Innovation in the Urban Animal industry

In an ever-changing industry, urban animal retailers are discovering that Darwin's 'Survival of the Fittest" law can also apply in business. 

A study published by Nielson, a market trend analysis company, showed that today's consumers have more retail choices than ever but are cutting back on overall purchases. According to the Continuous Innovation: The Key to Retail Success report, trip frequency in the U.S. has fallen 15% over the past six years while basket size has climbed only 9%. Thus, retailers must evolve to stay ahead of the pack and keep consumers engaged. 

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Nielson offered tips to help retailers stand out including price value, shopability and convenience and noted that the emergence e-commerce has threatened brick and mortar shops but that with the right innovation, these traditional retailers can still get ahead. Indeed, 2013 Summit Award winner Planet Paws Pet Essentials has developed a remarkable, loyal consumer base both online and in-store thanks to co-owner Rodney Habib's innovative approach to pet nutrition blogging. 

Innovation has played a critical role in the refactoring of the Urban Animal Program which strives to introduce innovative relationships, ideas and programs to other regions of the country, thus providing all sectors of the industry with models to capture attention and loyalty of their audience. To stay ahead, the industry must continually evolve. 

In the coming weeks, the Urban Animal Program will reach out to the urban animal industry as it searches for 2014 Innovation Showcase potentials in each region. Stay tuned for exciting updates to this new program!

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