Heya 'dopers, In a few years I plan on opening a new exotic pet store and I’d like your help on getting an idea of how people are thinking out there right now. Since the dope is a nice slice of life I ought to be able to figure out which way to lean a couple of key issues. So if you don’t mind, here we go! If you fall between a number or don’t see a choice, feel free to respond appropriately.
A. How important to you is price in general?
1. Price is everything, I go where it's cheap.
2. Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
3. Price is unimportant, I shop based on other criteria.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
1. Not at all, and I won't pay any more to have them.
2. Somewhat important: I would pay a little more on some items to justify them.
3. important! My pets are my babies, and I would shop at a premium for it.
[C. **How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you **?
1 . Not all, as long as everything is neat and tidy I don't care and won't pay a dime more to justify it.
2. Somewhat important. I like to see the animals well cared for, and it helps me make my decisions on care and accessories. I don't mind paying a little more for such things.
3. Important. I think that animals need such environments and that a store that keeps them in sanitary, but boring habitats is being cruel. I would pay more for this and it would enhance my experience.
4. Very important. In addition to the beliefs in #3, I find this type of store entertaining to shop in and don't mind paying premium prices if everything is zoo-like.
2. Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
2. Somewhat important: I would pay a little more on some items to justify them.
[C. **How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you **?
2. Somewhat important. I like to see the animals well cared for, and it helps me make my decisions on care and accessories. I don't mind paying a little more for such things.
Well, it looks like I’m Ms. Middle Ground. Here’s why:
Price is important, but I don’t want to shop for pets in a warehouse - I like to be able to find a staff member if I need them, etc.
Regarding knowledgeable staff - well, I’m fairly knowledgeable myself so I don’t need an expert; however, someone who actually knows what I’m asking for when I request an anole would be nice. I assume if it’s a speciality shop you’re opening, most customers would be similar - SOME degree of knowledge.
Finally, regarding the setups - well, they shouldn’t be barren, but unless you’re doing an actual display section, I don’t think it needs to be zoo like either. There is a local shop that has their selling stock in normally decorated cages, and then has some really beautifully done show-suites, so to speak. It gives you some of ideas of what you could do at home while still making buying a pet easy. I imagine trying to get someone out of an elaborately set up area would be quite a bit harder than with a plainer tank.
Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
Somewhat important: I would pay a little more on some items to justify them.
C. How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you ?
Stupid question: does a life-like habitat mean the animals are better cared for? I honestly don’t know.
In general, animals should be well cared for and everything neat and tidy. I don’t really have a good idea for what a “middle of the road” environment would look like. That’s the one I would pick though - efficient enough but not spartan; enriched enough not to be considered poor conditions for the animals but not a lavish thing.
Not as stupid as you might think. To be frank, reptiles are most efficiently kept in simple systems like these. They are efficient, sanitary, easy for staff to use, and keep the animals separated preventing stress. Most species do great in them, and the animals need for stimulation is quite low. However, many people find the idea of such systems visually distasteful and somewhat cruel. While they may be misinformed, it only takes once to make a poor impression on your clients. While beautiful zoo like habitats are more difficult for the staff, they do provide visual interest, slow customer traffic, provide stimulation for the animals, and teach passively about the animals home ecology. They also cost more, and I would have to build that into my pricing. A middle of the road setup is basically the same cost as a lavish one when you are talking about the volume of a store, but I need to know that the return would be worth my time.
My current idea is to have a displayed area for each species, and rotate the stock out every few days to the display tanks. The customers can then either buy the animal they see in the displays, or have a staff member accompany them to the service area of the store to pick through the rack systems for a specific animal.
I’m an exotic pet owner, so I’m answering with that kind of shop in mind.
A. How important to you is price in general?
2. I try to find quality stuff at the most reasonable price.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
important! My pet is my behbeh, and the birds are delicate things with strange differences from cats and dogs and require some specialized knowledge, and there is a lot of misinformation out there.
[C. How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you ?
Very important. In addition to the beliefs in #3, I find this type of store entertaining to shop in and don’t mind paying premium prices if everything is zoo-like.
A. How important to you is price in general?
2. Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
2. Somewhat important: I would pay a little more on some items to justify them.
C. How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you ?
4. Very important. In addition to the beliefs in #3, I find this type of store entertaining to shop in and don’t mind paying premium prices if everything is zoo-like.
A. How important to you is price in general?
2. Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
Health of the animals, knowledge of the staff, selection, entertainment value. I’m willing to pay somewhat of a premium for all of them
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
3. important! My pets are my babies, and I would shop at a premium for it.
Well - not that my pets are my babies, but if I’m keeping an exotic pet (or in my case, when I was keeping saltwater fish tanks), I will go out of my way to go to a store where the staff is knowledgable. Habitat requirements, compatablilty, treatment, general fun facts.
C. **How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you **?
parts 2 and 4. If a store is interesting to visit, I’m much more likely to wander in on a slow afternoon and windowshop. I’ll spend more time looking at new animals and equipment.
In a store with a very plain setup, I’m more likely to just stop in to get what I currently need, then head right back out the door.
Guess which one leads to more impulse buys.
2. Price is important, but other considerations play into my choice.
B. How important is having a knowledgeable staff to you?
2. Somewhat important: I would pay a little more on some items to justify them.
[C. **How important is having a store that keeps it’s stock in life like habitats to you **?
2. Somewhat important. I like to see the animals well cared for, and it helps me make my decisions on care and accessories. I don't mind paying a little more for such things.
When I was into keeping fish, which is the closest I can relate, I drove about a half hour to a shop that knew what they were talking about and past several cheaper stores that either didn’t keep their fish in clean tanks (dead fish not removed) or had no idea what I was talking about when I asked questions. There was a shop that had a better selection and was equally knowledgeable but they were about 20% more expensive and it wasn’t worth it to go there.