also i still don't understand why we don't want people shopping in the store? as long as they don't buy pets there i don't see a problem? am i missing something?
Yes, you are missing something. A lot in fact. The whole business model. Again, it's not just about the pets that you see in the store. It's almost not about that at all.
Point 1:
The
ONLY reason pets are sold in the stores AT ALL EVER ---- and I cannot emphasize this strongly enough ---- is as a LOSS LEADER. They get you in the store to buy the pet -- which is absolutely at a loss to them profit-wise -- so that they can sell you the follow-on profitable, high margin supplies -- consumables (you have to keep coming back and back and back and back -- as well as the cages, accessories and whatever.
A "
loss leader" is what's used to get you into the store. Their added benefit of the small cute pets as loss leaders is also that not only are they a great traditional loss leader item, they have the added CUTENESS factor from the little kids begging their parents for one, like a damn toy. It's practically like going to the zoo for some people. Free cuteness advertizing on top of the marketing benefit.
It's the RAZOR/RAZOR BLADE model to put it another way, right? Buy the razor for a few bucks, spend a fortune over time on the actual blades.
Okay, that's the first point which doesn't explain the whole picture yet. But you have to really truly understand that part of the equation first.
So, keep in mind, they DO NOT CARE ---- REALLY TRULY ---- whether you buy a guinea pig in the store ---- that is NOT what they care about. It's about the SALES and PROFIT on the merchandise.
Okay.
Point 2:
Case 1:
Let's assume you've made your purchase of that poor guinea pig that looked like it needed "rescuing" from the big bad store -- which happens to countless people across the country every day. You bought your supplies and stuff. Goodie. They KNOW you bought a pig THERE and some SUPPLIES. Love computers.
You come back next week. You buy more supplies. Generally speaking, you are just an anonymous person buying supplies. MAYBE if you are using your "here I am and here is all my personal info" Petco PALS type card, they can track your original purchase, but generally speaking, your purchase of inventory is just basically credited to that store. That stores sells guinea pigs. You bought guinea pig supplies there.
THAT STORE is accountable for its sales and inventory and profit.
Case 2:
Let's assume you did
NOT buy your guinea pig from that store. You ADOPTED from the rescue down the street. Yeah!
Now you walk into that store and buy your supplies. You go back and buy more supplies and more and more. JUST LIKE ABOVE in case one, generally speaking, they do NOT KNOW that you did NOT buy the guinea pig from their store.
BUT, THAT STORE continues to be profitable -- THAT STORE WHICH SELLS guinea pigs is even more profitable because they didn't have to deal with the LOSS of selling it to you. The burden was carried by the individual rescuer.
Case 3:
Let's assume, once again, you ADOPTED. Let's assume THIS TIME, that you go ONLINE and buy your supplies ONLINE from Petsmart. AGAIN and again and again. In other words. You never set foot in that store.
Guess what? Petsmart STILL gets rich, you still get your products, BUT THIS TIME, the sales and profit for THAT STORE WHICH CARRIES GUINEA PIGS, did not increase at all.
You're the Mucky Muck
So, now pretend you're a VP at Petsmart sitting around the conference room table discussing sales trends. Let's pretend that, oh say, 10,000 people in the area (humor me) did the same thing.
A) No one is buying guinea pigs in the stores.
B) We continue to lose a bit of money on the guinea pigs in those stores.
C)
We are not selling guinea pig supplies in the stores.
D) We are selling a LOT of online supplies to people in that same area.
E) That store is losing money on the overhead and carrying costs of the supplies in those stores.
Now, I've been mildly respectful by not calling Petsmart Petstupid, but I hope you get the basic idea.
The message needs to be sent to them to invest more in their ONLINE sales channel OR they need to understand that THEIR STORES are NOT getting the MERCHANDISE business from the guinea pig owners. THEREFORE, they should either stop selling pigs in that store, OR don't open any MORE stores in the area because there is NOT enough traffic to support it, OR close the store (ha).
Petstores are NOT in the business to be a ZOO. Stop making it profitable for them to carry pets. DO NOT SHOP IN ANY PET STORE AT ALL ANYWHERE that carries any living creatures. There are GREAT AND FANTASTIC pet SUPPLY stores that have a great business that DO NOT SELL PETS. SHOP THERE or SHOP ONLINE.
It is absolutely your SHOPPING DOLLARS that make the difference.
SPEND WISELY AND SAVE LIVES.
) I go to my local pet store that does not sell animals. They carry my Oxbow pellets and my Blue Buffalo cat food so I go there, even though it is much more pricey. It's important enough to me to support "proper" pet stores that I will pay extra. The only reason I was even in Petsmart was because I had time to kill before an appointment and was checking out their hidey houses because my local place does not have much in that area. You are absolutely right in all that you say. I was just glad to NOT see what I read on here. I was not trying to cause a big stir. I come here to learn and use what I learn.
