Owning a Pet Store: 6 Must-Have Skills

Every pet lover dreams of it.

You spend your days surrounded by wagging tails, curious whiskers, and happy customers who love their animals as much as you do. It sounds like the perfect job — and in many ways, it is.

But behind the adorable puppies and cozy cat condos, owning a pet store is real work. It’s juggling suppliers, marketing campaigns, and customer service — all while making sure you turn a profit.

It’s rewarding, yes, but it’s also demanding. And the truth is, passion alone won’t keep the lights on.

This blog is for the aspiring pet store owner who’s excited to dive in but also wants a realistic look at what it takes to succeed. 

We’ll walk through the six essential skills every pet store owner needs, and how the right tools can make them a whole lot easier to master.

Let’s get started.

1. Keep the Shelves Stocked

If a customer walks in asking for their dog’s favorite food and the shelf is empty, it can hurt your reputation and your bottom line.

Inventory management is one of the least glamorous — but most important — parts of owning a pet store. 

With multiple brands, flavors, bag sizes, expiration dates, and reorder schedules to juggle, it’s easy to lose track. And because pet food and supplies have fairly tight margins, overbuying can drain your cash reserves, while underbuying frustrates loyal customers.

Here’s what strong inventory tracking allows you to do:

• Keep bestsellers in stock: Know exactly when to reorder so you never miss a sale.
• Prevent overstock: Avoid tying up cash and shelf space with slow movers.
• Reduce waste: Track expiration dates and rotate stock before it goes bad.
• Spot trends early: Identify when new products take off so you can double down.

A pet-specific point of sale (POS) system makes this much less stressful. Your system can:

• Update inventory in real time with each sale.
• Set automatic reorder points.
• Show you at a glance what’s running low.
• Forecast demand based on historical sales.

When you’re busy running the shop floor, having your POS manage inventory in the background is a lifesaver. 

Related Read: The Best Pet Store Inventory Management Software: 5 Top Providers

2. Find the Product Mix Your Customers Love

Your product selection is your identity. 

A thoughtful mix of food, treats, toys, accessories, and niche products is what sets you apart from big-box chains and keeps customers coming back.

It’s all about having the right variety. 

Here’s how to approach curating your shelves:

• Start with the basics: Stock high-quality pet food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, and essentials for dogs and cats.
• Add your signature niche: Find products that make your store stand out — maybe holistic wellness items, small-batch local brands, or sustainable pet gear.
• Test in small batches: Bring in just a few units of new products to gauge interest without overcommitting.
• Rotate seasonally: Offer themed toys, accessories, and treats around holidays.

Your POS reports can be super helpful here. They can show you:

• Which products are flying off the shelves
• Which products are collecting dust on your shelves
• When your sales spike and when they slow down
• How much customers spend on average and what they add on

So instead of guessing what might sell, you know exactly what is selling.

3. Market Your Pet Store To Attract Loyal Customers

You could have the best shop in town — but if no one knows you’re there, it won’t matter. 

Marketing is how you create steady foot traffic and stay relevant. It’s a must-have skill for every pet store owner.

This doesn’t mean you have to become a social media influencer overnight, but you do need a plan to keep your name in front of customers all year. 

The most successful independent pet stores blend several types of marketing:

• Local community outreach: Sponsor rescue events, host adoption days, set up a booth at the farmers market, and partner with local groomers and vets.
• In-store experiences: Offer pet photo days, training workshops, and “yappy hour” events that bring people and their furry friends through your doors.
• Digital marketing: Build a simple but consistent presence on social media by posting new arrivals, staff pet picks, and happy customer moments.
• Loyalty and referral programs: Reward repeat shoppers and encourage them to tell their friends.

A modern POS system can do a lot of this heavy lifting for you. Look for one that can:

• Segment your customer list (e.g., cat owners versus dog owners).
• Send automatic emails and texts with promotions and event invites.
• Track loyalty points and redeem rewards at checkout.
• Connect with your e-commerce website to promote online sales.

