What's the future for brick-and-mortar retailers? How have consumer behaviours changed since last year? What should I do as a merchant to stay ahead and be relevant this year? Are there any new marketing strategies I can focus on that will give me an edge in 2023? 

In our humble opinion, we think that making your store pet-friendly is the most wanted brick-and-mortar marketing strategy in 2023 and here’s why.

According to Lightspeed Commerce, some of the top 10 retail trends and predictions  for 2023 and marketing strategies brick-and-mortar retailers should be aware of include:

1. Consumers will continue to shop offline despite the growing ecommerce trends

2. The demand for experiential retail will grow

3. Expect a bigger focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility

4. Retail will permeate other industries and vice versa

Making and advertising your shops as pet-friendly stores could be the key differentiator you need to stand out amongst  your competitors. Don’t believe us? 

We surveyed our 15k+ audience to tell us what THEY thought and… well let’s just say “woof!”, people want to see more pet-friendly stores!

With a pet-friendly store, you can easily touch at least 4 of the 10 brick-and-mortar marketing trends in 2023 - here’s how.

When the pandemic hit, everyone took to ecommerce. However as the world opened up in 2022, consumers flocked back to brick-and-mortar stores - and as we get the new year started, we’re going to see physical stores continue to play an important role in consumer buying journeys.

Don’t hound us about it - but there are definitely times where seeing - and most importantly FEELING - the product is supreme. 

So, how does this relate to making the switch to being a pet-friendly store? 

Is your brick-and-mortar store within a large dog-owning community? Chances are it’s a YES as 60% of Canadian households own a pet and 70% of American households own a pet). Dog-walking pedestrians are more likely to stop, browse, and most importantly linger and purchase something if they’re allowed to shop with their pets at their side compared to pet owners who leave their dogs outside of stores.

According to a survey conducted by YouGov in 2022,

It’s not surprising then, that a pet-friendly store policy can significantly affect how frequently consumers choose to venture out of their homes, shop, and even determine specific brand stores to visit. 

Here’s what our Doggos Community have to say:

Have you heard the term ‘retailtainment’ or ‘experiential retail’ thrown around the industry recently? If so, chances are you can guess that one of the growing brick-and-mortar strategies that more brands are adopting are opting to include additional ‘services’ or ‘features’ to their retail spaces to draw physical consumers into their stores.

Think - organic photo opportunities, unique / stand out ‘aesthetic decor’, partnered services demonstrating products, skate parks for skateboarding shoe brands.

Why is experiential retail a growing trend?

Looking for a simple and low-cost way to level up your retail experience as you move towards becoming a pet-friendly store?

Here is an easy suggestion our Doggos team brainstormed after seeing one of our reader’s input: 

• Opt to offer in store sampling / free pet treats and fresh water for pets - or even an additional pet display stand to boost your and entice consumers

Retail branding matters. In 2023, retailers are seeing consumers increasingly aligning their retail choices with their own personal values and lifestyles.

Execute a bigger focus on lifestyle match including incorporating greater communications and actions in sustainability and social responsibility. 

Thanks to several nationwide studies conducted in the past few years, the majority of North American households are pet owners. Pet ownership continues to trend upwards. 

What better way to align your brand with your consumers shifting lifestyle than to align your business to the needs and wants of this key cultural shift?

In 2023, we’ll see more retailers go from being purists (i.e., retail-only stores) to become hybrid locations that have other offerings beyond inventory. We can see this in action in retail stores that set up services, event spaces and even coffee shops within their locations..

Diversifying and partnering with other industry sectors is in line with the growing demand for experiential retail from consumers. Take advantage of your existing retail space, and consider hosting creative or unique events to draw customers in.

Unique one-time event experiences like offering puppy yoga at a yoga studio, running pop-up rescues, offering dog-friendly charcuterie-building experiences, or even incorporating a designated off-leash zone in your market space are all huge draws to bring in the pet-minded consumers to your space. 

Here at Doggos, we offer a unique service to help interested retailers and corporations host one-off dog-friendly events mentioned above. Be sure to check our private and corporate event offerings or contact us to learn how dog-friendly events can boost your business.

Overall, a lot of 2023 brick-and-mortar marketing strategies will be focused on what a retailer can provide to consumers to make it a memorable and tactile experience. From creating a great impression with your retail space, to offering unique entertainment, to combining services from other industries together - more and more retailers are looking to add something unique to their store roster. 

Considering how most of North America are pet owners and how finding indoor pet-friendly stores and facilities are few and far between, we believe that moving towards pet-friendly stores in 2023 is one of the best ways to adopt this year’s marketing strategies and make your business stand above the crowd.

Do you agree with our community’s opinion that pet-friendly stores should be the move for most brick-and-mortar businesses in 2023? Howl-bout letting us know in the comments below?