Pet Trade Shows – Page 5 – Pet Business Professor

SuperZoo 2015 – How does it compare to 2014…and to GPE 2015?

July 13, 2015/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

SuperZoo 2015 will be here next week. Officially, there are 983 exhibitors. That’s up about 7% from 2014, but still about 100 less than GPE 2015. So about 1000 exhibitors participate in both shows, right? Well, actually…No! Just under 600 exhibitors participate in both shows.
• About 400 exhibitors at SZ 2015 didn’t participate at GPE 2015
• About 500 exhibitors at GPE 2015 aren’t participating at SZ 2015

That means that of 1500 total Pet Show exhibitors, 900 only participate in one of these key shows.
While both shows are important to companies committed to the U.S. Pet Market, they do have a slightly different focus. For example, SuperZoo has a higher percentage of independent retail attendees while GPE had over 3 times the number of exhibitors from outside the U.S.

Let’s do some comparisons. We’ll take a look at the exhibitor type and product mix and compare it to both SuperZoo 2014 and GPE 2015. Both shows have designated floor sections which pull together exhibitors with a common theme. Other than this segregation, neither show segregates the other booths in any way.
The chart below and the ones that follow show the exhibitor count, % of total booths and directly compare SZ 2015 to SZ 2014. In the comparison to GPE 2015 we only show the % difference.

Remember SZ 2015 grew about 7% in exhibitor count so any change in count below +7% is actually a decrease in share of exhibitors. Also GPE and SZ have 3 sections in common for direct comparison

Natural – The segment continues strong growth in all shows. SuperZoo is leading the way.
Rodeo Drive – SZ has almost 3 times as many “fashion” exhibitors as GPE but basically no growth over SZ 2014
Groomers – This section, like the Services segment, is growing and is a major emphasis at SZ.
New Vendors – At least in terms of New Vendor section, there is no growth.

A word of caution: Just because a section is smaller, doesn’t mean that there are fewer exhibitors offering products in this category. It can indicate that Companies have broadened their product listings and have opted to not be segregated by only a part of their portfolio.

Now let’s take a look at the classifications that I have made in conjunction with the Exhibitor Visit Planning Tool that I designed to make working these trade shows easier and more productive.

First We’ll Compare Exhibitor Type – By function: By Animal type

Dogs and Cats are the pet “royalty” and increased in booth count but dropped slightly in “share” of booths as SuperZoo 2015 is showing more diversity..
SZ 2015 improved its offerings in Fish, Bird, Small Animal and Equine over 2014 but is still significantly behind GPE in all but Equine. Reptile is slowing for both shows.
Business Services is showing the biggest growth. The other “non-animal” segments are flat or down slightly versus 2014. SuperZoo still has significantly more of all these categories than GPE which reflects their focus on independent retailers.

Now let’s take a closer look at the “royalty” – Dogs and Cats. I have divided products designed for them into 32 subcategories. Here are this year’s top 10 for SZ 2015.

The major difference between SZ 15 and SZ 14 is that Clothes/Costumes loss significant share and dropped from #6 to #7. Feeding accessories moved up to the #6 spot.
In terms of share of booths, only Meds/Supp, Feeding Acc, Carriers and Grooming Tools actually gained.
Vs GPE, the top 3 are the same. SuperZoo has a significantly greater amount of meds/supplements and Grooming Tools. Their wide lead in clothes/costumes has narrowed considerably.

The full list of the “searchable” categories for Dog/Cat products and a comparison between SZ 2015 and SZ 2014 as well as GPE 2015 follows. Take a look at the categories that are of interest to you.

I have color highlighted both positive and negative differences in “share” of booths when they exceed 10 or 20%. Note: The data input for all shows was derived from visits to over 1000 websites – per show. They’re not 100% accurate, but close.

Although this post is primarily about SZ 2015, both SZ and GPE are “must attend” in the industry.

Regardless of why you are attending the SZ 2015, having a productive show requires planning. It’s too big to just “wing it”. Go to the link below which will take you to my previous post. From there you can download a copy of my SuperZoo Super Search Exhibitor Visit Planner. It can’t hurt and it may help make your show more productive.

Link to SuperZoo SuperSearch Post

SuperZoo 2015 is almost here…… Are you ready?

June 29, 2015/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

SuperZoo continues to grow. There are 971 exhibitors at SuperZoo 2015 – 60 more than last year. The show is also “open” for 22 hours – 3 more than last year!

