As much as we enjoy sharing our world with our furry buds, we all know how important it is to contain the dog’s space when it’s appropriate. Crates, carriers, gates and pens are invaluable tools that help us maintain order in our homes, and they also give dogs a sense of security.

As such, these products can help solve a whole host of important needs for your customers. However, this merchandise category presents its own unique challenges to storeowners, and it’s important to give these products some careful thought to make sure they drive sales to their full potential.

Crates, gates and pens are bulky. They take up pricey retail floor space, and many storeowners have a hard time showcasing enough product variety–in terms of function and design–to make a strong impact. Also, these enclosures, with varying designs and locking systems, require that store employees demonstrate their use and function to help customers make a purchase decision. And in addition to employee training, storeowners must factor the time the staff will need to spend with customers showing these products off.

Finally, some of these canine containment systems tend to be viewed as commodity products. Customers could easily purchase them online, or they simply see too much differentiation and just look for the lowest price. Storeowners must work hard against this perception with the best tool in their kit: product knowledge and service.

Don’t let these challenges stand in the way. Containment systems for dogs answer real needs in the lives of customers, and retailers must be there to help solve customers’ problems.


Gates Open Opportunities
Gates help families stay organized. Pens keep the home from becoming unmanageable and keep dogs safe. Any customer coming into a store looking for this product has a story to tell. What rooms need enclosure? Are there children, grandparents or other pets? What kind of dog needs to be managed? Retailers need to be able to talk about sizes and heights, ease of access and storage options when the gates and pens aren’t needed.

One merchandizing strategy is to stock the store with a limited but representative variety of gate and pen designs. With these models, help customers get a sense of how the items would fit in their home and how to operate them. Use catalogues to supplement choices, and be prepared to work with suppliers on shipping schedules and charges.

If employees bring dogs to the store, use gates or pens for the store animals to help demonstrate their use. Show customers how they operate and let shoppers test the latches, doors and locks of the various products. With this product group, showing, operating and touching become powerful sales techniques.

Does a customer have a new puppy that must be house trained? If so, then how big will the dog get when fully grown? Is the dog left home alone much of the day and confined to a particular area of the home? Does the customer need a stout, heavy-duty pen that will stay in one place, or does she need mobility and portability? Must the gate system allow easy access for human traffic while staying in place? If so, then suggest designs that include a hinged door built into the fixed gate. Does the dog owner only need a gate or pen for occasional use, such as for parties or for when guests arrive, or is a more permanent system needed?

Many storeowners might not be able to stock heavy-duty outdoor equipment products, like doghouses and fencing. But the store can still provide information on design and pricing. The more a retailer knows about the products, and the more questions they ask of their customers, the better positioned they are to create sales opportunities.


Carriers & More
Some dog owners need portable enclosures. Collapsible crate designs fit quite nicely into pet owners’ busy lives, and they are particularly suitable for small rooms and apartments. They fold away for quick, easy storage and can go in the car or home. They’re great to demonstrate in the store, too.

Carriers are wonderful products for in-store display. They’re stylish and small in size (for dogs 20 pounds and under). Over-the-shoulder bag designs look great and are extremely versatile. Airline-approved bags are easy to carry and practical, and they can serve as a permanent crate as well.

Packs–designed for both front and back–offer hands-free utility for casual containment on the go. Car seats for dogs keep pets still, help them ride more comfortably and make driving safer for the owner. And don’t forget strollers. These are wonderful tools for small dog owners that enhance mobility outdoors for pet and owner.


Store Events
If the store hosts or sponsors pet events–always a good marketing tactic–don’t miss opportunities to sell. Adoption events, training sessions, puppy play dates and other social activities are a great time to showcase containment products.

Employ bright, cheerful customer outreach tools using social networking tools, as well as e-blast emails, to highlight pens, crates and carriers for seasonal activities that typically involve travel. Summer vacations, the fall and winter holidays and spring breaks are perfect times of the year to remind pet owners that it is easy to travel with their dogs.

Gates and pens don’t flash like toys and fancy collars, but don’t underestimate their potential. Look for ways to make canine enclosures a dynamic, interactive element of the store’s overall merchandising mix.


Dan Headrick is a freelance writer who, with his wife Pam Guthrie, owns Wag Pet Boutique in Raleigh, NC. The couple, former corporate burnouts who just got fed up with having to leave their dogs home alone all day, opened Wag in 2003. The store has received numerous community and industry awards.