Pet owners are increasingly looking for high-quality, affordable pet supplies to support the well-being of their pets.
Pet businesses can meet this demand by selling reasonably priced pet products and supplies on Amazon, a popular online marketplace with millions of customers.
Incorporating an e-commerce store into your website is a commendable strategy, but selling pet supplies on Amazon is a more effective way to reach a wider audience.
This article delves into how you can pick a profitable pet supplies niche and start your business on Amazon.
Table of Contents
Market growth potential for pet supplies
How to start a pet supplies business on Amazon
Top 5 pet supplies business ideas for Amazon marketplace
Conclusion
Market growth potential for pet supplies
The global pet care market revenue is set to reach US$ 368.88bn by 2030.
Due to increased pet-ownership amongst Millennials and Gen Z, there’s a shifting inclination towards e-commerce markets catering to animal well-being, and pet care technology like tracking devices and feeders.
In the midst of the e-commerce boom, Amazon is showing particularly impressive growth, with its ‘Pet Supplies’ category sales expected to reach US$ 27.2bn by 2025.
With many household owners treating their beloved pets as family, it’s no surprise that pet care and online sales are simultaneously shooting up globally. Now is the time to leverage this growth and launch your Amazon pet supply business.
Read on to learn how to get started.
How to start a pet supplies business on Amazon
Starting a pet supplies business on Amazon follows the same basic steps as starting any other business. Here are a few tips to help you build a successful Amazon pet supplies store.
1. Conduct market research
Understand your target market’s pain points and the unique solutions you can provide when starting a pet product business.
Start by researching the product subcategories you plan to enter. Which ones are popular? Which ones have the best reviews? This will help you better understand the market. As a result, you’ll gain insight into how your competitors operate, enabling you to outperform them.
You can also use Amazon’s Audience Research to gather survey-based feedback directly from your most relevant audiences. This’ll allow you to keep up with emerging trends and utilize them while staying ahead of your audience’s preferences and shopping behaviors.
Also, consider AMZScout marketing intelligence software for product research. You’ll discover price trends, sales volumes, profit margins, Best Sellers’ Rank history (BSR), and other pertinent information to develop a selling strategy.
2. Build your brand
A strong brand identity can increase patronage on Amazon by creating an emotional connection with customers. Use consistent brand elements like logos, colors, graphics, and style to convey your core values.
Take the pet supply brand, Chewy, for example. It has a simple and playful logo that matches it’s upbeat brand personality:
When people associate your business with pleasant experiences, they can easily remember your brand and build trust.
Make your brand stand out by offering unique products. You should also infuse your brand voice and personality into your mission statement, and other marketing materials.
Often, customers will form their first opinion of your Amazon pet business based on the name of your business. Make it simple and memorable, especially for word-of-mouth marketing. You don’t want to provide outstanding experiences to your customers only to have them forget your business name when they’re raving about you.
For example, a name like “Pet Service” is cliche, bland and generic. But phrases like “Wagging Tails Co” and “PetSmart” are easy to remember.
A business name could influence customers’ perception of your brand, communicate your business strategy, and instill confidence in your brand.
3. Create a business plan
Now that you know your target market, branding, and business name, it’s time to create a business plan. This will guide you through starting and growing your pet supplies business.
Since you already know your product niche and have conducted market research, here are the next steps;
Define your unique value proposition
This answers questions like: Why should customers buy from you and not your competition? What makes your Amazon business stand out?
Knowing your customers’ pain points and goals will help you define your unique value proposition.
Plan your marketing and sales strategy
Using email marketing, social media, or influencer marketing can yield the highest return on investment.
For instance, partnering with pet influencers on Instagram can be a great way to reach a large and engaged audience of potential customers. Start by finding pet influencers with a similar following to yours. Searching relevant hashtags, browsing pet pages, and researching other brands that you admire will help you find pet influencers.
Contact the influencers you’ve identified and propose a collaboration. Outline your goals for the partnership, as well as how you see them promoting your products.
If the influencer is interested in working with you, start brainstorming creative ways to promote your products to their audience.
That said, optimizing your product listing and leveraging Amazon’s tools and programs can boost your marketing efforts.
You may want to enroll in Amazon’s Brand Registry program to protect your brand and intellectual property on Amazon. And also, participate in Amazon’s Prime Day and other promotional events to reach a wider audience and boost your sales.
Calculate your startup and operating cost
Starting an Amazon pet supplies business will cost you a decent investment at the onset.
To ensure you’re not overspending on things, research the cost of your products, and calculate the cost of running your Amazon FBA account. Create a budget for your marketing and sales and save for miscellaneous expenses.