Now the bad news. “Do the Math!” If you don’t stop to chat with anyone in the aisles or for food, a drink or to go to the bathroom, don’t attend any classes, don’t visit the New Products Showcase…and allow no time for walking, you can spend about 1 minute and 20 seconds with each exhibitor…down 10 seconds from last year :-). You definitely need a plan…!

Although SuperZoo has a high percentage of retail pet attendees, it still presents the “whole Pet Industry Package”…New Product Showcase, educational seminars, informative speakers and 400 exhibitors who didn’t showcase their products at GPE 2015. As such, it draws attendees from all retail channels and from around the world.

Together GPE and SuperZoo pack quite a one-two punch and you “must do both” if you’re serious about your U.S. Pet Business.

Pet Food and Supplies represent over 2/3 of the U.S. Pet Industry and every business can improve in terms of products. However, here’s where the abundance of exhibitors creates a problem. You just don’t have the time. You need to be able to target your visits. If you are a retailer, what sections of your store are not doing as well as you hoped and need a “facelift” or conversely, what areas are growing and need products to fill additional space? Category managers are only interested in visiting exhibitors relevant to their “categories”. Representatives also may be looking for new manufacturers…in specific product categories. Manufacturers could be looking to find distributors to handle their products or just looking to “check out” the competition. In regard to products, there is always something!

Much of the rest of this post will be redundant to some of my readers but for the benefit of the new people…

This problem of targeting the search for specific product categories has grown radically with the industry. About a year ago, I decided to try to do something to help.

I designed a tool in Excel, the Super Search SuperZoo 2014 Visit Planner to make “working the show” easier and more productive for ALL attendees – retailers, distributors, reps, groomers, vets…even exhibitors.

This was well received by its users, so I updated and improved the tool for this year’s GPE. I also learned a valuable lesson…never assume. I visited over 1000 exhibitor websites to confirm the product categories available from each…initially for GPE 2015, but again for SuperZoo 2015. If an exhibitor didn’t have an active site I did a separate internet search. For SuperZoo 2015, I was able to validate the product offerings for all but 3 exhibitors.

Is it 100% accurate – no, but it’s pretty darn close.

The SuperZoo 2015 Super Search can help you target your product search:

From the simplest…”just give me a list that I can look at on my phone or tablet quickly in either Booth # order or alphabetically”
To the most complex…”can do a simultaneous search for multiple specific product categories…then allowing you to personally narrow down the initial results and see the “final” alphabetically or in booth number order”.

The Super Search does both…and more…and does it quickly!

There is a download link below for the Super Search tool as well as one for the instructions. Yes, there are specific instructions for Super Search. I recommend that you read them and print them out for reference during your initial search. They are 4 pages long. Remember, instructions are by necessity long, even when the actions are pretty simple. If you used the search tool for GPE 2015, there is no change!

There is one last thing which could affect some of your searches. In the past, three companies – Central Garden and Pet, United Pet Group and PetSafe were each listed as exhibitors under their corporate “banner”. At SuperZoo 2015, they have each listed their individual subsidiaries/brands like TFH/Nylabone, Four Paws, Dingo, etc. separately, as exhibitors. Nothing has changed regarding the way they exhibit. They still occupy 3 “big” booths. This strategy may reflect the idea that retailers are more familiar with their “brands” than the overall “corporate” entity. Central and PetSafe still have their corporate names listed. However, United Pet Group does not.

I hope that the SuperZoo 2015 Super Search helps you have an enjoyable and productive show. “Plan your work. Work your plan”….See you in Vegas!

REMEMBER – When you download the Super Search tool, you must “enable macros” for it to work.

Download the files and get “planning” right now!

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SUPERZOO-SUPER-SEARCH-EXHIBITOR-VISIT-PLANNER-INSTRUCTIONS-Prepared-by.pdf” type=”icon” newwindow=”yes”] Download Instructions (PDF)[/button]

(To save the PDF to your computer Right Click the download link and select “Save Link As…”)

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SuperZoo2015-Final-SuperSearch-6-26.xlsm” type=”icon” newwindow=”no”] Download SuperSearch (Excel)[/button]

Attending Global Pet Expo 2015? – What’s your plan?

February 10, 2015/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

There are over 1070 exhibitors at Global Pet Expo 2015 and the show is “open” for 26 hours. Let’s “Do the Math!” If you don’t stop to chat with anyone in the aisles or for food, a drink or to go to the bathroom, don’t attend any classes…and allow no time for walking, you can spend about 1 and half minutes with each exhibitor…Perhaps you need a plan…??

For many of us, Orlando is a nice escape from the winter weather. However the primary purpose for attending GPE or any industry event must be to improve your business.

