2026 Retailer Excellence Awards Nominations Close on April 3

Pet Age is calling attention to the challenges and successes of brick-and-mortar retail, as well as the strong, interconnected community of the pet industry, by unveiling its inaugural Retailer Excellence Awards (REA). The awards program recognizes retail excellence in seven categories, as well as honoring a Sales Representative of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year and Distributor of the Year.

Starting February 1, pet retailers can enter themselves into one or more categories by completing the retail award form or each category they want to enter. At least one image is required for each category entry, preferably a store image at a minimum.

Vendors, sales reps and other industry professionals may also nominate a retailer in the awards by filling out the same form, but they must provide the store owner’s name, email and phone number at the beginning of the entry description and must alert the store owner of the nomination so they can expect a Pet Age email should they be named a finalist.

The deadline to enter is April 3.

The seven retail categories are:

1. Single Store: This award recognizes the best overall single or specialty store. Tell us about your business, whether it’s an independent pet store, reptiles-only shop or boutique location that’s captured a niche. What sets it apart from other stores
2. Multiple Locations: This award is more all-encompassing and recognizes the best overall store with multiple locations. Tell us about your multiple-location store, how you’ve been able to expand and if there are any tweaks that make each more successful for its location.
3. Store Design/Redesign: Recognizes design creativity and strategy. Have you moved or changed the design of your store(a new theme, expanded space or added grooming bays to your layout)? Tell us what is so creative about your store design or redesign and how it has helped attract customers or direct traffic in your store.
4. Social Media Outreach and Online Initiatives: Recognizes digital prowess. Tell us about a new website, Facebook promotion, Instagram campaign or email success that helped boost business for you in the last year. Any digital success you’ve had, including having an all-around engaging website or social channel, will be considered.
5. Visual Merchandising: Recognizes design creativity and display strategy. What knockout display or window inspired customers this year? Please note that nominations must include hi-res images to be considered. Images should show merchandising technique and creativity and not only be a small product grouping.
6. Store Events: Recognizes a successful store event or list of events. Tell us about any special store events you hosted over the last year. How did you promote it? How successful was it?
7. Socially Responsible: Recognizes charitable work, community engagement and environmentally friendly initiatives. Do you have a “green store” or are giving back in a big way? Do you only sell fair-trade products? Do you host charitable events throughout the year? Tell us how you do good in the world and why it’s important to you and your customers.

Retailers may also nominate a favorite sales representative, manufacturer or distributor with whom they do business by visiting the Pet Age website.

To nominate a worthy sales rep, fill out the sales rep nomination form here, and be sure to give specific examples of how that sales rep has made a difference in your store’s offerings and helped your business thrive.

To nominate the top manufacturer, fill out the Manufacturer of the Year nomination form here, and be sure to give specific examples of what the company does to deserve this recognition.

To nominate a favorite wholesaler, fill out the distributor nomination form here, and be sure to give specific examples of how that company goes above and beyond the call of duty and helped your business stand out.

After April 3, Pet Age will compile and tally the number of nominations for each category and narrow the list down to the top 5. Retailers will then be notified to vote for their favorite out of the finalists, with the winners list being published in the July edition of Pet Age.