for legal proceedings, not to mention a permanently damaged reputation.

What documents and permissions are needed

Any business in Russia must be conducted legally, trade in goods for animals is no exception. Therefore, for the opening and operation of a store, an entrepreneur will need registration package of permits:

Statutory documents: certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, TIN certificate, letter of assignment to OKVED, premises lease agreement.
Permission from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service.
Fire Inspection Permit.
Pharmaceutical license (for the sale of medicines for animals, including flea collars and worm pills). To obtain, you will need to pay a state fee - 7,500 rubles.
Veterinary certificates from Government controlled veterinary medicine, only if the store contains and sells live animals. For each animal, a separate certificate is issued confirming its health.
The production control program, the contract for waste disposal, the contract for disinfection and deratization, sanitary measures logs - everything for Rospotrebnadzor.
Personnel documents: contracts, work books, medical books with a medical examination and a mark on the passage of sanitary training.

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

Careful placement of a diverse assortment attracts buyers with different income levels

Step-by-step instructions for opening a pet store

This section presents step-by-step instructions for opening a pet store. We will analyze step by step how to choose a location, what you need to know about the range of goods and other important aspects of starting a business in the field of products for animals.

Choice of location and premises

Its success in the market largely depends on the correct choice of the location of the store. It is better to locate a point of sale with goods for animals in a place with high traffic of buyers. The best solution would be to rent an area 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 to choose? The size of the store directly depends on its assortment. If an entrepreneur plans to sell several categories of popular food, medicine and toys, a space of 15-20 square meters is sufficient. But if the store offers customers a wide range of feeds of 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 dealing with specific animal and feed odors. 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. Optimal solution light issues - 200-300 lux in the area of counters 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 company sign and print advertising posters. When choosing a name, follow two rules. Firstly, in the name of the store it is useful to make a reference to the animal world. This will help shoppers know right away that the outlet is offering pet products.

Secondly, you cannot use names officially registered as trademarks. A fine is provided for this. You can check whether the name is formalized as a trademark / brand name on the website of the tax office or through special online services.

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

Assortment of goods

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

Feed from different manufacturers, from economy class to prestigious brands.
Fillers for various types of toilets, as well as cages and aquariums.
Bowls, drinkers.
Medicines, medicines, vitamins, biological additives.
Trays, brushes.
Accessories (collars, leashes, clothing).
Carrying bags.
Toys, houses, mattresses, scratching posts.
Bird or rodent cages.
Aquariums and plants for them.
Shampoos and other cosmetics.
Rodents (rats, mice, chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs).
Birds (parrots, canaries).
Rabbits.
Fish.
Turtles.

Staff recruitment

The most optimal working time 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 according to the "2 through 2" schedule. Depending on the range of products, from 1 to 3 people are required.

A good option for the formation of a staff is the principle of "1 person at the checkout, 1 consultant in the hall." Not required for employment in a pet store special education... You can understand the range and operation of cash registers in 2-3 days. However, having a veterinary education would be an advantage. Such a specialist will be able to competently advise buyers and create a good reputation for the store. It is permissible to employ senior students.

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

work schedule;
the assortment of the store, the differences between different varieties of feed;
rules for the use and prescription of medicines for animals;
rules for caring for animals in the store;
regulations for working with cash registers.

The most popular products in pet stores are feed and fillers

Calculation of financial investments (business plan)

Is it profitable to open a pet store? Trading in goods for animals is quite profitable: the average trade markup for any product is 50%. Thus, the mark-up on feed and medicine starts from 20%, on accessories - from 40%, and on toys and houses it 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, State Veterinary Inspection and Fire Service. With a good organization of trade, investments will return in 12-16 months of work.