You are on the right track if you are looking for a way to import China Pet Supplies Wholesale. The pet supplies business has been one of the most lucrative in recent years. Furthermore, it seems that it is going to continue growing in 2023 and beyond. According to a report, the pet market closed at 261 billion US dollars at the end of 2022. With a growth rate of 6.1%, it is expected to reach a staggering 350 billion US dollars by 2027.
With e-commerce, sourcing goods from China has become easier. There are many reliable websites, sourcing agents, and other methods by which you can import China pet supplies wholesale. But you need to be familiar with the process to avoid getting scammed. Today, we will discuss the process of importing pet supplies in detail. Moreover, we will also include some tips and tricks to help you shortlist the best suppliers in the market.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Overview of the Pet Supplies Market Wholesale
Before you go ahead and invest your money in the pet supplies market wholesale, you need to have a good understanding of the market dynamics. Once you know where the market stands, making an entry and growing will become easier. Firstly, we will look into the major characteristics of the pet supplies market.
1) 3 Major Characteristics of the Pet Supplies Market
As we have already mentioned, the pet supplies market is booming. As of now, it is one of the biggest industries in the world. Even with several competitors in the market, the market welcomes fresh ideas and innovative products. New entrants can enter as there is no saturation. Moreover, new products will help you gain a competitive advantage over others.
- E-commerce has Paved the Way Forward.
With the boom in e-commerce, the world has seen a massive shift in consumer preference when buying online. If you look at the statistics, the online pet market (online buying) has increased almost 4 times since 2014. The reason for this is the security and reliability you get when shopping online. Online customers are aware of the many options they have.
If you are looking to penetrate the pet supplies market, the biggest category to go into is pet food. Secondly, you can opt for pet supplies. If done right, you can surely get lucky and make huge profits.
- Reasons for Pet Ownership and Demographics have Changed.
There was a time when pets were owned for a specific reason. People used to keep dogs just for the sake of having protection. Cats and other animals were kept for the sake of companionship. Additionally, pets were also kept as status symbols only. But now, this has changed for good. Pets are being treated as family members. Entrepreneurs who have made it big in the market know how to sell pet supplies to pet owners. Now, a person with a dog is not just a dog owner. People like to call them “dog parents.” This tag alone is enough to show the emotional attachment to pets. A second major characteristic of the pet market is pet ownership demographics.
Instead of baby boomers, Millennials hold the title of the largest group to own pets. Hence, it is important to understand the customer and market according to their needs and requirements.
- Customization and Personalization are on the Rise
Lastly, entering the market is becoming easier for new people as mass production is not the only way forward. People want something that has a personal touch to it. Customization is becoming easier and has become the need of the day. Gifts like customized mugs with the pet’s face, customized cushions, etc., are becoming popular. Moreover, customized pet beds with their names and initials are also becoming a thing.
2) What are Pet Supplies?
When it comes to pet supplies, the market is enormous. Undoubtedly, you will hardly find a wholesaler or retailer selling all types of pet products. Therefore, it is essential to understand the different pet supplies and which one you want to sell.
Pet supplies are products that pets use. For instance, pet food, pet toys, pet furniture, pet grooming gadgets, pet vitamins and medicines, pet medical supplies, pet leashes, collars, and so much more are just some of the pet supplies you can sell.
Chapter 2: 11 Steps to Import China Pet Supplies Wholesale
Now that you know what pet supplies are and have a fair idea about the pet supplies market, you can start your sourcing process. Importing China pet supplies wholesale is not a very technical process. What makes the process difficult is the number of Chinese suppliers and manufacturers present in the market. This choice alone can prove challenging to make let alone deciding how and through whom to get those supplies.
This chapter covers in detail the 11 steps that are crucial to importing pet supplies from Chinese wholesalers and manufacturers. If you can understand these, you will have a good chance of importing the right products from the right people through the proper channels.
1) Decide which Products you Want to Sell and to Whom
When importing from China, buyers think that the first step is to find a reliable supplier. No, this is not the case. In fact, the first thing to do is to make sure you decide to sell the right products. Now, the market is full of different pet supplies. These range from pet food to pet grooming kits to pet beds and furniture. Choosing the right product is very important. Therefore, market research is imperative to know more about the target market and what product is making it big in the market and what is not. The three market segments you can go into are discussed below.
- Luxury: If you are familiar with the pet supplies business, you must have heard of Beverly Hills Chihuahua. With such initiatives, luxury is not limited to human beings anymore. Pet owners like to spend and show off their pets in the world. Moreover, pet fashion is not the only segment where luxury is present. The high-end society is getting good quality foods made by special chiefs just for their pets. Undoubtedly, this market is smaller but with a promise of making big profits.
- Mid-Market Type: These people are willing to spend on their pets, but don’t want to indulge them in luxuries. For instance, pet grooming, customized food, customized furniture, pet training, and grooming are included in this type.
- Mass Production: To play safe and not take risks, you should prioritize affordability. For this, you can easily find thousands of wholesale Chinese pet suppliers willing to offer different products. This category includes food bowls, leashes, collars, rubber toys, etc.
The key to success is to figure out which market you are targeting and find a product that is market appropriate.
2) Find the Right Supplier/Manufacturer/Wholesaler
Now that you have decided which product you will sell and your target market, the next step is to find the right supplier for your business. A simple Google search will show how many suppliers are in the market. Even if you are sitting across the globe, you can quickly source products from China without worry.
Our previous articles have a lot of information on how to find the suitable Chinese suppliers. The exact process is in finding suppliers for pet supplies. So, if you want to know in detail, read our blog on “How to Find Chinese Suppliers: A China Supplier Guide 2022” Once you understand how you can find suppliers, it will become easier. The major ways are:
- To attend trade fairs and exhibitions
- To check different B2B and B2C websites like Alibaba, AliExpress, 1688.com, DHgate, etc.
- To source products through referrals and networking
- To hire a China Sourcing Agent to help you source products, or
- You can also visit different China markets