[box]With 1070+ Exhibitors you have 1½ minutes for each, if you don’t eat, drink, go to a class, go to the restroom or allow time for walking….You may need a plan!

[/box]

Of course, you should take the time to visit the new product area, sign up for helpful classes, network with other industry professionals and walk the whole show. When you walk the show, the strength and enormity of our growing industry will be readily apparent.

Every business can improve in terms of products. If you are a retailer, what sections of your store are not doing as well as you hoped and need a “facelift” or conversely, what areas are growing and need products to fill additional space? Category managers are only interested in visiting exhibitors relevant to their “categories”. Representatives also may be looking for new manufacturers…in specific product categories. Manufacturers could be looking to find distributors to handle their products or just looking to “check out” the competition. In regard to products, there is always something…for everyone!

The Pet Industry is widespread across Retail America with over 150,000 outlets selling Pet Products – including 72 of the largest 100 retail chains in the U.S. This huge base generates a huge variety of needs…both immediate and long term.

Last year I designed a tool in Excel, the Super Search Exhibitor Visit Planner to make “working SuperZoo” easier and more productive for ALL attendees – retailers, distributors, reps, groomers, vets…even exhibitors. I have updated all the data and made a “tool” specifically designed for GPE 2015.

From the simplest…”just give me a list that I can look at on my phone or tablet quickly in either Booth # order or alphabetically”
To the most complex…”can do a simultaneous search for multiple specific product categories, allowing me to personally narrow down the initial results and see the “final” alphabetically or in booth number order”.

The GPE Super Search Exhibitor Visit Planner does both…and more…and does it quickly!

There is a download link below for the GPE Super Search tool as well as one for the instructions. The instructions are fundamentally unchanged from last year. However, I recommend that you read them and print them out for reference during your initial search. They are 4 pages long. Before you get “turned off” about the length of the instructions, take a look at some of the instructions you have around the house. My vacuum cleaner – 11 pages; coffee maker – 21 pages; garage door opener – a novel. Instructions are by necessity long, even when the actions are pretty simple

If you are going to GPE 2015 – Plan your Work! Work your Plan! It will pay big dividends to your business!…and the GPE Super Search can help!

Download the files and get “planning” right now!

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/GPESuperSearch2015EXHIBITOR-VISIT-PLANNER-Instructions.pdf” type=”icon” newwindow=”yes”] Download Instructions (PDF)[/button]

(To save the PDF to your computer Right Click the download link and select “Save Link As…”)

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/GPE-2015-SuperSearch-3-01-15.xlsm” type=”icon” newwindow=”no”] Download SuperSearch (Excel)[/button]

[box type=”shadow”] In my next post, we’ll start to look at the “migration” of the U.S. consumer between retail channels. [/box]

Global Pet Expo 2015 is coming – Bigger and Better than last year!

February 5, 2015/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

GPE 2014 had 1000+ exhibitors. In 2015 there are 6.5% more, reinforcing its position as the premier annual show in the pet industry. Of course, most of you will be attending. This will be my 27^th consecutive year. After attending a number of these shows in combination with SuperZoo, you sometimes begin to think that you “have seen it all”.

If any attendees are feeling that way, consider this. Over 500 of the GPE 2015 exhibitors did not exhibit at SuperZoo 2014 and over 300 were not at last year’s GPE. Even if you attended one or both of those shows, GPE 2015 has a “lot of new”.

Let’s take a look at the exhibitor type and product mix and compare it to both last year’s GPE and SuperZoo 2014. Both shows have designated floor sections which pull together exhibitors with a common theme. Other than this segregation, neither show segregates the other booths in any way.

The chart below and the ones that follow show the exhibitor count, % of total booths and directly compare GPE 2015 to GPE 2014. In the comparison to SuperZoo we only show the % difference. Please note that this information is based upon data that was available from the APPA website as of 2/4/15. There are a few exhibitors which are committed to the show but not “on the site” as yet. This number is so small that it will not make a significant difference in this analysis.

GPE has 5 floor sections and SuperZoo has 7 (Grooming, Critters & Equine). They have 4 sections in common.

Natural – The growth of this industry is readily apparent. GPE has almost 50% more exhibitors than last year and is approaching SuperZoo’s numbers.
Boutique – GPE’s fashion section is slightly smaller than last year and considerably below SZ.
Aquatic – GPE is traditionally strong in aquatic and this section is almost twice as large as SZ.
New Vendors – Wow! 146 exhibitors. GPE is definitely about new.
International (GPE Only) – A little uptick from last year, but basically the same.

