Seasonal toys like Huxley & Kent’s Tree Rex Dino offer a fun way for pet owners to celebrate the holidays with their dogs.

Seasonal toys like Huxley & Kent’s Tree Rex Dino offer a fun way for pet owners to celebrate the holidays with their dogs.

As global supply chain issues continue to affect product distribution, manufacturers recommend that independent pet specialty retailers place holiday merchandise orders as soon as possible.

Seasonal orders were placed plenty early this year, reported Mike Dagne, president of Huxley & Kent, a Washington, D.C.-based wholesaler of fun and functional pet products.

“We do whatever we can to support the retailers during these times of uncertainty,” Dagne said. “Our biggest change was buying an additional two months earlier than we did last year. As of now, we’re feeling good about our deliveries for holiday and believe we’ve got a fantastic lineup of products.”

Huxley & Kent plans to release several new dog toys and accessories for the upcoming fall and winter seasons.

“We introduced a new category of squeak and shake dog toys this spring called Slappies,” Dagne said. “Two new designs will be coming out in the fall, and four additional designs will be released for holiday.”

Slappies are currently available in eight animal styles. The toy includes a squeaker thermoplastic rubber (TPR) ball in the head and is made without polyfoam stuffing to enhance its slapping action. Dagne said the unique design stimulates the natural hunting instinct in dogs.

Supply chain issues can also make the holidays seem like they are arriving earlier than ever, said Kerry Wezner, marketing manager of Fluff & Tuff, a Troy, Mich.-based toy manufacturer.

“It is so important to be prepared early,” Wezner said. “We, and other manufacturers, are working as hard as possible to ensure holiday items will be available in time for the Q4 shopping rush.”

There are ways to navigate uncertainties in the supply chain and rising demand for holiday toys and accessories. Sarah Johnson, account manager for P.L.A.Y (Pet Lifestyle And You), a pet toy and bed manufacturer in San Francisco, said early planning continues to be key.

“We suggest ordering early, especially if you have the space to store inventory in advance,” Johnson said. “It’s a good idea to check in with key vendors to see if they have specific timeline recommendations. If you have limited storage space, check in with suppliers to find out if they will accept pre-orders.”

Heather Blum, co-owner of Petagogy, which has stores in Pittsburgh, said holiday orders are usually placed between May and October, with the SuperZoo trade show, which is held annually during the summer in Las Vegas, being a primary showcase for vendors’ holiday merchandise.

“This year, many of our vendor partners requested holiday pre-orders as early as mid-January to help them plan amid the global materials shortages,” Blum said. “Holiday merchandise, particularly for Christmas, has increasingly become a large revenue driver over the last few years. Pet parents, especially millennial and Gen Z pet owners, holiday shop for their pets. We increase our holiday assortment by approximately 20-25 percent over the prior year and continually sell out of holiday merchandise by Dec. 31.”

Bocce’s Bakery holiday treats, countdown calendars and Fluff & Tuff toys continue to be top sellers, Blum noted.

“Gifts for dogs, particularly limited-edition holiday treats and toys, are our largest category of holiday merchandise,” Blum said. “Fluff & Tuff holiday toys are also a customer favorite. Our shoppers look forward to collecting each year’s new limited-edition toys, including their annual charity toy.”

Blum said Petagogy’s holiday treat selection ranges from single cookies and doughnuts to bagged treats and limited-edition gift tins.

Adam Johnson, store manager and marketing manager for We Lov Pets, which has stores in Ohio, said there is huge demand during the holidays for gourmet cookies. Cookie and treat orders for holidays are placed strategically, as early as March and April, Johnson noted.

Consumers are becoming aware of supply chain issues and beginning to shop early for holiday, industry insiders noted. Customers read about inventory shortages in all areas of retail and do not want to miss out on anything for their pets, said Larissa Wasyliw, vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ren’s Pets, a Canadian retail chain with more than 30 locations.

“Pet parents cannot wait for the seasons to change, and for new fall and holiday items to be available,” Wasyliw said. “We’re expecting customers to want to shop early and anticipate a high demand for Halloween costumes and Christmas outfits.”

Product orders should be placed at least 10 to 12 months in advance to secure inventory, said Jason Trickett, vice president of merchandising for Ren’s Pets.

“We review our purchases as soon as a season or holiday ends,” Trickett said. “It’s the perfect time to evaluate what sold, what didn’t and make decisions on product selection for the following year.”

New product options from manufacturers can help make the selection process easier for retailers. Savannah Lyell, marketing manager for ZippyPaws, a manufacturer in Chino, Calif., said the company’s latest fall and holiday launches are the perfect additions to a retail seasonal collection.

“Here at ZippyPaws, we love to celebrate the holidays,” Lyell said. “We see the most demand with Halloween and Christmas products. Our crinkle toys are among one of the most popular items during the holidays—specifically, our Frankenstein’s Monster and Santa Crinkle toys, which come with crinkle material inside the arms and legs, along with a squeaker that dogs of all sizes go crazy for.”

