When buying dog products...

I am thinking of maybe starting up an online pet shop, but starting with dog stuff (as that is my biggest addiction )

What dog products do you buy the most of/buy on a regular basis? (Apart from food)

Do you have trouble finding anything?

What is more/less likely to make you use a site?

Anything that puts you off layout/colour scheme wise?

Anything else?

The thing I tend to go to the net for is always dog coats. With Lilly being quite big (although, not huge!) we struggle to find coats that fit her in pet shops.
But in the end we settled for more baths!

Things that would make me go back:

*Reasonable/Free delivery
*A good search facility/ Rememberin favourite products
*A reason to visit even if not buying, such as a blog or something

Things that pup me off (other than the opposite of the above!)
* ANY faults on the page, such as pictures not loading.
* Too colourful. Why are online petshops obsessed with primary bright colours?

Hope that helps

I've purchased quite a few collars online over the years. Also the odd toy, training things, treats not generally found in shops, perhaps flea treatment, etc.

I don't think so.

Easy to navigate, not too cluttered, free or cheap delivery, customer comments on products, cheaper than high street prices, good range of products that you may not see in the average pet shop.

Nothing too lurid and 'in your face'. Professional looking and simple but not boring and plain. I HATE websites that look completely cluttered, with adverts everywhere (like the Pet Planet website).

If you are looking into setting up an online pet shop, bear in mind that there is a LOT of competition out there. Small shops often can't compete with the big ones with regard to price, etc.

A good search, one i go on brings you loads pages everytime no matter what you search that have little to do with what you searched for, drives me mad so dont use it anymore.

something different - not the bog standard stuff i could pick up anywhere.

Free/cheep delivery

hope that helps

My only concern about online purchases is whether they will supply to me here, or whether I will have to go through the performance of asking someone in the UK to please accept a package and then forward it on to me.

For me - I HATE hard to use websites, alot of pet sites are quite rubbish. ie I cant buy anything from berrywoods coz the site puts me off!!

What I would buy online:
Training items that are hard to get in shops
- target sticks
- head collars
- harnesses

Other things:
wider variety of toys
life jackets?
cheap bulk food
natural treats.
really good, pre thought out dog books
Coats
Reflector coats
Clippers
Furminators (rip off in shops)
6 foot leads
personalised collars

All must have free delivery or be delivery is X over £5, x over £15, free over £30 etc. Prefer it free though
Also no point buying on line if its going to be more expensive than the store. Plus half the fun is browsing!!

Good luck, where do you find a stockist to start something like this at a competitive enough price?

What dog products do you buy the most o[a social network site]uy on a regular basis? (Apart from food)--
Rawhide/chews anything suitable for Millie to chew that wont make her fat :>>
treets for training and to avoid getting bittern when putting her collar/harness on she likes to sink her teeth into my arm when i put one of these items on her -.-


Do you have trouble finding anything?Suitable rawhide chews for puppies they come in only stick form at pets at home I have to get her adult ones for something a bit different she loves to gum them first before chewing.


What is more/less likely to make you use a site?

Bright colours poor quality graphics, poor lay out, Giffs oh how I hate those animated doggies they look so very tacky on a site, a constent use of bright text and bold fonts, missing pics construction page in progress left for months on end dont bother making a site live till its propperly made and finnished.

Anything that puts you off layout/colour scheme wise?

bright colours I mean the illuminess neon kind

Anything else?....

I dont know how old she is but have you tried bully sticks or hooves? Hooves in particular last ages.

What puts me off websites massively? Complete overuse of flash meaning every mouse click has a OTT animated menu popping up.

Thanks everyone that was fab!

I know there is a lot of competition, but I won't be doing it as a long term career, more just something I enjoy (computers and pet stuff ) for some extra money!