It takes marketing off your plate and turns it into a few simple reminders that keep your shop top of mind.

4. Stand Out From Big-Box Competitors

You’re probably not going to out-price the big chains. They have volume discounts and national advertising budgets you’ll never match.

But you can outshine them with personal service, community connection, and curated expertise. This is where small pet stores have a major advantage.

Here’s how to leverage your strengths:

• Give personalized service: Learn your customers’ pets’ names, remember their preferences, and make every visit feel special.
• Accommodate special orders: Offer to bring in hard-to-find products quickly, so customers don’t feel the need to order online.
• Spread knowledge and guidance: Train your team to be true pet care advisors who can answer questions and build trust.
• Create a positive atmosphere: Make your store a warm, welcoming place to visit.

A pet-specific POS system can support this by storing detailed customer and pet profiles. You can note things like:

• Pet names, breeds, birthdays, and allergies
• Favorite foods or toys
• Purchase history and past special orders

When you remember that Sparky loves the salmon treats or that Bella’s birthday is coming up, customers notice — and it makes them want to choose your store over the big-box competition.

5. Get Comfortable With the Numbers Behind Your Store

If you only love the animal part of the business, this one might feel scary — but it’s important. 

You need to know your margins, cash flow, profit and loss, and what’s making you money. Otherwise, you’re flying blind.

It’s easy to confuse busy days with profitable ones. You might sell tons of low-margin items and still barely break even. Or you might be sitting on thousands of dollars in slow-moving stock without realizing it.

A modern POS system can translate all those numbers into plain-language insights, like:

• Daily, weekly, and monthly sales trends
• Profit margins by product category
• Inventory value on hand
• Labor costs versus revenue
• Customer lifetime value and average basket size

That’s the kind of visibility that helps you plan for growth, secure financing, and sleep better at night.

Related Read: 9 Pet Store Metrics To Track: Beyond Just Sales Numbers

6. Wear All the Hats Without Burning Out

At least at first, you’ll do it all — buyer, cashier, marketer, janitor, bookkeeper. 

But it’s exhausting, and no one can do it forever.

The secret is building systems and processes early so you don’t drown in the day-to-day. That’s where an all-in-one POS system can save your sanity. 

Instead of having separate tools for sales, inventory, customer management, marketing, and online orders, everything lives in one place.

This means you can:

• Train new staff quickly (critical when you’re short-handed).
• Automate repetitive tasks, like purchase orders and email campaigns.
• Access reports remotely so you can take a day off without worrying.
• Keep your shop running smoothly, even when you’re not on-site.

Owning a pet store will always keep you busy, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. With good systems in place, you can reclaim time for connecting with customers, building community, and enjoying the animals that inspired you to open your store in the first place.

Make Owning a Pet Store Easier With eTailPet

If these six skills feel like a lot to juggle, that’s completely normal — every new pet store owner feels that way at first. But you don’t have to do it all by hand.

eTailPet was built specifically for independent pet stores, and it brings everything — POS, inventory, e-commerce, and marketing — together in one easy-to-use platform. 

Here’s how it lightens the load:

• Keep your shelves full without overbuying: Instead of guessing what to order, eTailPet tracks what’s selling, sets smart reorder points, and creates purchase orders for you. 
• Build a product mix that sells: With built-in reports that show your top performers and slow movers, plus detailed customer profiles, you’ll know exactly what your shoppers love.
• Put your marketing on autopilot: Loyalty programs, email promos, and social sharing are built right in. They keep your name in front of shoppers so they come back again and again.
• Compete on experience: You can track every pet’s preferences, place special orders, and book grooming online — the kind of personalized touches big-box stores just can’t match.
• Stay on top of your numbers: Dashboards show your sales, margins, and inventory value at a glance, so you can make smart decisions quickly.
• Sell online and in store: Launch a clean, mobile-friendly e-commerce website that syncs perfectly with your in-store POS, so inventory, orders, and customer profiles stay connected no matter where people shop.

Ready to see how it works? Book a demo today.