ZippyPaws has Halloween Costume Kits that also include a toy, and its Jumbo Pumpkins are perfect for the transition between Halloween and Thanksgiving, Lyell noted.

“Our product development team takes Halloween very seriously,” Lyell said. “We took inspiration from scary movies and trick-or-treating and have created some unique toys that we know our customers will love. We see our pets as family and want that to reflect in our products. Whether it’s the gift-giving season or time to gather with family, we want our pets to feel included and celebrate with us.”

During the holiday season, consumers love shopping for not only themselves, but also for their friends and family members. Giftable items and multipack bundles are a huge hit during the holiday season and are continuing to increase in popularity, Lyell noted.

Huxley & Kent’s holiday collections this year include an assortment of bright colors, metallic fabrics and mix-and-match prints, Dagne said.

“We don’t just put a Santa hat on an animal toy,” Dagne said. “We like to pay attention to detail and make sure the eyes are just right, or that we have the right amount of embroidery to go along with the printing. We try to pick a funny or clever phrase for our toys and ensure the print is readable. We hope that retailers and consumers see that we take a lot of time to develop new products from the ground up. Our hope is when a customer picks up our toy, it either puts a smile on their face or makes them laugh.”

Industry insiders share the best strategies retailers can use to successfully promote and sell seasonal merchandise in Q4.

Featuring holiday items on quality displays can make a big difference in how a customer perceives product, said Adam Johnson, store manager and marketing manager for We Lov Pets, which has four stores in Ohio.

It is important to place displays in high-traffic areas without cluttering product space.

Mike Dagne, president of Huxley & Kent, a Washington, D.C.-based wholesaler, said retailers can use props to create displays and tell a story.

“For holiday setups, try to find some artificial garland, Christmas lights and Christmas trees to decorate,” Dagne said. “Creative details will draw attention to product you are trying to sell.”

Utilizing window displays to highlight top-selling items can drive sales, insiders noted.

Heather Blum, co-owner of Petagogy, which has stores in Pittsburgh, said they feature holiday toy and treat displays in their front windows.

Savannah Lyell, marketing manager for ZippyPaws, a manufacturer in Chino, Calif., said window displays are a great place to show off fun in-store experiences that motivate shoppers to buy new products.

“By understanding customers’ demands, retailers can strategically create displays with a wide assortment of products to cater to each pet owner and their pets’ preferences,” Lyell said. “Seasonal endcaps and window displays are a great way to grab the attention of passerby shoppers.”

“We host 12 days of Christmas in our store,” said Debbie Barr, senior ambassador of Just Dog People, a pet store in Garner, N.C. “We offer 12 daily specials, BOGO deals on seasonal toys, and percentages off coats and harnesses.”

Photos with Santa Claus are a great way to drive traffic during the holidays. Adding balloon backdrops or special props for photo shoots can also help retailers stand out, insiders noted.

“Christmas is especially fun, with visits from Santa or even a Grinch in the Maritimes,” said Larissa Wasyliw, vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ren’s Pets, a Canadian retail chain with more than 30 locations. “We make sure all seasonal merchandise is front and center when customers are in the store and have our staff wear seasonal shirts to celebrate the holidays.”

“We love to give back to our community at Halloween,” Barr said. “We host a Graveyard Sniffari to benefit local rescues and hold a silent auction. Kiddie pools are set up with mulch to create a graveyard effect, and we hide different body-part toys for dogs to sniff out. We even hide ‘golden ticket’ body parts for customers to win gift cards.”

Many manufacturers offer toys and accessories that have a charitable giving component with which proceeds are donated to charity.

“We released our highly anticipated holiday line for ordering in the spring, including our Annual Holiday Charity Toy, The Good Dog Bone, in which 100 percent of profits are donated back to dogs in need,” said Kerry Wezner, marketing manager of Fluff & Tuff, a Troy, Mich.-based toy manufacturer.

Retailers are also finding ways to give back in their communities.

“For us at Ren’s Pets, it’s all about community and customer interaction,” Wasyliw said. “We partner with local rescues and humane societies to do fun fall events, like photo ops or bake sales.”

Increased traffic during holidays creates a perfect opportunity for retailers to take risks.

“It’s important to be unique,” Dagne said. “Taking chances on new product when there’s a lot of traffic in-store minimizes buying risk. Always buy known commodities but try to balance it with a fair amount of newness. Find something your customers haven’t seen before, especially if it is a toy, inexpensive accessory or treat.”

Insiders also suggest using social media outlets to promote fall and holiday merchandise and share information about in-store events.

“Social media is the perfect outlet to let customers know the stock is in-store, quickly and cost effectively,” Wasyliw said. “Our social channels, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, are a significant part of our digital-first marketing strategy at Ren’s Pets. We work with several influencers as well, who post pictures of their pets with our seasonal merchandise.”

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