“The key to success is to start before you’re ready” – Marie Forleo – American Entrepreneur. Many of us want to save huge amounts of money to start a business. However, you can even start a business with a mere Rs.100,000. Pet business ideas can be a great option to start under 1 lakh rupees.
We are not talking about opening a pet shop or an online pet store. All you need is to start your pet animal business on OLX Pakistan.
This blog doesn’t only contain reasons to start a pet business, but also important things to remember and tips to sell pets on OLX Pakistan.
Why Choose the Pet Business idea in Pakistan?
There are many reasons why starting a pet business is a good idea in Pakistan. Here are some important reasons why it is a good idea to sell pets online.
1) 1 Lakh Rupees Investment Business in Pakistan
Nowadays, Rs.100,000 is nothing compared to their value years ago when “Lakh pati” people were considered rich. Pet business can be started with a small amount but can be expanded to as much as you want. Starting your own business (part-time or full time) with this low investment is no less than bliss.
2) Huge Demand for pets at home
Demand for pets at home is rising with time. Millions of queries related to different types of pets (including cats, dogs, fish, parrots, other birds, etc.) are searched online. It shows high demand for pets in Pakistan. And this demand is high in all income groups (high, medium, and low). It is a great reason to start this small business in Pakistan.
3) Ample Supply
No matter which type of pet animal you choose to sell, most of them have ample supply. Many people have been in this business for a long time. Most of them have become suppliers. So, supply might not be an issue in most cases. Moreover, you can visit the animal section of OLX Pakistan to buy desired pet animals. Many suppliers are using this platform to sell their animals.
*Remember that we are not talking about rare breeds of cats, dogs, parrots and other pet animals.
4) Start From Home (a great business idea in Pakistan for students)
One of the best reasons why the pet business is great for many people is that it can be started from your home. You just need some area in your house to keep these animals (the environment must be suitable). As this business can be done full-time as well as on a part-time basis.
What to Consider When Starting a Pet Business?
Everyone must do proper research before starting any type of business. Everything is not as simple as it seems. You need to take care of many things. Here are some important things you should remember when starting a pet business.
a) Capital Requirement (Analyze Costs and Expenses)
There are many small business ideas to start under Rs.50,000. However, that might take more time to get established as compared to the ones with Rs.1 lakh investment. So, starting a pet business for Rs.100,000 might be a more suitable option than starting it with half of this capital.
Affordable loss is a term referred to an investment that you can emotionally and financially afford to lose in the worst-case scenario. It means you should only invest Rs.100,000 rupees if you can financially and emotionally afford to lose it.
Here are some costs you must consider before starting this business.
- Purchasing cost depends upon the animal species and number of animals you want to purchase
- If you want to invest 1 lakh rupees in this business, buy animals for half the investment (50 to 60 thousand) for the first time
- The remaining amount must be saved for other costs and expenses
- Cost of transportation (to bring them to your business location)
- Pet food cost (till you sell them)
- Medical expenses (vaccination and emergencies)
- Utility bills
- Marketing cost: Cost of buying ad packages on OLX (optional)
- Delivery cost (at the time of selling)
These costs vary depending on the type of pet animals and how many you buy.
b) Assets requirements
In this business, you are not going to need any high-cost assets at the start. However, you might need cages to keep these animals. A dedicated area with a suitable environment is essential. The conditions vary for each animal (cats, dogs, parrots, etc.). The environmental conditions even vary when further classified. So, research is important.
You might need a fan, cage, pot, cleaning equipment, etc. These are the fixed assets that you will buy one time at the start of your business. Remember to buy economical pet accessories so you don’t spend much of your capital on buying these assets. The cost of all these assets must not go over 15% – 25% of the total capital.
c) Choose the right animal
Choosing the right animal species to start a pet business is among the most important decisions you are going to make. The most popular pets and their types in Pakistan are as follows.
| Name | Popular breeds |
| Dogs | German Shepherd, Labrador, Bulldog, and Siberian Husky (Russian Dog). |
| Cats | Persian, Siberian, Siamese, Ragdoll, Himalayan, and American shorthair. |
| Parrots | African Gray, Fisher, Budgie (Budgerigar), Lovebird, Raw Parrot (Rose-ringed parakeet), Cockatoo, and Cockatiel. |
| Rabbits | New Zealand White, Rex, Flemish Giant, Lionhead, and Holland Lop. |
| Fish | Betta, Goldfish, Flowerhorn, Guppy, Koi, and Shark. |
Some pets come at a higher price and you cannot do their business under 1 lakh rupees. So, analyzing the price and costs of each animal is quite important. At this price, fish, cats, birds and parrots are the most suitable. You can buy less of these animals but can expand your business with constant reinvestment to have a large inventory later on.
