Favorite accessories ?

Hello everyone !

8 months ago my girlfriend and I have decided to launch our own dog accessories store. Since we opened the store a month ago, only few customer were interested in buying one of our products. It seems that people de not find our products attractive even if I do.
That's why I'm asking you this question:

My favorites are collars, leashes, and clothing coats, sweaters, shirts, costumes, pajamas. What exactly do you have to offer?

I would suggest you look at what others have for their dogs when going for a walk. Then consider where they got the accessories from, mainly on the internet i would guess at.

Can you compete with internet prices?

Have you done any market research to see if there is a need in the first place?
Look at how your advertising your business, how big a target are you aiming at?
What is the local competition like?

have you considered setting up a stool at a dog show?

What about making individual cards with the owners dog/cat/pet on for birthdays -and other celebration times

Why stick at dogs, people do have other pets as well


Good luck and hope you are successful, but I would worry if sales are not what is expected

I have just googled dog accessory shops in new york and found these already established

link
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=do...hrome&ie=UTF-8

And that is just your local competition

If you find you are not selling don't get into debt, it is so easily done, get out before things get really bad

Thank you Pitrescuemama and tumbleweed for your replies !

The majority of products we sell are collars, leashes and shirts. Thank you for the idea of pajamas, I had not thought about it.

Products we offer in store are obviously a little bit more expensive than online but differences are not huge (not more than 5-8$). We've also started a little website to avoid bankruptcy. On this website, we only sell some of our products we still need to test (if you'd like to give me feedback here is the link to our website.

Seems to me like a very narrow market and overlapped by others.

Anything we need like collars and leads we can get from our local pet store. We can also get food, toys, beds, visit their vet.......get annual jabs.

So, back to my original point - is there a sufficient market to sustain such a business?

Off at a slight tangent, my dog has just a collar. We need that to hang his ID tag on. And for the odd occasion when we need to pop him on a lead.

That said, I do wish you both well with your enterprise.

Don't forget bed sheets and pillows, puppy ones for the young children

I have seven dogs, they wear collars with matching leads and they each have a harness. I buy everything on line as the choice is much wider, that said all I've bought in the last 12 months is one collar to replace one that broke due to exuberant play fighting. I have a huge box of spares for everything too as each new dog starts out with a collar, lead and harness just for them.

My poor dog is so impoverished.........
He has to make do with a collar. The lead hangs round my neck. No bling for him.

I'm pretty mean too.

Summer harness
Winter harness that fits over a coat.
Thin, but waterproof coat
Thick waterproof coat
Flexi Lead that I've had for a 20 years plus and for more than one dog
Nearly forgot, a seat belt clip for in the car

Other than that, she gets four new toys at Christmas - they are always squeaky and cost between £1 and £2 each.

I'm afraid you wouldn't get rich off me as, apart from the toys, the other stuff will last for years and will only be replaced as they wear out

I'll check it out I'm addicted to buying my girl stuff. I'm kind of embarrassed now to see everyone else's reactions but my girl is 4 months old and has like 6 or 7 collars, maybe more Like 5 leashes and 3 harnesses, two of them have matching leashes and collars. She also has like 4 coats that fit her a few she's outgrown and 1 that's to big but will fit eventually. She has several sweaters, t-shirts, and 2 pairs of PJs both bought for Christmas but now are to small. She also wears bows. I just buy headbands for baby girls and put them on her lol. I'm addicted to buying her stuff and I know other people who are to. She also has a witch costume, cowgirl, elf, and Mrs Clause. I've already got her a green bow and tutu for St Patrick's day just got to find her the perfect shirt lol. Like I said I love dog accessories beds she has three, blankets about 9. 3 different food and water bowl sets. Two different mats to set them on. I have a green blue and black seatbelt leash and harness for the car. You wouldn't believe all the stuff my girl has. Like I said I'm addicted to everything dog! I also buy a lot of toys!!!