Pet Industry Trends

We thought it would be a good opportunity to share with everyone the trends we have been witnessing over the past 6-12 months as it pertains to various vertical markets that are expressing interest in coin-op serve dog wash.

1) Groomers Struggling: What we find interesting is that recently, we have been receiving a lot of inquiries for the coin-op dog wash from groomers. Their reasoning is that they are seeing a decrease in traditional grooming revenue because of the slowing economy. The funny thing is that some of the groomers who think self serve dog wash equipment is a competitor are finally 'seeing the light'. They are realizing that a majority of dog owners wash their pet at home and are looking for an easier solution without the clean-up. In our opinion, dog owners will be cutting back on the amount of times they pay $70-100 to have someone else groom their dog. Groomers are now seeing the coin-op self serve dog wash as a complementary product that can help increase revenues and exposure.

2) Self serve dog wash store fronts are charging on average $12-20 to use their indoor self serve dog wash facility. The difference in price is based on the size and weight of your dog. Some will provide you with shampoo options, others will charge extra for higher-end products. Also, we have found that their tubs are typically made of plastic or fiberglass and some require you 'lift' your pooch into the tub. And most of the time, when you actually have the time to wash your dog, they are closed.
We think you will start to see coin-op self serve dog wash store-fronts opening up offering a more competitive price, open 24x7 (like the 24x7 fitness centers) and providing the dog owner the conveniences for which we look.

3) Residential and Commercial Real-Estate companies (REITs) are starting to seriously consider adding a more pet friendly environment by offering dog parks and the like. We are receiving a number of inquiries from REITs about the coin-op self serve dog wash, as it's a natural fit for them. Plus this value-add amenity will certainly be a differentiating factor for dog owners during their evaluation process.

4) Laundromats are looking to add another Profit Center. They have the space and the utilities... it seems to make sense ... they have coin operated equipment, why not add the dog wash. Google laundromats and dog washes and see for yourself how many are already out there. It's a nice fit.

In the coming weeks, we'll talk about other businesses expressing interest and other trends we are seeing in the self serve dog wash market.