A word of caution: Just because a section is smaller, doesn’t mean that there are fewer exhibitors offering products in this category. It can indicate that Companies have broadened their product listings and have opted to not be segregated by only a part of their portfolio.

Now we come to classifications that I have made. As many of you know, I developed a search tool for SuperZoo which allows attendees to plan out their work on the floor by the products that they are interested in seeing. It allows up to 5 simultaneous searches to be run concurrently then generates the results in alpha or booth# order. I have developed one for GPE and it will be released next week!

First We’ll Compare Exhibitor Type – By function: By Animal type

At all shows, Cats are Royalty …but Dogs Rule! However, GPE has significantly improved the number of booths with cat products.
GPE slightly improved its offerings in Fish, Bird, Small Animal and Equine and is significantly greater than Superzoo in all of these but Equine.
GPE has big increases in Distributors, Business Services and “Gift”. SuperZoo still has significantly more of all three which reflects their long history with independent retailers. However, GPE is on the way up.

Dogs and Cats are the unquestioned royalty of Pet. I have divided products designed for them into 32 subcategories. Here are this year’s top 10 for GPE.

The major difference between GPE 15 and GPE 14 is that Food fell 2 spots and Shampoos dropped out of the top 10, replaced by Grooming Tools.
All of these categories except Food increased in both number of booths and share of space.
Vs SuperZoo, the top 4 are mirror images. SuperZoo has a significantly greater amount of fashion and meds/supplements.

The specific categories for Dog/Cat products and a comparison between GPE 15 and GPE 14 as well as Superzoo follows. Take a look at the categories that are of interest to you.

Note: There are some extraordinarily large increases in some categories from last year’s GPE. When I put this list together for GPE 2014, I relied on the product listing in the show website. Last year for Superzoo, I began double checking the listing against the company website. Often there is a big difference. The data input for GPE 2015 and SuperZoo 2014 were derived from the show listings AND visits to over 1000 websites – per show. They’re not 100% accurate, but close.

Although this post is primarily about GPE 2015, don’t “discount” SuperZoo. Both shows are great and actively trying to become better. New and different is not limited to GPE. Last year, SuperZoo had over 350 exhibitors that didn’t attend GPE. They are both integral parts of the Pet Industry…and I think you can appreciate their complexity.

Regardless of why you are attending the GPE, having a productive show requires planning. It’s too big to just “wing it”. In my next post, I will make available a “GPE Super Search” tool for download. Take a look.

It can’t hurt…and it just might help!

SuperZoo & GPE – What’s the difference?

June 28, 2014/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

GPE had over 1000 exhibitors and SuperZoo just over 900 so GPE is about 10% larger in sheer numbers. About 600 exhibitors have booths at both shows. This means that each show has 300-400 exhibitors that you won’t see at the other show – at least for 2014.

Both shows have designated floor sections which pull together exhibitors with a common theme. Other than this segregation, neither show segregates the other booths in any way.

The chart below and the ones that follow show the exhibitor count, % of total booths and compares Superzoo’s numbers to the GPE’s which occurred 4 months earlier. Let’s see how they differ.

In Numbers SuperZoo has 7 sections, while GPE has only 5.

They have 4 sections in common:
1. Natural – The growth of this industry is readily apparent as both shows fill however space they designate. SuperZoo actually had 81% more than GPE
2. Boutique/Rodeo Drive – Fashion is another growing area. It is especially apparent at Superzoo which has a focus on independent retailers and is perfectly timed for the independents to start their purchases for the Fall lift.
3. Aquatic – Traditionally stronger for GPE. The show is located in Florida with proximity to a number of wholesale fish suppliers.
4. New Vendors – Strong section for both shows.

Differing sections:
1. International (GPE Only) – SuperZoo has international exhibitors but it doesn’t generate quite the “Global” focus of GPE.
2. Critter Alley & Equine (Superzoo Only) – SuperZoo segregates a “live” animal section and a small section for Equine.
3. Groomers – SuperZoo has a special emphasis for groomers

Now we come to classifications that I have made. The next section is:

Exhibitor Type – By function: By Animal type

1. At both shows, Cats are Royalty (2 of every 5 booths have Cat products) …but Dogs Rule! (4 out of 5 booths have products for dogs.
2. GPE is a little stronger In Fish, small animals and birds.
3. SuperZoo has over 3 times the number of Pet Distributors as GPE. This reflects the emphasis on independent retailers as does the larger number of exhibitors offering retailer business services.
4. The increased number of Exhibitors offering “gifts” reflects this difference as well as the timing of the show – the beginning of the “gift” buying season.

