A sweater for a pug, a cat scratch tree for €1,490 — luxury accessories for pets reflect the lifestyleof the owner. By Antonia Lange
A knit sweater advertised at an online shop is perfect for the change of seasons. A matching parka with a fur collar makes it a chic coat for going out and it promises plenty of warmth.
The offer isn’t for young ladies or children, but a pet. A pug to be exact. The ensemble is available at a German website and it’s just one example of a business model that has been gaining the attention of classic pet-equipment merchandisers.
“Coats from the normal price class belong in the standard selection,” said Carsten Eisele, head of operations at Zoo & Co, which has begun offering accessories in sets.
“The collar matches the coat, which in turn is made of the same material as the dog’s bed.” Eisele said in addition to the furnishings in the home, the accessories for Doggie & Co should reflect the lifestyle of the owner.
In Germany alone every third household has at least one pet, according to an industry association for pet needs.
And accessories have their costs: last year per household it was €168 ($220) and the trend is upward. The German pet supplier Koelle Zoo also has discovered the luxury pet item segment of the market.
“The revenue compared with other items we carry is negligible,” said buyer Michael Staudinger. “However, the margins and the gains are lucrative because customers come ready to pay a high price.”
In the last two years alone the pet store market has doubled the amount of such products it offers. The most expensive item is a cat scratch tree for €1,490. Whether such an accessory would actually sell is not so relevant, said Staudinger. Much more important is that it draws people into the shop.
“Real eye-catchers are an effective means in order to steer customer needs in a particular direction,” said Staudinger. A customer who sees a luxury coat gets the idea of buying clothing for his or her own dog. “This is also a form of addiction. Many start with the winter coat, then buy a sweater and then at some point the T-shirt is added,” said Martina Borchmann, head of DogOne, a website for dog items that delivers to Koelle Zoo.
It makes 60% of its revenue delivering to the pet store market, said Borchmann. “It has been continually growing in recent years.”
Chokers, wedding fashions for dogs and a throne for cats are among the items available. “It’s mainly a gag, a statement,” said Borchmann. “People want to be talked to about it.”
For people, accessories are an expression of their personality, said Detlev Nolte, spokesman for the industry association in Germany. “The animals are in part certainly an extension of the person’s identity.” Pet accessories are good business because the buying decisions are not rational.
“The character of the pet goods trade is that it is not strongly cyclical,” said Nolte. The reason is the emotional touch. “If you own a dog, it’s usually the last thing you’ll want to economise on, because you love your pet.” — DPA
* Joana Boehnlein slips a pullover over the neck of Hailey, her miniature pinscher dog, during a pet-products trade show in Stuttgart, Germany. Pet accessories are a good business because shoppers’ buying decisions are not rational. “If you own a dog, it’s usually the last thing you’ll want to economise on, because you love your pet.” says industry expert Detlev Nolte.