To stay healthy and look and smell good, animals need to be groomed--just like humans. Veterinary clinics benefit by offering grooming products, but all too often clients pass up the opportunity to buy these grooming supplies because the purchasing decision becomes too confusing. The following five tips offer suggestions to entice a pet owner into making a grooming product purchase.

Tip #1. Display

Oftentimes displays carry too many items to choose from. This leaves a client feeling confused and left with no other choice than to walk away without making any purchase. In order to promote these supplies, make it easier for a client to purchase necessary items by offering a grooming kit. For example, put selected items together as a suggestion for the pet owner:

• Shampoo for regular or dry skin
• Conditioning rinse
• Slicker brush
• Flea comb
• Safety scissors
• Safety nail clippers
• Pet blow dryer
• Ear cleaning swabs

Tip #2. Help Section

Establish a retail section that focuses on products that help with grooming problems and highlight their use. For example:

• Oatmeal shampoo for dry, itchy skin
• Non-allergenic shampoo for pets with allergies
• Medicated shampoo
• Conditioning rinse for static and flyaway hair
• Detangling rinse for knots, tangles and hard-to-comb hair
• Tear stain removal wipes
• Cotton balls for cleaning ears

Tip #3. Tools

Provide quality grooming tools that can be used for grooming between bath times. The quality of the product will ensure future purchases and a money back guarantee will also promote future sales. If possible, post testimonies from previous purchases. Carry products such as:

• Bristle brush
• Slicker brush
• Pin brush
• Palm brush
• Comb
• Safety scissors
• Nail clippers
• Nail file
• Nail grinder
• Flea comb

Tip #4. Staff Support and Information

Make sure staff members are knowledgeable and can talk with clients about basic grooming steps and health issues that are related to grooming. A display board of information could be used to highlight these issues. Clients who view the board will understand why they should invest in products to groom their pets.
Displays could include explanations and pictures of basic health issues that relate to grooming needs, such as:

• Hair left unwashed or uncut can matt and pull at the skin causing pain
• Matted hair can hold dampness and dirt and cause the skin to itch
• Scratching at itchy skin can cause skin infections
• Hair kept moist by matted skin can develop yeast infections or other skin conditions
• Hair that gets matts around the eyes can cause problems
• Hair that grows in and around the ear can cause ear infections and loss of hearing
• Dirty fur provides an environment to harbor fleas, lice and ticks
• Untrimmed nails can cause pain when the animal tries to walk
• Nails left untrimmed can grow into the bed of the paw, causing pain and infection
• Dew claws left untrimmed can grow into the skin causing pain

Tip #5. Educate Clients

Take the time to educate clients on the steps to properly groom their pets.

• Provide clear directions on how to use purchased items
• Offer a training class on the basics of grooming a pet
• Offer a training class on how to safely groom an unwilling animal
• Offer a video or booklet on how to groom your pet

An attractive retail display is not enough. To promote and sell animal grooming supplies, the decision to purchase grooming items has to be made easier. Veterinary clinics that carry grooming products in their retail area benefit by simplifying the purchasing decision process.

Contact your Covetrus Representative at 855.724.3461 to learn more about selling grooming products to your clients.

Load more comments