“They like us. They really, really like us!”
This was the feeling B.C. Henschen got from NASC members toward the small, independent pet retail channel after interacting with members at the 2017 NASC Annual Conference, where he led a discussion about the struggle micro independent retailers face as they compete with large, multi-store retailers and e-commerce sellers. Henschen summarizes his conference experience in an article entitled “NASC Gets It,” which appears in the July 2017 issue of Pet Product News.
Henschen tells readers he discovered that you (manufacturers of animal health supplements) do understand the value micro-independents offer, and you count on these sellers to tell your story and educate customers through one-on-one conversations that simply can’t be achieved in most large chain stores or online.
“NASC understands that micro independents really are the trendsetters. Many products start out in the small independent retail channel and end up in the larger multi-store operations because of the groundswell started by the micro retailer in the area,” Henschen writes.
Henschen visits the manufacturing facilities that make the pet foods he sells, and knows their safety protocols and backstory so he can relay that information to customers. With supplements, Henschen takes a similar approach.
“When I’m recommending a supplement, I always show the NASC Quality Seal and explain what that means,” Henschen writes. “That seal indicates that the company has been checked for manufacturing safety and ingredient sourcing, but that is only a small part of why I’m loyal to NASC products. The main reason is the council’s adverse-reaction tracking.”
Henschen goes on to explain NASC’s adverse event reporting system and how it adds the extra layer of assurance he’s looking for when considering products for his store. In general, the micro independents do take the time to research and understand the products they’re bringing in, and they pass that knowledge on to customers – and we do love them for it!
Read Henschen’s full article, and pass it along to your retailer contacts to encourage them to take a closer look at the true value of stocking products with the NASC Quality Seal.
B.C. Henschen is the C.O.O. of Platinum Paws, a full-service pet salon and premium pet food retailer in Carmel, IN. He is also a monthly columnist for Pet Product News, and is deeply knowledgeable about the pet food industry. B.C. stays current on industry news by attending yearly AAFCO meetings and visiting manufacturers’ processing facilities to ensure his customers always have quality pet products.