Dogs and Cats are the unquestioned royalty of Pet. I have divided products designed for them into 32 subcategories. The top 8 are the same for both shows…although not in the exact same order.

There are only a couple of notable differences.
1. OTC Treatments and Supplements are growing rapidly. This is a reflection of a strong industry trend.
2. Clothes and costumes – With a 50% increase, this reflects the growing fashion segment and the timing of SuperZoo at the start of the Fall buying season for independents.

Both SuperZoo and GPE have significant numbers of attendees across all Channels of the Pet Market. Regardless of your focus, it’s possible to “gitter done” at either show. The difference seems to be that SuperZoo has more of a “local” flair while GPE has a broader international appeal. The timing of the 2 shows is slightly different as GPE lends itself to more long range planning while SuperZoo’s feel is an “act now” for it’s retailer attendees.

The complete list of dog and cat subcategories follows below. Take a look to see what is important for your business!

[box]Coming in my next post, we’ll start a conversation on everyone’s favorite subject – price increases 🙂[/box]

Attending SuperZoo? Do you have a plan?

June 26, 2014/in Pet Trade Shows/by John Gibbons

There are over 900 exhibitors at SuperZoo and the show is “open” for 19 hours. “Do the Math!” If you don’t stop to chat with anyone in the aisles or for food, a drink or to go to the bathroom, don’t attend any classes…and allow no time for walking, you can spend about 1 and half minutes with each exhibitor…It looks like you may need a plan…!

Vegas always has its allure…even in July, but your primary purpose for attending SuperZoo or GPE or Total Pet Expo or any industry event should be to improve your business.

[box]With 900+ Exhibitors you have 1½ minutes for each, if you don’t eat, drink, go to a class, go to the restroom or allow time for walking.

You may need a plan!

[/box]

Of course, you should take the time to visit the new product area, sign up for helpful classes, network with other industry professionals and walk the whole show. When you walk the show, the enormity of our growing industry will be readily apparent

Every business can improve in terms of products. If you are a retailer, what sections of your store are not doing as well as you hoped and need a “facelift” or conversely, what areas are growing and need products to fill additional space? Category managers are only interested in visiting exhibitors relevant to their “categories”. Representatives also may be looking for new manufacturers…in specific product categories. Manufacturers could be looking to find distributors to handle their products or just looking to “check out” the competition. In regard to products, there is always something!

Every level of our industry has a lot of “players”. This huge base produces a huge variety of needs…and since we’re Americans we want what we want…and we want it quickly! J

I designed a tool in Excel, the Super Search SuperZoo Visit Planner to make “working the show” easier and more productive for ALL attendees – retailers, distributors, reps, groomers, vets…even exhibitors.

From the simplest…”just give me a list that I can look at on my phone or tablet quickly in either Booth # order or alphabetically”
To the most complex…”can do a simultaneous search for multiple specific product categories, allowing me to personally narrow down the initial results and see the “final” alphabetically or in booth number order”.

The Super Search does both…and more…and does it quickly!

There is a download link below for the Super Search tool as well as one for the instructions. Yes, there are specific instructions for Super Search. I recommend that you read them and print them out for reference during your initial search. They are 4 pages long. Before you “have a cow” about the length of the instructions, take a look at some of the instructions you have around the house. My vacuum cleaner – 11 pages; coffee maker – 21 pages; garage door opener – a novel. Instructions are by necessity long, even when the actions are pretty simple

I’ve been in consumer products for over 35 years. Some of the things that I learned the very first week still stick with me. I remember one of the Chapter Names from my very first company Sales Manual (J&J). “Plan your work. Work your plan!” – Clichés become clichés because they are inherently true!

If you are going to Superzoo – Plan your Work! Work your Plan! It will pay big dividends to your business!

Download the files and get “planning” right now!

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SuperSearchSUPERZOOEXHIBITOR-VISIT-PLANNER-InstructionsFINAL.pdf” type=”icon” newwindow=”yes”] Download Instructions (PDF)[/button]

(To save the PDF to your computer Right Click the download link and select “Save Link As…”)

[button link=”https://petbusinessprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FinalSuperZooSuperSearch-USE.xlsm” type=”icon” newwindow=”yes”] Download SuperSearch (Excel)[/button]

[box type=”shadow”] In my next post, we’ll take a look at the product categories in terms of number and % of Superzoo exhibitors…compared to GPE. Are there any differences?[/box]