When you consider joining a franchise, you want more than just a proven business model — you want a system that evolves with the market, keeps customers engaged, and sets you up for success. At Wild Birds Unlimited, new product development is one of the many important ways we support our franchisees and help them stand out in the specialty retail world. Providing new products for our franchise store owners to introduce to their customer base is a great way to keep their customers engaged in the backyard bird feeding hobby, increase sales, and give them a new way to attract more birds!
A Thoughtful Process Behind Every New Product
As a franchisee, you won’t have to guess which products to carry or how to introduce them. Our team handles the heavy lifting, following a disciplined process to ensure every new item is designed to succeed. Andrea McNeely, our Product Development Manager, says it best:
“Helping our customers find more joy with their backyard birds inspires me every day in the product development process.”
Here’s how we bring products from concept to our shelves:
- Assessing Need – We track customer trends and gather feedback from our stores to understand what bird lovers want most.
- Design & Functionality – Every product is developed to be safe for birds and beneficial for nature. As Andrea notes, “I love watching and feeding my birds, which makes developing new foods and products fun.”
- Assortment Fit – New items are evaluated to complement existing inventory mixes, adding new selling opportunities but being thoughtful about ensuring that we are not just adding new products for the sake of it. New products have to be integrated into the existing inventory mix in way that makes sense.
- Pricing & Profitability – We balance value for customers with strong profit margins for franchisees.
- Marketing Support – From signage to digital content, we provide everything you need to promote new products in your store, including merchandising support and ideas.
- Testing & Validation – Products are only rolled out after proving their effectiveness and customer appeal, with intense testing to make sure that they are good for the birds and nature. After all, the birds are our end consumer here at Wild Birds Unlimited.
What This Means for You
The benefits for franchisees are clear: a steady stream of fresh, ready-to-sell products that keep customers excited to return. You don’t carry the risk or the guesswork as every new product or product line has been tested, priced, and supported with marketing materials.
New products also give your store a competitive edge. Customers love discovering something new each time they visit, which drives repeat visits, stronger loyalty, and deeper engagement with the hobby of birdwatching.
One of the Advantages of Joining Our System
Not every franchise system invests this heavily in product development. By joining Wild Birds Unlimited, you gain access to:
- A pipeline of innovative products tailored to your business.
- Confidence that every item has been vetted for quality, profitability, and customer demand.
- Ongoing support to help you market and sell new products seamlessly.
In short, we handle the complexity so you can focus on what matters most: running your store, delighting your customers, and building a thriving business.
