Spotlighting Recent Shifts in Purchases for Our Furry Friends

How did COVID-19 impact the pet supply industry by retailer type and shopping channel? We surveyed our pet-owning consumers to get a better understanding of COVID-19’s influence on how they typically shop for their fur family and what this looks like moving forward.

The where & how of buying treats & toys for Fifi: pre-pandemic

The below visual illustrates which retailer categories & channels pet owners relied on for purchasing pet food & treats prior to COVID-19, with Mass Merchant retailers and Pet Specialty stores leading the pack.

By specific retailer, Walmart was the top spot for pet supplies, followed by PetSmart and Petco.

COVID-19 changes the game: from venturing to pet specialty stores to ordering with the click of a button

However, with the sudden severity of COVID-19, in-store shopping – specifically at Pet Specialty stores – suffered the most, while gains were made online. The below graph provides further detail into how pet-related purchases by retailer type and channel shifted in recent months. 

Where & how will Rover’s food be purchased as the country starts to slowly re-open?

Pet owners will start to return to stores as they begin to feel more comfortable. The figure below conveys that while Amazon has benefited from COVID-19, shoppers will begin to shift back to brick and mortar. Pet Specialty stores, in particular, are likely to rebound strongly. 

So how can we help?

As cities and states begin to reopen, retailers and manufacturers can continue to share their offers and build loyalty that drives traffic both online and in-store. Pet owners will begin to slowly enter brick and mortar stores, but e-commerce will continue to play a larger role in pet supply spending than pre-COVID-19.

If you’re looking to introduce your product to a new audience or to gain more insights to assist with your marketing campaigns, contact us for more information on how Prodege can assist in achieving your goals.