If you want to start a business in the pet industry but don’t want to sell the same generic dog and cat products as most other online pet stores, this is the article for you!
In this article, I want to give you some ideas of profitable and unique pet niches you may not yet have considered but are still in demand. Most beginners create a Shopify store selling general pet products, the problem is the pet niche is huge and there are so many sub-niches you can target, which is why I wrote this article.
If you’re considering dropshipping, I have an article on whether I believe pet supplies are a good niche for dropshipping as well as a free list of USA-based suppliers of pet products.
You may be thinking why would you even want to niche down to a specific group of products when you can sell every pet product imaginable in your store, here’s why:
- It helps differentiate you from what’s already out there
- It provides the perception you are an expert within the niche
- It helps with creating a community on social media within the niche
- It makes SEO easier and makes driving free organic traffic easier
Now for the part you’re here for, the list of profitable and unique pet niche ideas.
1. Pet Travel
There is a huge variety of bags specifically designed for traveling with dogs and cats including airline-approved bags. Many bags have additional accessories that can be used for upsells and cross-sells to increase average order value. Most travel bags are sold for anywhere between $50 and $200.
2. Custom Pet Merchandise
Custom pet merchandise can include clothing, portraits, mugs, blankets, phone cases, posters and the list goes on. The best way to do this is by working with a print-on-demand company that provides this service. Crown & Paw and Noble Pawtrait are examples of stores doing this the right way.
3. Dog Treadmills
Dog treadmills are high items valued between $100 and $1,000 and they are increasing in demand. The main thing to consider is the size and whether it’s a feasible product to ship profitably. I suggest you work with a freight broker who can handle the logistics for you and find the most affordable freight company.
4. Hamster/Mice Enclosures
Unusual product to sell and not one many people would consider. You could literally fill a Shopify store full of different varieties of these enclosures. Brick-and-mortar pet stores do stock these enclosures, but their variety will be far less than you can offer. Usually priced between $50 and $200.
5. Elderly Dog Products
By having an eCommerce store focusing on older dogs you can provide many products and supplements to help with issues such as arthritis, obesity, hearing and eyesight loss. These products help reduce very common problems pet owners will face at some point.
6. Pet Grooming
There are many different products to sell within the pet grooming niche. You can opt for lower-cost items such as clippers, scissors, shampoos, blowers brushes or the higher ticket grooming tables. This can be targeted at B2B or B2C.
7. Luxury Aquariums
Regular aquariums are a little generic and not worth the hassle of shipping. There are now many unique and luxury aquariums of all different shapes and sizes which are a much more viable choice. Pricing can be anywhere from $200 all the way up to $3,000.
8. Dog Swimming Pools
Dog swimming pools are a very seasonal product so you want to have other products you can sell in the slower times. They come in all different shapes and sizes and many are foldable pools which makes them easier to store and affordable for shipping.
9. Wireless Pet Containment Fence
This is a great product to build a one-product store around and private label to build your own brand around. There are several different types but if it can be monitored through a phone app is ideal. Generally priced between $100 and $300.
10. Farm Animal Supplies
This can be a huge niche with many sub-niches that can be targeted. You can be targeting specific animals such as poultry and products such as feeding supplies, fencing, tools or equipment. It really helps to be knowledgeable about farming supplies.
11. Pet Drying Box
This is a very unique and uncommon pet product that I never knew existed until about a year ago. They are a handy product for owners of cats or small dogs who bathe their pets frequently. Another good product to build a one-product store around.
12. Dog Training Aids
This is the type of niche that would be effective by including your own training videos on YouTube and creating your own training programs. There are several products including training collars, scent detection aids and treat training products.
13. Automatic Pet Feeders
So many different kinds of pet feeders to choose from including the basic versions using gravity and the electric kind which have cameras and can be used by your smartphone. Many online merchants have successfully private labeled their pet feeders.
14. Supplements
Pet supplements have become a big business and are supposed to alleviate many issues including joint pain, skin issues, weight problems, anxiety and the list goes on. CBD has become a very popular supplement for pets in recent years.
15. Reptile Enclosures
You could build a large online store selling reptile enclosures and accessories because there are so many different kinds available. There are many accessories that can be used as upsells that will drastically increase your average order value.
16. Cat Toilets
Cat toilet is not a fancy name for a cat litter box, I mean an actual toilet. You can now buy and sell self-cleaning and self-flushing cat toilets. There are several stores profitably selling different versions of this product which proves they’re in demand.
17. Pet Urns
Pet urns and memorial boxes are essential items many pet owners will need at some point and there are endless types for different pets. The important thing to be aware of in this niche is shipping. This is a product your customers will need fast and not ideal if you’re shipping from China.