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d) Learn about the animal species (lifecycle, food, disease, vaccination, etc.)
Once you have chosen the right pet animal species, now is the time to learn everything about it. These are some important details you need to know about your chosen animal.
- Lifecycle
- Facts
- Feed (most suitable and economical pet food)
- Required environment
- Required space
- Common diseases, symptoms and their treatment
- What to avoid
- Habits
- Allergies
Here are the average lifespans of popular types of pets.
| Name | Lifespan (average) |
| Dogs | 10 – 13 years |
| Goldfish | 1 – 3 years |
| Hens | 3 – 7 years |
| Parrots | 10 – 60 years |
| Rabbits | 8 – 12 years |
e) Choose and study your target audience
Well, this decision is mostly linked with the type of animal you choose to sell. Choosing your target audience is among the most important things. It is important to know the demography, geography, and psychographics of your target customers. It will help you understand how you will be dealing with them.
f) Check for Regulations
It is important to check any regulations associated with specific pets. You also need to research the regulations on pet businesses. It will help you avoid any unwanted situations in the future. For example, you should check if you need to register your pet business in the province you are located in.
g) Trade or breading
Here is another decision you need to make. Trading pets means you buy them at a cheaper price and then sell them at a slightly higher price. In this case, you might not need as many assets as in the case of breeding. However, if you want to set up a long term business, breeding might be a good option. It will take time but the profit margins will be higher.
You can start with trading to earn quick money and then invest it in a hybrid form of this business. In this model, you can do both trading and breeding of the animals at the same time.
h) Sourcing and Purchasing
When every other decision is made, it is time to source and purchase the animals. But the thing to remember is to purchase the animals from the most affordable sources. Even if it means sourcing them from out of the city, province, or even country. Analyze the total cost of all the options and choose the best ones. Research the places from where you can buy selected animals at the cheapest price.
i) Select the right delivery method
Now you know most of the things, but how will you deliver the pets to the customers? Research about different delivery methods. Choose the safest and most affordable option. If you are going to deliver the animals within the city, you can do it yourself to save your and your customers’ money. You can also search for different pet carriers or transportation services to deliver the animals outside the city.
How to start a pet business on OLX Pakistan?
Online pet business opportunities are impressive. But you must be wondering how you can start your pet business on OLX, right? Well, it is not rocket science. All you need is to post an ad with prices, details, and pictures of animals on this platform. Interested people will contact you via phone call, message, or OLX chat. If it seems suitable, you might invite potential customers or go to their place to show them the animal in real condition.
*Always prioritize your safety when meeting the customers.
Here are some tips to increase the chances of selling pets quickly.
1) Post an ad with a clear description
Your ad must contain every detail about the animal. For example, species name, age, weight, color, defect or disease (if any), and any other detail you think is important to tell. The title should be concise but the description must explain every detail.
2) Upload multiple images to earn customers’ trust
It is important to upload the original and most recent images of the animals. Post multiple images that show the pet animal from different angles. It helps gain the trust of customers.
3) The price should be realistic
No matter if you are just trading or selling after breeding the animals, the price must be realistic. It is not only about being market competitive but beating the competition with less prices. It will increase your sales. Less profit margin can be covered with more sales.
4) Answer all the queries professionally
Many potential customers want to clear various things before they make a buying decision. Answer their queries professionally and politely. It will make them feel comfortable making their buying decision.
5) Choose from many packages available on OLX
Marketing is among the most important parts of the business. It is mostly about improving the visibility of products to potential customers. You can choose from different business packages offered by OLX to improve the visibility of your ad.
Pet business opportunity in Pakistan is massive. That is the reason many go for the pet business idea. However, not everyone is successful. To help you succeed, we have mentioned most of the details. It is important to focus on these when starting this business.
Do you find this small business idea under 1 lakh rupees useful? Tell us in the comment section below.
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