Pet Products and Services Market Takes a Fancy to Ecommerce with $99 Billion Sales in 2020

Discover how the pet products and services market takes a fancy to ecommerce as pets and ecommerce are a natural combination and that’s been especially true during the pandemic.

More than two-thirds of American households own at least one pet. As pet owners increasingly opt to shop from home, pet-related companies are stepping up their game to grab a share of industry expenditures forecasted for 2020 to reach approximately $99 billion in the U.S.

The Ecommerce Times spoke with various experts in the field of online pet product sales and services to get their take on trends in this market.

“Right now, in the middle of a pandemic, and certainly true during the early stages of the pandemic, many pet owners have been shopping online out of safety precautions,” Steve King, president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association, told the Ecommerce Times. “While pet retailers are deemed essential and have remained open during the pandemic for the most part, many pet owners are choosing to play it safe, stay home and order online.”

Both pure-play Ecommerce companies and those with a combination of physical stores and digital sales are seeing an increase in demand for online purchasing.

“There are a few key online-only retailers such as Amazon and Chewy.com contributing significantly to this trend, who are marketing heavily to pet owners online and really focusing on customer service and retention, competitive pricing, and quality products,” said King.

“Also, other major pet retailers like Petco, PetSmart and Walmart are doing more to expand their accessibility to customers and increase their online presence,” he added.

Convenience is a large factor driving online pet-related sales. It’s often simply easier to shop for pet supplies online, particularly for larger items and products needed regularly.

“From a pet owner’s perspective, there’s a lot of attraction in having bulky, heavy items delivered right to your doorstep,” explained King. “With items like food and litter, for example, that people know they need on a regular basis, being offered an often-reduced pricing on an auto-ship subscription is tough to compete with.

“Pet product manufacturers can target their customers online via influencers or advertisements, and pet owners can click right there on a direct link to read reviews, find out more about the product and ingredients, and have it shipped to their door in just a few days.”

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