The Pet Shop Business in Las Vegas is a tenaciously competitive industry given the fact that 6 out of 10 households in the city of Las Vegas keep dogs for a pet and it ranks as the third out of 10 most pet-friendly cities in the U.S. Given these figures, it comes as no surprise that Veterinary clinics, pet-grooming, and pet-supply businesses are growing. As a matter of fact, Las Vegas also ranks among the top five cities for the most number of dog parks for each person.
If you have been thinking of Starting a Pet Shop in Las Vegas, here are the steps:
-
1Familiarize Yourself with the Industry
Knowing certain facts is a key advantage in establishing and ensuring success in any type of business. Getting yourself acquainted with the ins and outs of the pet industry enables one to make an informed decision to determine whether having a Pet Shop Business In Las Vegas is for you. In line with this thought, it is important to do some research on the following:
-
2Finding Your Niche
Questions to ask
Pet Shop Businesses come in different forms and each has its unique selling point. Going in competition against established names is a big challenge knowing that your business is a startup. However, finding your niche and offering a value proposition would help in establishing your brand and customer base. Here are some of the important questions that you need to consider.
- Will you be selling live animals? What kind? Would you specialize in a specific one?
- What type of products would you wish to sell? Would that include equipment and accessories? How about the variety of food choices for pets?
- Will you offer pet grooming services?
Evaluate yourself
It is also important to assess and evaluate yourself in terms of the following:
- Skills – Is this something that you are skilled at?
- Passion- Is this something that you really want to pursue?
- Economics- Will this financially work with your lifestyle?
You might want to apply the “Hedgehog Concept” by Jim Collins in evaluating and assessing yourself to ensure that you will be fully committed to your business after considering all the factors that would affect your work-life balance. Find more information about evaluating yourself by clicking the link on How to Start a Home Based Business in Las Vegas.
-
3Take Care of Administrative Tasks
Administrative tasks
Just like other types of businesses, running a Pet Shop Business in Las Vegas requires papers and other related documents to be processed for the business to legally operate. These administrative tasks include:
- Thinking of a good name for the business
- Write a Business Plan
- Choose a business structure
- Choose a location
- Process registration to legally operate
- Check Pet Ordinance, Requirements, Paperwork & Acquire License
- Secure Financing for Your Business
- Open a Business Account and a Merchant Account
- Hire Employees
Insurance
In addition, it would also be good to have a Pet Shop Insurance to protect your company and serve as a cushion for costly expenses involved in dealing with any legal issues related to your business. Here are some of the things that you should look into:
- Product Liability Insurance
- Public Liability Insurance
- Employer’s Liability Insurance (If you have employees)
- Equipment Cover
- Building Insurance
-
4Secure Equipment and Stock
Important items
Running a pet shop requires non-negotiable items and equipment that are necessary for running your pet shop business in Las Vegas which includes the following:
- Display Islands and Shelving Units (To showcase your products)
- Tanks, cages, and enclosures (If you’re selling live animals)
- Supplies: food, toys, cleaning equipment, Grooming tools, and accessories
- EPOS System: EPOS software, cash register, monitor, card reader, barcode scanner
Merchant account
In addition to your business account, your merchant account is required to hold your customers’ payment until their bank approves the transaction to be passed to your bank account.
-
5Purchasing Pet Supplies
Sourcing for supplies
Should your business involve selling live animals, sourcing items and supplies from a reputable and affordable wholesale supplier is essential for your Pet Shop Business. Make sure to scout for wholesalers offering the minimum number of quantities to suit your business needs to avoid overstocking and you don’t want to waste money and space in adhering to the demands of your supplier.
Where to look for suppliers
To find animal breeders or wholesaler of products, you can try to do the following:
- Check online via Google search options
- Inquire and ask for recommendations from local pet shop owners
- Check local farms and ask if they breed animals and provide supplies
- Attend pet industry trade shows and meet industry peers and wholesalers.
-
6Start Running Your Pet Shop Business
Things to consider
Running a business involves a lot of considerable factors depending on your goals but regardless of the difference in opinions, the idea of running a business that provides a product or a service that caters to needs of the people ensures its profitability and sustainability. In line with this thought, it is important that you manage the factors that you can control before you can upscale your business. You might want to consider doing the following:
- Know your competitors and differentiate your business
- Establish a positive work environment for your employees
- Know your customers and look after their needs
- Increase your customer base and expand your products and services
Some techniques to use
You may apply all or any of the following techniques in the process of evaluating your competitors and differentiate your business.
-
7Market Your Pet Shop Business
How to promote your business
A business won’t be sustainable if it isn’t making money and in order to ensure its profitability, people need to be aware of the products and services that your business offers. For this reason, marketing is essential in building the reputation of your business, establish a customer base, and maximize the potential for profit. Here are some of the things that you can do:
- Create a website
- Register your business on Google
- Maximize the use of Social Media
- Encourage referrals from Clients
- Traditional Marketing
- Paid Advertising
Where to promote in Las Vegas
In case you haven’t heard 360° Advertising offers an effectively affordable 360° Advertising that gets customers in your door and you may also advertise your Pet Shop Business In Las Vegas via BBB Vegas and sign-up to become a member.