By EILEEN HEE
The pet business is booming as more people cash in on the awareness that pets are worth spoiling too.
“Pets are not just pets anymore. These days, many people treat their pets like children and are willing to pay top dollars for their upkeep,” Pets More Sdn Bhd general manager Sean Saw tells StarBizWeek.
As such, most products that people want for themselves, they will want for their pets, he points out.
“Just look at recent trends in the pet industry like organic food, homeopathic products, luxury accessories and you will find they mirror counterparts for human folk,” he says, adding that focus these days is on pet accessories, furniture, carrying bags and clothing.
Pets More was established in January 2004 by Chin Kong Han who started managing a traditional pet shop in 1988.
“When the second generation of the family took over the business, we rebranded the company,” Saw says.
At present, there are 10 Pets More outlets located in the Klang Valley. Typically, each outlet involves an investment of RM350,000 to RM600,000.
Plans are in the pipeline to have another 10 outlets by next year, Saw says.
He says the company is also considering expanding to locations outside the Klang Valley to cater to pet lovers who do not have access to such pet shops.
“There is a lot of potential in the pet business. Competition is minimal as our concept is different. We do not just sell products and pets, we make sure our customers are well-educated in pet care.
“We also have an in-house grooming service for customers who want to keep their pets in a tiptop condition at all times,” says Saw.
Pets More offers pet boarding and taxi as well as delivery services.
It has also embarked on an online business. The company’s website attracts 10,000 visitors every day, of which 40% are from overseas.
“We are the only pet shop that sells live pets online,” Saw says.
He says the business is aimed at making quality pets available to the consumers.
Besides that, Pets More markets products such as pet food, equipment and accessories.
The pets include dogs, cats, tortoises, hamsters and rabbits.
Saw does not expect the slowing economy to dampen the company’s sales or hurt its bottom line.
“Regardless of the state of the economy, pet owners will spend,” he says, adding the Malaysian pet market differs from that of in the US.
“In the US, eight in 10 households have pets. And each household has seven or eight pets. In Malaysia, three in 10 households have pets and these households are mainly in the middle-upper income range,” he says.
Saw says the company has been experiencing a 40% year-on-year sales growth since it opened its doors.
“We are still expanding despite the economic crisis,” he says, adding that another four Pets More outlets are slated to open this year.
“We are opening one in Wangsa Walk in July and another in Subang Empire in September,” he says. The locations for the other two outlets have not been finalised.
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