Earn the Support of Pet Owners with a Loyalty Program
Americans love their pets. It’s not just a small group of Americans either. According to a recently released National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 70% of U.S. households own a pet of some kind. That equates to 90.5 million homes across the United States.
All those people in all those homes spend a lot of money on all those pets. In fact, more than $20 billion is spent on over-the-counter pet supplies. Food is the largest single slice of that very large and growing pie. But pet supplies are an important segment with sales of approximately $4.54 billion and positive sales growth of 2.7%. Encompassing everything from carrying bags to bowls and collars, creative entrepreneurs keep finding new ways to delight and inspire pet owners itching to spend money on their furry, feathery, and scaly friends.
So, what can you do to make sure that your store is the one that earns the loyalty of those pet owners who are so loyal to their pets?
The More You Buy The More You Save
The expense of owning a pet can add up. Annually a pet owner can spend hundreds of dollars on food, treats, and toys for their pets. Just because most owners don’t want to skimp on quality, doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for ways to save on the necessities.
Offer your customers a way to save.
Buying in bulk is a tried-and-true way to save. Let your customers join a pet store loyalty program where they can get a “baker’s dozen deal” on food: buy 12 bags and get the 13th free.
Shelters and breeders who host multiple animals at a time can become very valuable customers. Not only do these customers buy large quantities of supplies themselves, but if you treat them right, they can become a source of customers themselves. When new pet owners adopt or buy an animal from a breeder make sure they know about your store with toys or coupons.
Loyalty Made Easy
Once your customer gets their bouncy puppy or camouflaged chameleon, make them want to come back to your store for more toys and treats with easy-to-use loyalty programs. Connecting a phone-based loyalty solution to your Pet Store POS System saves your customers the trouble of having to dig around in their wallets trying to find your loyalty card. Whether children or pets or just the stress of a busy day is building up on a customer, you want your store to be an oasis where the purchase is quick and smooth.
As an added benefit to this kind of system, any family member in their household can use the loyalty program, as long as they know with which phone number the account is associated.
Discounts Just For You
Just like not all pets are the same, not all pet owners are the same either. Some of your customers you may not have seen in a while, and you wish they would come back. Others have been wonderful, loyal customers and you want to say thank you with an extra special discount. Reach out to both types of customers with tailored offers, based on buying history, to keep them coming back.
Electronic discount solutions sent to customers via email can be connected directly to their loyalty accounts. Reminders to get more cat litter, swap out a tank filter, or regular updates from your business with useful information to help your customers take better care of their pets can be a great way to keep your customers coming back and relying on you.
Use Points Online
Pet owners are increasingly buying their pet supplies online. By allowing for online ordering, you can boost revenue by reaching new customers or increasing the value of existing customers who can’t make it into your store.
The vast majority of customers shop both in-store and online for delivery or curbside pickup. These customers will expect you to track their loyalty points regardless of which one of your locations they made their purchases. A customer who sees a deal online will expect to get the same deal if they come into your store. Make sure your POS system tracks all of that for you.
Offering your customers the knowledge and products they need will help you gain their trust and loyalty. Staying connected with them will keep you in the front of their minds and remind them to keep coming back to you.
You can bring in more business by offering targeted discounts and rewards. Don’t limit the ways your customers can buy from you. Give them the option to shop online, in-store, or a mix of both. Make sure your POS loyalty program tracks your customers’ purchases regardless of how they purchase from you.
With the right pet shop software, loyalty can be made easy to benefit you, your customers, and their four-legged friends.
