want to buy/start a pet shop - where do i begin?

gibson123

OP good on you thinking about starting a business. There are a number of options that you can consider. However first off all you start with research and putting together a detailed business plan. There are lots of resources on line but you should consider buying the Business Plan Workbook, you will find it on Amazon. You should also research franchise options and compare this type of start-up and compare with opening a shop. You should perhaps start off with pet supplies type business that you and your husband could start yourselves, think more of a workshop space and van to start off rather than premises that will require staff and a higher outlay.

Here is a good website to start you off, it is Scotland based but a lot of the concepts are the same. good luck

http://www.bgateway.com/

Wicked_witch

That reminds me that we've also seen a reptile shop come and go in the last couple of years Did well for a while, then pets at Home started selling reptiles and accessories...

faded_flowers wrote: »

I would say find a niche! Specialist reptiles, pure breed rabbits or guinea pigs etc.

Also, are you happy to possibly be in work 365 days a year including christmas? Animals still need feeding and cleaning out regardless of the day

kroberts13

ValHaller wrote: »

Have you ever worked in a pet shop? Have you ever been responsible for bulk management of a large quantity of domestic animals?

i was in the armed forces and then i was a nurse, so i've never worked in a pet shop, but animals are a fervent passion.

I have never had less than 15 pets at once, until now, but thats due to not being able to with being abroad.

kroberts13

Wicked_witch wrote: »

One thing I would say is be very sure there is a need for this kind of shop where you live. Four pet shops have shut down in the seven years I've lived in my current town- 2 had been there for many years, the other two were new businesses that lasted less than 2 years each. 1 sold pets, the others just supplies.

None of them could compete with the supermarket prices for supplies or Pets at Homes prices for pets and supplies. Also, vets tend to sell pet supplies as well now. So you would need to be very competitive, in a shop that is very convenient to get to (one of the new businesses that shut down was a 5 minute walk from the supermarket so people just didn't bother), open long hours every day and prepared to spend a very long time making a loss until you built up a good customer base. As someone who has several different pets, I am happy to spend a little more in an independent store with good quality products but I need the store to be reliable- open when I need the goods and to have them in stock. Again, the new businesses that opened could not manage that.

Sorry, going on a bit there! But these are the things you need to consider before spending any money.

i don't live anywhere at the moment, so i'm going to market research for the neiche i enjoy the most and then move where demand is highest when we move back to the UK. i also have many more plans to add to the business to help keep it afloat.

I have kept a HUGE variety of pets and would cater for most, i have used a lot of products and would source "manager favourites" as well as most used products, i would like to sell pets, equipment, offer boarding for small animals and reptiles and animal educational encounters.

kroberts13

googler wrote: »

I think a clearer definition of 'pet shop' is required - is it one which sells pet supplies, or one which sells the pets as well as the supplies?

OP - do you have a particular location in mind? If you have, you need to research where all the current competition is, whether that's traditional shops on the high street, vets, or the bulk stores in retail parks such as Pets R Us.

Can you find someone already in the business to mentor you?

i don't yet have a location in mind, and as i am not living in the UK just now, and don't really have close family ties, or friends all in one place, i'm free to move to ANYWHERE in the UK that i feel i will do well.

I have some niche market research in mind, as well as being aware of small time breeders that i would prefer to use as suppliers than the large companies.

kroberts13

faded_flowers wrote: »

I would say find a niche! Specialist reptiles, pure breed rabbits or guinea pigs etc.

Also, are you happy to possibly be in work 365 days a year including christmas? Animals still need feeding and cleaning out regardless of the day

indeed i am!! i love animals and would enjoy nothing more than to spend all day working with them, i already spend ALL my spare time with my dogs and parrot, i'm not a drinker, partier, socialite, i'm not into labels or fashion, and i couldn't tell you the last time i bought anything for myself, as my money usually goes on my animals needs first.

kroberts13

somethingcorporate wrote: »

If you were going to buy a massive property including flat I'd expect you to have to stump up more than £30k.

i do of course expect this, however i'm trying to find out what funding is available to be applied for to assist in purchasing and running this kind of venture, £30k is a reasonable sized deposit.

kroberts13

Caroline_a wrote: »

Many if not most local authorities now do not allow pet shops to sell puppies or kittens, so your pets would be reptiles, fish and possibly some rodents. Additionally you will have to jump through a lot of hoops even for those, as they may come under the Animal Boarding Act.

I would agree that most people now buy their animal food online as it saves carrying and is much cheaper. I have an account with a pet cash and carry, but actually buy my dog and cat food from Amazon - it's loads cheaper on there if you do a regular order!

I don't think this is a great idea, I have seen a few pet shops close too in our area, Pets at Home and the internet have put paid to them, and I would say I guess I'm partly responsible myself - I haven't used a small shop for some years.

i'm not really sure what to say to this, but i am trying ot reply to everyones comments. I am a large supporter of small business and prefer not to use large chains, there are people out there like me.

I have contacts who run shops, one is a small shop selling, small furies, birds, reptiles and inverts as well as supplies. I also know a exotics/reptile specialist who has just had to had to move to a larger premesis, so in the right circumstances it's still a profitable venture. I also know from personal experience and discussion with fellow herpers that often people are willing to travel quite a distance for a GOOD shop.

kroberts13

gibson123 wrote: »

OP good on you thinking about starting a business. There are a number of options that you can consider. However first off all you start with research and putting together a detailed business plan. There are lots of resources on line but you should consider buying the Business Plan Workbook, you will find it on Amazon. You should also research franchise options and compare this type of start-up and compare with opening a shop. You should perhaps start off with pet supplies type business that you and your husband could start yourselves, think more of a workshop space and van to start off rather than premises that will require staff and a higher outlay.

Here is a good website to start you off, it is Scotland based but a lot of the concepts are the same. good luck

thank you, this is exactly the kind of information i'm after. i know that i'm entitled for assistance with business planning as well as financial grants from a forces scheme, but i have to be resident in the UK to do this. they assist with business planning and applications etc.

Could you help point in the direction of things i need to know about, laws and regulations etc? because this is me LITTERALLY starting to find out what i need to know to get started.

my husband doesn't want to work in this field with me, so starting up together isn't something that would happen. he's got 5 years left in the forces, and wants to be a paramedic, so this is going to either be me on my own, or find a helper (i have 2 friends who'd expressed a wish to work for me)

kroberts13

Wicked_witch wrote: »

That reminds me that we've also seen a reptile shop come and go in the last couple of years Did well for a while, then pets at Home started selling reptiles and accessories...

see thats something i don't understand, i find pets at home to be grossly unknowledgable when it comes to reptiles, and extortionately expensive in comparrision to small pet shops selling reptiles. their live foods died and have been known to kill some reptiles, their frozen mice come in their own little blacked out body bags, which means you can't check for quality or signs of thawing before sale. i REALLY don't understand why people buy from pets at home.

I apologise for all the replies, but i wanted to make sure i'd covered all the comments.

I know that advertising and social networking is almost the single most important aspect, and thankfully, my social networking whizz of a husband would help with that. i have a friend who has been a rolemodel in utilising her unusual exotic pet to drum up interest in her pet shop, so i believe i do have a few good models to work from

i will start out looking at the link i was given, and look to learn about business planning, as well as devsing a solid business goal "what i want to offer". something i consider a strength is the ability to move to ANYWHERE in the UK, so i can go where the shop would do well, e.g. areas of high population of pet owners for the niches i'd like to supply. hopefully i shall speak to my friend again and ask her for some help.