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Pet Care is a growing and by all accounts a virtually
recession proof industry. Americans love their pets and
spend by some estimates over 45 billion dollars
a year caring for them. This number has doubled in the
past 10 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Figures
released from the American Pet Product Manufacturers
Association (APPMA) indicate that pet ownership is at an all
time high. The stats indicate that 63% of all households own
a pet which equates to "69 million" households. That's up
from 64 million in 2002 and 51 million in 1988 when the
tracking began. Americans currently own approximately 73
million dogs and 90 million cats.
There are a number of different types of pet care businesses
to consider starting. This includes pet stores,
pet product
distribution, mobile grooming, pet sitting, waste removal
services, bakeries and specialty shops. Each of these
services is growing right now and can easily translate to
either a home business, store front, or an ecommerce
business. A home or web based business will have generally
low overhead expenses due to savings on leasing space and
the minimal amount of equipment and staffing required. A
retail store front business will have a larger overhead, but
can be beneficial due to the advertising advantages and
location stability.
Here are 3 relatively easy and affordable pet
care related small businesses you might want to consider
starting today:
Pet Products Distribution Business:
Starting a small distribution business can offer an
entrepreneur many advantages. Generally, only a small
investment is required to start up a distribution business
and you have the option of running your business from home
which helps keep your overhead expenses low. Distributing
pet products can also offer high margins and the ability to
develop a residual income stream from repeat sales.
Another advantage of starting or
buying a distribution business is that you can
often begin on a part-time basis giving you time to
establish the business at your own pace.
Mobil Pet Grooming Business: This is a fairly new business model with
lots of room for growth as statistics indicate that the
number of pet owners will continue to increase. The 2010 pet
grooming business is expected to reach $3.45 billion in
sales with a 3.5% increase for 2011. Mobile pet grooming has
become very popular because it’s a very convenient option
for consumers since their pets can be groomed at their home,
saving them time and gas money. The advantages of starting
and operating this type of service business include
generally low start up costs and overhead, flexible hours,
repeat business, and healthy profit margins.
Pet Waste Removal Business: This is a very fast growing pet care category which is evidenced
by the number of pet waste removal franchise concepts that
have emerged in the market place over the last few years.
More and more busy pet owners appear to be embracing this
type of service because of the convenience it offers. Some
of major advantages of this business model for an owner is
that it’s easy to operate and the start up and operational
costs are very minimal. And since it’s a service you have
the opportunity to build a business with repeat customers
that can provide a predictable revenue stream. It’s also a
fairly easy business to grow as long you provide good
customer service and stick with a consistent marketing
strategy. |
