Consumers are increasingly aware that they can address many of their pets’ common ailments at home without always rushing to the veterinarian’s office and being dealt a hefty bill. As a result, wellness products like ear- and eye-cleaning solutions, anti-itch sprays, paw balms, aids for minor wounds and so much more continue to sell well for retailers.
At-home care has certainly grown among pet owners, reported Geoff Hamby, director of marketing for Vetericyn Animal Wellness, a manufacturer in Rialto, Calif. As this category expands, Hamby said it’s a great chance for retailers to step in and support pet owners. Even though many are searching online for information, nothing beats a human connection with the local pet shop expert. Poultry Disease
“While it is true that many pet owners are comfortable trying to manage minor wounds, sores or ear and eye issues themselves, this brings a ton of questions and an opportunity for retailers,” Hamby noted.
When retailers are able to assist pet owners with products and information that keep them out of the veterinarian’s office, they become a valuable resource, agreed Sally Crowley, owner/manager of Pet Pantry, a retailer in Harbor Springs, Mich. She has witnessed an increase in interest in wellness products in her store.
“The internet has done a great service for this category by showing pet parents what’s out there,” Crowley said. “They realize there are things they can do at home and products available to support them. Whether it’s basic eye care, dental care or skin care, they can see how to do these care tasks and what products are best.”
Daniel Geer, senior consumer marketing manager at Fort Worth, Texas-based Vetoquinol USA, maker of Tomlyn pet health products, agreed that pet owners are often educating themselves in this category.
“It’s nearly impossible for veterinarians to know every single brand of pet wellness products on the market,” he said. “Owners really have to do their own research, which makes it critical to produce quality formulations that keep pets safe. At Tomlyn, we feel it’s important to make sure our formulas are veterinarian approved.”
The at-home health care trend has largely been driven by pet owners looking to be proactive rather than reactive, said Matt O’Leary, owner of Felix & Oscar, a pet supply store in Springfield, Va.
“It used to be that pet parents would wait until there was a problem to fix—but now they’re more focused on trying to prevent it in the first place,” he explained.
This is quite similar to how pet owners are responding to their own health, said Debra Decker, director of marketing for Pet King Brands, the Austin, Texas-based manufacturer of Zymox and Oratene products.
“We continue to see an increase in the humanization of pets,” she said. “This lends itself to our priority of providing simple, streamlined, effective and stress-free pet care products.”
Decker said the company’s Zymox Ear Cleanser is selling well. It is an antibiotic-free product with a no-sting formulation, and it is nontoxic and gentle on pets’ skin.
Preventive wellness and nature-based remedies are the preferred solutions for many pet owners, who are seeking ways to treat pets’ health issues while saving money and time, said Jenny Gilcrest, vice president of marketing for Skout’s Honor, a manufacturer of pet grooming and wellness products in Oceanside, Calif.
“Products that do more than just ‘treat’ an issue are important to ensure ongoing wellness,” she said. “Pet parents want wellness items—specifically in skin and coat care—that take care of common problems like itch, odor, shedding and hot spots, but also help build up the everyday health of their pet, which ultimately improves their quality of life.”
Gilcrest said the company’s Prebiotic Pet Balm for noses and paws has been a top seller. Skout’s Honor’s Probiotic Paw Spray is a close second and one of the newer items for the company in this category.
With pet owners doing plenty of online research, Crowley said that the onus is on the retailer to keep up with what’s new and make sure that consumers have products in this expansive category available to them at their local store.
“As a retailer, this is where I feel it is so beneficial to go to SuperZoo and Global [Pet Expo], to make sure we are keeping up with the products and the trends,” Crowley said. “People will come to us, if we have the products and the knowledge ready for them.”
As retailers select products to carry within this category, Hamby said it’s important to distinguish between true innovation and bandwagon trends.
“In addition to what a consumer should look for to validate a product’s claims, retailers should also look at a brand’s presence in the space,” he said. “Are they just producing me-too products, or are they dedicated to the category? Do they produce content to help educate consumers and drive product purchases? Is there clinical evidence to back the product? Does the brand do store trainings or provide marketing support?”
Hamby said that answering these questions can help retailers select what brands they want to represent in their stores.
Setting up the store in a way that helps pet owners find what they’re looking for is also key.
“Grooming and skin care wellness products tend to go hand in hand,” Gilcrest said. “We have found that our products are most successful when placed together as a brand block on the shelf. Customers with brand loyalty to Skout’s Honor are more likely to pick up multiple products/solutions when they see the options merchandised together.”
Hamby suggests keeping a selection of products on hand for some of the more common skin ailments, which can often be treated at home.
“These are usually small cuts and scrapes or topical skin issues like hot spots, torn pads and sores,” he said. “Our wound care liquid and hydrogel products are great to have on hand for these issues as they provide quick relief and jump-start the healing process.”
Other common issues are irritations in the eyes and ears, Hamby noted.
“Our eye wash and ear rinse are ideal as they help clean and flush those areas and provide instant relief while helping manage dirt, debris, fungus and bacteria,” Hamby added. “It’s also worth noting that emergency preparedness is great, but preventative maintenance is crucial as well. Eye and ear care is a perfect example. By simply cleaning or flushing your pet’s eyes and ears on a regular basis, you can greatly reduce the chance of irrigation or infection.”
One of Vetericyn’s most popular products is its Pet Wellness Center, a gravity-feed display that features top-selling Vetericyn Plus skin, eye and ear products.
“It can hang on an endcap or stand on its own, making it incredibly easy for store owners to add a complete wellness and first aid station to their set,” Hamby explained.
It makes a difference when pet owners can find products easily and feel as though they are getting the right answers to their questions.
“We always want to be viewed as a helpful resource to our clients,” O’Leary summed up. “They come to trust us for the products that we carry and the advice that we can offer.”
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