CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for pet and pet supplies stores in Alabama
101 pet and pet supplies stores operated in Alabama in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 101CBP 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 2.0U.S. 2.9
- State rank
- 28th of 51by count
The pet store industry in Alabama
Alabama had 101 pet and pet supplies stores in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 453910, Pet and Pet Supplies Stores). That is the 28th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Pet and pet supplies stores make up 0.10% of the 105,720 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Alabama has 2.0 pet and pet supplies stores, 32.9% below the national rate of 2.9.
| Measure | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 101 | 9,921 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,262 (high noise) | 122,102 (moderate noise) |
| Annual payroll | $34,307,000 (moderate noise) | $3,704,424,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | — | 12.3 |
| Payroll per employee | — | $30,339 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 2.0 | 2.9 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Alabama's largest markets for pet and pet supplies stores
Census published pet store counts for 12 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Alabama. The largest is Birmingham, AL, with 20 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 87% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 20 | 234 | 1.7 |
| Huntsville, AL | 18 | 181 | 3.3 |
| Montgomery, AL | 8 | 93 | 2.1 |
| Mobile, AL | 7 | 113 | 1.7 |
| Daphne, AL | 7 | — | 2.7 |
| Dothan, AL | 7 | — | 4.5 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 5 | 85 | 1.5 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 5 | — | 1.8 |
| Florence, AL | 5 | — | 3.2 |
| Decatur, AL | 4 | — | 2.5 |
| Albertville, AL | 4 | — | 3.9 |
| Auburn, AL | 3 | — | 1.5 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at pet and pet supplies stores in Alabama
23.0% of Alabama's pet and pet supplies stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 26.6% nationally. 44.0% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 23 | 23.0% | 26.6% |
| 5–9 employees | 21 | 21.0% | 23.0% |
| 10–19 employees | 37 | 37.0% | 26.8% |
| 20–49 employees | 19 | 19.0% | 22.5% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a pet store in Alabama has to catch
Pet stores answer questions about food, supplies and services like grooming. Regular customers call to check stock and place orders.
Calls a pet store in Alabama might handle in a typical week include:
- A customer calls to check whether a food brand is in stock.
- A customer calls about fish supplies.
- A customer calls about grooming appointments.
After-hours calls
After-hours calls are mostly stock questions.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for pet and pet supplies stores in Alabama
The comparison uses a 12-person team, the rounded U.S. average for pet and pet supplies stores. Priced per seat, 12 users would run $360.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $299.40 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 12 people cost $239.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,452. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $239.00 | $2,868.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $228.00 | $2,736.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $276.00 | $3,312.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $299.40 | $3,592.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $324.00 | $3,888.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $360.00 | $4,320.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Alabama
Alabama has 7 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | 786 | Central | 1998 | 938 |
| 205 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 659 |
| 334 | 784 | Central | 1995 | 483 |
| 251 | 528 | Central | 2001 | none |
| 938 | 193 | Central | 2010 | 256 |
| 659 | 177 | Central | 2019 | 205 |
| 483 | 11 | Central | 2026 | 334 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for pet and pet supplies stores in Alabama
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Alabama, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many pet and pet supplies stores are in Alabama?
101 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns.
Which Alabama metro area has the most pet and pet supplies stores?
Birmingham, AL, with 20 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 12-person pet store?
$360.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $299.40 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $239.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Alabama number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.