thomas, wright, mcclain, day 1 allison thomas, noah wright ...€¦ · imc 105 001 . 19 september...

Thomas, Wright, McClain, Day 1

Allison Thomas, Noah Wright, Jada McClain, Khaura Day

Professor Patwardhan

IMC 105 001

18 September 2017

Ethnography Project

Introduction

On Sunday September 17, 2017, our group traveled to Pet Supermarket on Cherry Road

to begin a study of the store and its customers. We arrived at the store around noon, and

approached the manager to ask permission to observe. The request was granted, with the

stipulation that we did not disturb the customers by asking them questions. After opening our

binders and discussing a strategy for taking notes, we set out to study the store and the

customers. By posing questions to the staff and comparing our notes and insights about the

business, we gathered information on the company and the customers in order to make

recommendations for improving sales.

Store Overview

The store layout was divided into sections based off of the type of animal, including

dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and fish. The largest of these was the dog section, which comprised the

left half of the store. The remaining sections took up smaller portions of the right half, with

reptiles and fish along the back corner, and cat and bird supplies making up the front left aisles.

Around the middle of the store, next to the checkout counter, were live animals. These were

mainly small pets, including gerbils, rabbits, hamsters, and birds. Finally, the back wall housed a


self-serve dog washing station. The store is only three months old, so each of these areas felt

new, clean, and modern.

To create a homelier atmosphere; wood elements blended with a relatively modern

design. There were prominent front windows, bright lighting, and open aisles to add to a friendly

environment. Although the shelves were heavily stocked, the use of physical space and lighting

allowed the supermarket to feel larger and more inviting. To add a sense of community was a

large painted mural of pet owners in a Rock Hill park displayed above the back wall.

Insights

When we walked in, we immediately felt the love the staff had for the animals. They

were very passionate about their job and were very helpful to the customers. There were about

fifty customers over the hour, and the employees attributed this busyness to church just being let

out. The most popular items sold there are anything for dogs, and the most popular pets sold are

the rabbits. Animal shipments arrive every Tuesday, and within a day or two, the six bunnies that

arrive are sold out. Workers mentioned that the reptiles were among the least popular, with

miniscule sales compared to those of the rabbits and birds. Whether this is due to the placement

of the reptile containers in the back corner, or the customers’ opinions of the animals is unclear.

However, we did observe many children looking at the reptiles who seemed interested in them.

The customers we observed generally fell into one of three categories: the elderly, the

couples, and the families. The older customers typically arrived by themselves, and expected

prompt service from the staff, approaching them and carefully explaining their needs and asking

many questions. Couples typically brought animals with them, and made frequent use of the dog


washing station in the back. Finally, families traveled in units, and spent much of their time

browsing, looking at the animals rather than asking for specific items.

Despite their differences in buying habits, the customers all seemed to harbor a deep care

for animals. They ogled over the small creatures on display, with one or two families being

intrigued by even the reptiles tucked away in the back corner. In addition, those who asked for

help were very particular about the needs of their pets; one elderly woman expressed that her dog

did not like a certain squeak produced by a toy, and asked for recommendations. Another

constant among customers was that many had a Starbucks cup in their hand, which was hardly a

surprise given the close proximity of a franchise location next door to the shop. Although the

demographics were a bit different, a sense of community around the love of animals

encapsulated everyone.

Observations

During our visit, we noticed that there were not many animals present in the cages. After

questioning the staff, we learned that this was due to the fact that the store gets their animals

delivered all the way from Miami, Florida, and because of the damage Hurricane Irma caused,

they were unable to send them. It is concerning that the store only has one option for animals,

with no backup plan in case of situations like this. Additionally, we learned that they have

ongoing issues of there not being enough animals in the store. For example, the rabbits, which

are delivered weekly, often sell out in two days. This leaves up to five days each week where the

most popular animal is unavailable.

Strong community relations are a very important aspect of successful businesses, and Pet

Supermarket strives to achieve them. Flyers advertising collaborative efforts with local animal


foundations were placed along the walls. For instance, the store contained posters for War Dogs,

an organization that collected donations towards aiding pet shelters affected by Hurricane

Harvey in Houston. A banner placed outside the store also advertised community veterinarian

services in the store at certain times during the week. Additionally, every last Tuesday of the

month is Seniors and Military Day where they receive 10% off all purchases. The store has

contributed to donating $100,000 in pet food and supplies and are still currently accepting

donations to support disaster areas. This, plus the large number of customers we observed, shows

a dedication to community in the business. The store lacked any method of spreading the word,

however. Most of the flyers and advertisements for relief organizations and services were inside,

and although they have amassed a population of brand loyalists, they appear to have little online

or local presence beyond these customers.

Recommendations

Our observations of the customers, staff, and atmosphere of the store led us to determine

that the store could benefit from creating a stronger community of pet owners around itself. We

would recommend creating some form of social media to promote new animals arriving from

shelters, as well as in-store sales or their activity in the Rock Hill area. This would draw the

attention of a younger, college-aged crowd as well, which would be a fantastic demographic to

target, considering the proximity of the store to Winthrop, and the number of pets on campus. In

addition to this, a community around the business could be strengthened through more

partnerships with animal shelters. This introduction of social media would essentially work to

help grow the recognition of Pet Supermarket in the area, making the business have a larger

presence among the community.


