PETsMART Brands Itself
By George Anderson
Chris Hoyt writes on Reveries.com that most retailers have been unable to get consumers to see them as anything other than resellers of other companies’ products. This consumer perception has been a direct result of retailers focusing on “making money on the buy, rather than the sell.”
An exception to the rule, writes Mr. Hoyt, is PETsMart. It has “differentiated itself in its consumers’ eyes — by encouraging people to bring their pets with them to shop. Their message to consumers — both in words and action — is that PETsMART is for animals.”
PETsMart, writes Mr. Hoyt, has leveraged its credibility with consumers to expand beyond its initial business of selling pet food and supplies. It has expanding into services such as grooming, obedience training and even pet boarding with its PETsHOTEL concept.
Moderator’s Comment: Why do so many retailers talk
about differentiation, while so few actually seem to do it? What does a retailer
need to do to create a brand identity for itself?
It is popular industry-speak these days to hear retail
executives talk about branding the store. If you believe them, we have some
beautiful Super Fund sites in New Jersey with great views you might be interested
in buying. [George
Anderson – Moderator]