Surprise a Pet Gift Club Begins Operations

Surprise a Pet, a start-up pet gift club in Kansas City, Mo., recently began operations.

The company’s model works similarly to a wine-of-the-month club, with customers receiving gift packs throughout the year.

The surprise is that owners don’t know what will be in the packs, other than each one will include a pet spa product, a sizea ppropriate toy and a treat, the company reports.

Packages are available for cats or dogs.

“We want everyone involved to enjoy the element of surprise, so we’re careful not to let shoppers know precisely what’s in each package,” said Cindy Pederson, founder of the new company.

Products will include some that are designed specifically for Surprise a Pet and others that are available from pet boutiques but not mass retailers and national chains. The gift packs will include a letter providing detailed information about the products .

Pederson prefers to include branded products with information about the manufacturer in the packages rather than private label items. She hopes including the branded products will build exposure for smaller manufacturers and drive traffic to local boutiques and independent pet stores as consumers learn about the variety of products available.

While she acknowledged that some boutiques and pet stores may see her as competition, Pederson said she’d like to develop a program that would allow retailers to sell her service.

Product selection is a crucial step for Pederson, as Surprise a Pet offers a money-back guarantee and allows subscribers to cancel at anytime.

The start-up hopes to make an initial splash nationally, hiring a major public relations firm (Fleishman-Hillard) and taking a booth at the America’s Family Pet Expo in Michigan in November.

The company currently offers packages with four or six packs shipped a year; both frequencies are priced at $25.95 per present plus shipping. The company says that price will be “well below” the retail price of individual items. Package buyers will also receive a sterling silver collar charm and a client discount number that will allow customers to reorder products at the company’s website at prices up to 30 percent below retail value.

Nonsubscriber visitors will also be able to order products f rom the website, but not at a discount, Pederson said.

Customers can also order single gift packs on the site, including several designed for specific holidays and pet occasions, such as a new puppy gift.