Pupperware!
by Michael Schaffer

The Lansing State Journal has a piece about how, as in previous bad economic times, people are turning to direct-sales work to help make ends meet. But, of course, there’s a difference between this and previous bad economic times: There’s been a fairly significant change in the role of pets in American life. So people are maintaining the same level of spending on their animals, with all the care and familial obligation that implies. No surprise, then, that one area of growth in direct-sales has been stuff for pets. Bring on the pupperware parties! And lest you imagine this as a la-de-da coastal fancy, here’s the piece from the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal:

No longer just makeup and vitamins, companies such as Shure Pets, a direct seller of pet products, allow animal lovers such as Jenny Andrews of Battle Creek to make a little extra cash without leaving her Chihuahua, Jersey, behind.

…

When Andrews joined Shure Pets in December, she was the only consultant for the Chicago-based company in the Battle Creek area. She has since recruited eight friends to join the company, which has about 2,000 consultants.

The economy seems to have had little effect on the pet retail industry, which brought in more than $43 billion in 2008, according to the American Pet Products Association. Americans are on track to spend $45.4 billion on their animals in 2009, according to the APPA.

Meanwhile, pet services makes the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal’s list of top five businesses to start now.