Your startup operating cost could look like this:
| Types of operating cost | Description |
| Product cost | The cost of acquiring the pet supplies you sell on Amazon. This includes the cost of the products themselves, as well as any shipping and customs fees. |
| Amazon FBA fees | The fees charged by Amazon for storing, picking, packing, and shipping your pet supplies. These fees vary depending on the size and weight of your products. |
| Marketing and sales costs | The costs associated with promoting your pet supplies and driving sales on Amazon. This may include the cost of running paid advertising campaigns, hiring pet influencers, and creating marketing materials that are relevant to pet owners. |
| Miscellaneous expenses | Other expenses that may arise, such as customer support costs, packaging costs, product insurance costs, and pet-specific costs such as product liability insurance. |
Other costs you might consider down the line, include:
Web hosting and development: Your pet supply business will need a website down the line to help solidify your online presence. So consider the cost of website development and hosting.
Business registration and licensing fees: Depending on your location, you may need to register your business and obtain certain licenses and permits.
Cost of office supplies and equipment: If you intend to operate a home office, you will need to budget for equipment and supplies, such as computers and printers.
Professional fees: Consider the cost of hiring an accountant, lawyer, or other professional to help you with your business when creating your budget.
If you carefully estimate all your costs before starting an Amazon pet supply business, you’ll be able to create a realistic budget and remain profitable.
4. Find suppliers
Building your inventory is the next step after creating a roadmap. While many suppliers exist, finding a reliable one can take time and effort.
Alibaba.com gives you access to many global suppliers with top-tier products you can choose from.
To search for a supplier on Alibaba.com, click on the specific products you want and scroll down to contact their manufacturers/suppliers. Click “Contact Supplier” in the purchase details section.
When choosing a supplier, ensure you look at their badges because it’s proof they’re trusted. There are three types of badges:
- Gold suppliers: These are Alibaba.com members verified as businesses with industrial or commercial capabilities.
- Verified sellers: These are suppliers whose products and capabilities have been inspected and certified in person by independent third parties. This ensures accountability and reassures customers about the quality of their products.
- Trade Assurance suppliers: These are also Gold suppliers who accept payment through Alibaba.com. This way, Alibaba.com protects your payment and order.
In addition to providing Trade Assurance protections, Alibaba.com ensures your products are on time and meet your specifications.
Top 5 pet supplies business ideas for Amazon marketplace
There are over 300 million active users on Amazon, offering a large pool of potential customers to engage with. Here are five pet supply businesses to consider:
1. Pet toys
Pet parents understand that using toys to entertain and bond with their pets is important. They can also keep pets mentally stimulated while their owners are busy with other activities.
Pet toys are quite lucrative to sell on Amazon because they’re in high demand. This demand could positively affect the market to reach US$ 15bn in 2032 at an annual growth rate of 6.7%.
2. Pet hair removers
This pet supply category is popular on Amazon because they’re essential for pet owners who want to rid their homes and clothes of pet hair.
Different types of pet hair removers exist on the market. However, when stocking up, always go for pet hair removers that are durable, easy to clean, and affordable. People’s increased love for their pets will also cause this market to grow by 3.2% from 2021 to 2031.
3. Pet carriers
On Amazon, pet carriers are popular products because they are essential for pet owners who travel a lot or need to take their pets to the veterinarian.
Therefore pet owners do not only purchase these carriers because they’re convenient, but also because they provide security as it helps to prevent destructive behavior, provide comfort, and reduce stress levels during travel.
These multiple benefits progressively makes this market viable and a good business to venture into as it’s projected to reach US$ 1,201.36bn in 2030.
4. Pet beds
Pets, like humans, need beds to support their weight and allow them to rest without stiffness and body aches.
Pets who have their beds in cozy places can also regulate their internal temperatures and sleep better.
Quality, dog breed, and habits determine how long pet beds last. Cheap beds deteriorate quickly, while high-quality beds usually last two to three years.
Stock up on quality pet beds for different pet breeds that’ll last a while. This will increase demand and a decent turnover over time as the market is expected to grow at a rate of 6.6% to reach US$ 8.19bn in 2033.
5. Food bowls
Pets can easily overeat if they have unsupervised access to food, leading to obesity and associated health problems.
Pet owners can curb excessive feeding by putting the food in a bowl. This, along with its other benefits, has contributed to a projected market growth rate of 5.5%, reaching $4.50bn by 2028.
Conclusion
Before moving on to other forms of marketing, start with social media to build relationships with your customers and grow your customer base.
Consider using influencers or affiliate marketers to get your products in front of pet parents willing to spend more for their pets. This will help your business flourish in this rapidly growing market.
You can increase profit margins and give yourself an edge by sourcing pet supplies on Alibaba.com.
