What to Sell in a Pet Store: A Profitable Product Mix for New Shops (2026)

Opening a pet store? Here's what to put on your shelves. It takes five minutes. Tap, slide and play as you read.

Every product has a job

Some products bring customers in. Some make the money. Some make people choose you over the internet. Can you tell which is which?

Sell a little more to every customer

Someone came in for dog food. Offer one or two small extras, and you earn much more from the same visit.

Fast beats expensive

A cheap product that sells every day can earn more than an expensive one that sits on the shelf for months.

Expired stock eats your profit

Every pack you throw away costs you twice: you paid for it, and you never sold it. Buy less, order more often.

How much do you need to sell?

A typical pet store sells about $200 to $300 a year from each square foot. Pick your store size and see what that means for every day.

Give space to what sells

If something takes a lot of floor but brings little money, make it smaller. Give that space to products that sell.

Keep it or remove it?

Not sure about a product? Answer three quick questions. A shelf is not a museum: if a product doesn't sell, let it go.

Sell what the internet can't

Big online stores sell almost everything, often cheaper. Your edge is what people want to see, try on, or take home today.

Change the front of the store with the season

People buy different things in summer and in winter. Put what they need right now where they see it first.

Small things next to the cash register

Cheap little items by the register sell themselves. People grab them while they pay. Which ones belong there?

Plan your first order

Opening soon? The biggest part goes to food, because food brings people in. Keep some money back for reorders. Move the slider to see a simple split.

The short version

• Food brings customers in. You earn little on it, but people come every month.

• Toys and accessories make the money. Offer them to every food customer.

• Fast sellers beat expensive slow sellers.

• Sell what the internet can't: things to see, try on, or take home today.

• Small cheap items go next to the register.

• Check your shelves every month and remove what doesn't sell.

Ready to fill your shelves? Browse pet brands on PETADD: a wholesale marketplace made only for pet stores. Comparing wholesale platforms? Read Ankorstore vs Faire for pet shops.

Questions people ask

What sells best in a pet store?

Dog and cat food, treats, cat litter and toys. Food brings the most visits. Toys and treats bring the most profit.

What makes the most money in a pet store?

Toys and accessories. You often keep about half of the price. On food you keep much less, about a quarter to a third.

How much stock do I need to open a pet store?

It depends on your size. Many small pet stores open with about $20,000 to $60,000 of stock. Keep about 15% of your budget back for reorders.

Should a new pet store sell live animals?

You don't have to. Many stores sell only food and supplies. In a World Pet Association survey, stores without animals sold about $400 a year from each square foot, and stores with animals about $250. Some US states, including California and New York, don't allow pet stores to sell dogs and cats at all.