Currently, the Pet Supermarket is partnered with the York County Animal Shelter, from

which it only receives cats. Some animals arrive from a location in Florida as well, but due to the

distance, this partnership is unlikely to benefit a local community. The staff also mentioned that

the animal shipments from this area are sporadic, due to the frequent hurricanes. We would

recommend partnerships with Recycled Pets in Rock Hill or the Humane Society of York County

in Fort Mill, which would allow the business to take in more animals and grow its presence in

the animal community of Rock Hill. Additionally, by adding dogs and puppies for sale, the

store’s revenue would largely increase. Right now, dog supplies lead the store in income, and by

introducing these pets, the store’s income would increase even more.

Also of note is the large amount of Starbucks cups the customers were carrying. We came

to the conclusion that many of the customers would visit the Starbucks location next door before

entering the Pet Supermarket. If possible, we would recommend some form of partnership with

this location. A rewards program, for example, could allow consumers to obtain discounts for

items by purchasing beverages from Starbucks. Instating a policy to allow pets around the

Starbucks location could influence customers to visit, as well. This could be used to strengthen

the sense of community by encouraging customers to meet together over drinks and making them

more loyal to the brand.

An additional recommendation that we want to present is for the Pet Supermarket to

establish a partnership with Winthrop University. As previously noted, there is a sizable amount

of therapy pets on campus. If a partnership was formed, it would provide students with a quick,

local place to shop for their pets, and a place for the store to engage in public relations projects or

promotions, adding to the local community. Another possible idea is for the store to start using

their animals as therapy pets. By designating a specific day for people to come in and play with


their animals and also incorporate information on the benefits of therapy pets, it would entice

them to make a purchase.

Conclusion

By visiting the Pet Supermarket on Cherry Road we were able to understand the

consumers and their habits, what motivates them to buy certain products or animals, and how

they make use of the products they buy. From our observations we took, we found that the

consumers harbor a deep care for their animals. We also came to the conclusion that Pet

Supermarket needs to create a Rock Hill location social media site to inform the public of new

animals and products that arrive. Additionally, we recommended a partnership with Winthrop

University, since we do have students who have animals on campus. This would include letters

or coupons delivered to Winthrop students to advertise the services and products offered at the

store, building a relationship between animal lovers of the school and the brand.


Allison Thomas, Noah Wright, Jada McClain, Khaura Day

Professor Patwardhan

IMC 105 001

19 September 2017

Strengths ● Location: next to Starbucks, Winthrop

University, busy road, and in an area where there are parks and many places to walk dogs.

● New, modern store with friendly atmosphere

● In-store services

Weaknesses ● Animal shipment is not always on time

or not frequent enough. ● No local presence, or social media ● Inability to spread the word about their

business

Opportunities ● Social media accounts ex: Instagram,

Facebook. ● Therapy pets and dog training. ● Partnership with Starbucks, Winthrop,

and a stronger relationship with humane society.

● More animals on display in store

Threats ● Competition from other stores. ● Natural disasters affecting shipment. ● Lack of community involvement. ● Competition from larger chains, i.e.

PetSmart, Petco

Introduction

After visiting Pet Supermarket and gaining insights through observations of the store and

its customers, we are now able to create a SWOT analysis report in order to further benefit the

store. The purpose of this report is to assess the current status of the local Pet Supermarket store,

and determine the best course of action for them to take in order to increase brand loyalty and

profits. In looking over our previous report, we made note of the various internal and external

factors that characterized the business. By taking stock of the situation, we were able to produce

this SWOT analysis to categorize the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats


regarding Pet Supermarket in order to determine the best method of growing the business

through advertisement.

Strengths

The Pet Supermarket had many strengths that we immediately noticed when entering the

store. The layout made it very easy for customers to find what they were looking for because

each animal had its own section of the store. The store is new, so it has a clean, modern feel, but

wood accents make it feel comfortable and homely. Additionally, they play catchy pop music,

which gives a friendly atmosphere.

The location of the store is beneficial for sales as well. The store is on a busy road, which

makes it a perfect stop for people coming from church or for those who are just getting off of

work. Just two blocks from the store is a popular street where people are always walking their

dogs, and there are many parks around where people take them as well. Winthrop University is

right around the corner, and many students have pets. The Starbucks next door brings in many

customers, and that was apparent after seeing most customers with a drink in hand.

There are many in-store services that are huge strengths that bring in many customers as

well. There is a dog washing station where they supply shampoo, conditioner, towels, and a blow

dryer for only $10. VIP-petcare is a vet service that visits the store every other Sunday. They

provide vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm prevention, testing and deworming, and RX flea

and tick control. Additionally, the employees were very knowledgeable and excited about their

job, providing immediate service to every customer that walked in. This includes ones who had

questions or ones who needed pointed in the direction of a product.


