A courageous lone fighter

A year ago, Domenico Nigro took a gamble and opened the “Pets” pet store not far from the busy shopping street Via U. Bassi in Bologna. The store doesn’t sell any pets, specialising instead in premium pet food and accessories for dogs. It offers a small basic range of products for other pets such as cats, small animals, fish and cage birds. Since there is a shortage of parking places in Bologna’s city centre, Pets sells pet food above all in small packs that its customers can transport easily on foot or by bicycle. The range features international brands such as Royal Canin and Hill’s, and the products of the Italian manufacturers Farmina and Nova Foods are particularly well represented. When it comes to accessories, Pets favours the Trixie brand, which covers all product categories. As the retail area covers scarcely more than 100 m2, only selected products that are designed for outdoor activities with dogs are offered. Domenico Nigro considers the provision of expert advice to customers to be an important factor. He organises regular events in his shop, therefore, at which pet owners can learn more about topics such as training or healthy nutrition for dogs, for example. Regular price promotions, in which certain products are offered at a reduced price, also attract considerable attention. Online activities Pets has succeeded in gradually expanding its customer base with the aid of flyers, but above all by word of mouth. Domenico Nigro says that his shop now draws customers from the region surrounding Bologna too. The store proprietor, who worked in the garment industry before going into the pet supplies trade, regards the business’s website and Facebook pages as an important tool for getting noticed. Nigro passes details of dogs available from breeders to interested parties and also works closely with the pet shelter in Bologna, and has made new contacts as a result. He is not afraid of the future, not even of the growing competition from online shops. It is clear to him, nevertheless, that retailers need to offer a steady stream of new products to maintain a dialogue with the customers. Nigro does not wish to become part of a chain or franchise system, as he values his independence and wants to put his own ideas into practice. Download: A courageous lone fighter (PDF file)