Pet supplies retailer set to be a Monster hit on the internet

AN ONLINE pet supplies retailer is planning on nearly doubling its headcount this year as part of its plans to capture 10 per cent of the UK’s £2.7bn market over the next 18 months.

Leeds-based Monster Pet Supplies was founded in 2010 by Jonny Gould, and is now approaching its first full year of trading with turnover forecast to hit £1m. Mr Gould predicts sales will increase by 300 per cent to £3m in the next financial year.

In the last 12 months, Google has ranked Monster Pet Supplies as the number one searched for company in the UK and number two in the world when searching for ‘pet supplies’. Monthly sales increased by 40 per cent to around £150,000 from December to January.

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The company sells general merchandise, from dog beds to cat food, as well as medication for pets. It sells brands including Royal Canin and Hills, as well as sourcing from local suppliers.

Mr Gould said: “In my opinion we are just scratching the surface. The market value of pet food, pet medication and pet accessories in the UK is £2.7bn.”

The company is currently re-investing in warehouse management systems, is planning to move to a larger warehouse and has plans for recruitment. At the moment the team is working from about 3,000 sq ft at Barkston House in Croydon Street, Leeds, but Mr Gould said he’s looking for somewhere of about 15,000 sq ft. He added: “We have eyeballed a place very nearby. We are running out of space.”

Mr Gould said: “In 2010/2011 there were four of us. Now, there’s 12 of us. We are looking for two more as we speak and I expect to take on another 10 more, including those two, by the end of 2012.”

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The firm is introducing an automated ‘picking, packing and putting away system’ for the warehouse, explained Mr Gould, who added: “At the moment it’s a bit ad hoc. This new system will improve efficiency. We are also introducing an automated reordering capability to the website for customers so people can easily set up the reordering of pet supplies.”

The website also allows customers to get repeat prescriptions when ordering medication, which Mr Gould said gives the firm “an edge over other online pet pharmacies”.

Mr Gould added: “Being online gives you the ability to sell a wider range of products and also bulk products like big sacks of dog food which are one of our most popular products because we can sell cheaper than the traditional retailers and we can deliver to the door. Customers are after a wider choice of merchandise now and we’ve probably got 300 types of dog beds which you would struggle to have on display.

“It’s really down to choice, price, efficient delivery and convenience.”

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Monster Pet Supplies also wants to invest in a trade counter to create a retail presence for people in the Yorkshire area.

And it has placed emphasis on building an online community, Mr Gould said.

“We engage with customers through social media, Facebook, Twitter, and we constantly keep engaged through our blog.”

He explained that Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plays a key role in boosting the firm’s online presence, adding: “A lot of attention is spent on SEO but it’s a continuous process.

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“It’s not something you just pay for and turn on. It’s all about Google recognising you as a quality site.”

Mr Gould said he is not expecting to make a profit this year as everything has been re-invested back into the business, but he said by the end of this calendar year he hopes to be turning over a profit.

Mr Gould owns the business. His brother, Adam Gould, left his job as a lawyer to join the company as operations director. Mr Gould’s wife, Sarah Gould, is product manager at the firm.

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