18. Ant Farms
Another unusual pet product that many people may not consider selling. There are smaller kinds that are ideal for kids and then there is the larger kind with temperature and humidity gauges that are a more high ticket item.
19. Pet Training Equipment
Pet training equipment can include bundles of obstacle courses and agility equipment including ramps, pools and training devices. Usually, larger items are only a viable option if they are high-ticket products and your margins make sense so it’s something to consider.
20. Strollers
Pet strollers are actually growing in demand and may be a lucrative niche to pursue. One thing to consider is they tend to be seasonal products according to Google trends. They can be used for both dogs and cats so you can target different audiences.
21. Exotic Pets
You could have an online pet store that focuses on exotic pets that most other pet stores don’t sell products for. Take a look at this website for a list of some bizarre pets that people own that are probably difficult to source products for.
22. Outdoor Cat Enclosures
For those cat owners who don’t let their cats outside, there are outdoor enclosures that can be sold online. They are a unique product and are valued between $200 to $1,000 for some healthy profit margins.
23. Pet Clothing & Outfits
The big advantage of selling pet clothing is the cuteness factor. Cute images do most of the selling for you and customers love sharing photos of their pets wearing the outfits which are amazing user-generated content and free advertising for you.
24. Koi Pond Kits
Koi pond kits include everything you need for a backyard koi pond including liner, filter, pumps, lighting and everything else required. They are more of a high-ticket item and depending on the kits can vary in price from $200 up to $2,000.
25. GPS Trackers
Pet GPS trackers are small and lightweight making them affordable for shipping and can be private labeled making them an effective product to ship from China. There are many different varieties that can be used with a smartphone app.
26. Pet Cameras
Another product that can be used with your smartphone. Some of these cameras can actually be built into a pet feeder and some have audio so you can talk to your pet whilst they are home alone. They vary in price from $30 up to $200.
27. Chicken Coups
Chicken coups spiked in popularity during the pandemic and have remained steadily in demand. Some standard retail stores sell chicken coups so to compete you really need to source unique chicken coups to allow your business to stand out from what’s already out there.
28. Incubators
This is another unusual pet product many online sellers may not consider selling. It helps to have some knowledge in this niche as you may end up with customer service queries. A large disparity in prices depending on the kind of incubator needed.
29. Luxury Dog Beds
There are so many different dog beds available these days you can specialize in specific varieties. Many online stores are building one-product Shopify stores around unique beds that many dog owners may not have been exposed to yet.
30. Equestrian Supplies
Horse people are very passionate and they want the best quality products for their horses. This is the kind of niche that you can build a real community around on social media and potentially have repeat business for years to come.
Unique Pet Store Ideas
When you look at the majority of successful online pet stores, they typically have a unique selling point that sets them apart from their competitors and allows them to stand out in a reasonably competitive niche.
You can create a unique pet store by focusing a store around any of the 30 niches listed above. However, there are many more strategies you can use apart from only selling in a unique and specific niche. Below are a few pet store ideas you can implement.
1. Find an uncompetitive market
Look for already successful online pet stores and instead of competing against them, replicate their success. By using a tool such as Similar Web, you can find which countries they’re targeting. You can replicate their business model but target countries they are not with paid advertising.
2. Customizable products
By using print-on-demand (POD) platforms such as Printify, you can create customizable pet products. Personalized pet products are only continuing to grow in popularity according to Google Trends. A good example of this is the pet store Crown & Paw.
3. Themed pet store
Design your pet store around a theme instead of specific pet products. For example, a vintage-style pet shop, a beach-themed store, an eco-friendly store, a breed-specific store or even a fantasy realm where pets are ‘magical creatures’.
4. Think outside the box
Here are a few more pet store ideas:
- Homemade dog treats kit
- Virtual Pet Stylist Consultations
- Pet Subscription Boxes
- Customized meal plans
- Digital pet care workshops
- Pet book club
- Interactive pet toys showcase
- Pet birthday club
- Pet influencer collaborations
- Pet fitness trackers
- Online pet playdates
Summary
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas and has allowed you to think outside the box when it comes to the pet niche. The most important thing to remember is to avoid selling generic products that can be found in standard brick-and-mortar stores because you can’t compete with them.
This does not mean you can’t sell regular products such as dog collars and cat beds, it just means you have to find varieties of those products that standard stores don’t stock. There is an abundance of suppliers in China who have variations of regular pet products that many countries have not been exposed to yet.
I suggest if you want some more information on selling pet products, I have several articles that can help source the best pet suppliers in the USA, Australia and the UK.
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