Weaknesses

Although our visit to the store left us with an overall positive impression, there were

some notable weaknesses we discovered upon reflection. The most prominent of these was the

lack of a social presence in the Rock Hill area. The store, which is relatively new in the area, had

yet to build a sizable group of loyal customers, despite the cheerful atmosphere. This may be the

result of the presence of larger, more prominent chains in the area, such as PetSmart.

Additionally, the store has little online presence; they do not have any social media accounts for

the Rock Hill location, nor a website. Furthermore, their lack of local advertisement and minimal

involvement with other animal shelters serves to keep them in obscurity. The store strives to

create a friendly atmosphere, perfect for growing a community, but they lack the tools necessary

to spread the word.

This lack of a social presence is bolstered by an inability to engage with the local

community; the small number of animals in the store is a direct result of their lack of

partnerships with local animal shelters. The Pet Supermarket receives much of its animals from

shelters down in Florida, which have been devastated by recent hurricanes. This, combined with

the aforementioned absence of interaction with local businesses, has led to the preventable

problem of low stock. Additionally, many of the animals on store shelves sell out rather quickly,

leaving empty pins and cages during most business days. The Pet Supermarket has made some

attempt at cultivating a community presence, but its struggle to achieve this goal is its main

weakness.


Opportunities

As previously stated, the Pet Supermarket has many strengths that the store could turn

into many positive opportunities. Having its location on such a busy street could really help its

presence on social media as a local pet store since so many people in the area own pets,

including the students that attend Winthrop University just a few blocks down. Promoting the

arrival of new animals at the store could also help establish a stronger community if Pet

Supermarket sold some of the animals as therapy pets to Winthrop students, as there is a sizable

amount of therapy pets on campus. This would benefit student customers who come because

they could get a student discount and are able to purchase pet supplies for their pets or even

engage with the animals.

In addition to the partnership with the York County Animal Shelter, the Pet Supermarket

could also partner with Starbucks since there is a Starbucks next door to the pet store. Based on

our observations, many customers would visit Starbucks before going into the Pet Supermarket.

A rewards program would benefit consumers because they would be obtaining discounts for

items by purchasing Starbucks beverages. Also, a new policy that allows pets to be around the

Starbucks location would influence customers to visit and relax at both locations as their pets are

being taken care by vet services and the wash services at the Pet Supermarket.

Threats

A few factors with negative impacts remain outside the control of the Pet Supermarket.

These threats necessitate further elaboration if the store is to grow and overcome them; for

example, the competition from other chains requires a thorough examination. The store occupies

the same road as a PetSmart franchise, and is in close proximity to other businesses such as


Animal Supply House. This presents a considerable obstacle for a fledgling business; the store

has yet to establish itself in the community, and faces competing stores that may offer better

prices or a larger selection of items. The prevalence of these other chains may also leave

customers unaware of the existence of Pet Supermarket, and therefore draw business away.

These factors, among the other threats posed by big businesses on smaller chains, make up the

largest amount of outside danger towards the store.

Another major threat, however, is the small supply of live animals to the store due to

natural disasters. During our visit, we observed that many of the cages were empty, unbefitting

of a store that attempted to create a friendly, comfortable atmosphere. Upon inquiry, an

employee mentioned that much of the stock of animals comes from a distribution center in

Florida, which had been unable to ship due to the recent hurricanes in the area. This has dire

ramifications on the store; less animals means less business, and causes the store to lose some of

its charming, homely atmosphere. This is not as dire of an issue as the pressure of retail

competition; hurricane threats are sporadic and occur only during a few months, while business

competition is year-round. Still, it represents a serious threat to the well-being of the store.

Conclusion

Through the SWOT analysis, we were able to determine Pet Supermarket’s strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By doing this, we decided that the most important

marketing need for the business to succeed is for it to build a strong community relationship with

Winthrop University. Therefore, the store will be able to have a strong relationship with the

younger, college demographics, and increase their sales.

September 28, 2017

Hey Winthrop Students!

We know college can be tough. You’re spending your days cooped up inside libraries,

dorm rooms, and classrooms. You’re buried in a stack of books a mile high, and a tuition

price that’s even higher. Some days you may feel so stressed that you do not know what

to do, but have no fear because we have an answer for you. Stop on into the new Pet

Supermarket on Cherry Road because here we will always have a furry friend to brighten

your day. We have bunnies, cats, hamsters and gerbils, and an infinite amount of toys

and snacks for the beloved pets you already have.

Whether it is a therapy cat in your dorm room, or your beloved dog in a Campus Walk

house, we are here for you, just like they are. And to prove it, we’re giving you a treat.

Starting today, every student who provides their Winthrop ID at checkout will receive a

10% discount. So next time you are stressing and need a break from college, stop in to

Pet Supermarket and pick up something special for your furry friend, and bring them

along too. We’re here for you, and our animals are too because at Pet Supermarket,

we’re all part of the Winthrop family. We look forward to seeing you, and your furry

friends!

Your friend,

Pet Supermarket

610 Cherry Road, Suite 103Rock Hill, SC 29732

(803) 980-01201 (866) 434-1990

©Pet Supermarket

thomas, wright, mcclain, day 1 allison thomas, noah wright ...€¦ · imc 105 001 . 19 september...

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