Pet Retail: A New
COVID Reality

E-commerce is E-ssential

The coronavirus has rapidly accelerated the pet care’s shift into e-commerce beyond comprehension. Lockdown restrictions have meant shoppers are socially distancing where possible and prioritise essential trips only. Investing into a solid e-commerce operation provides a stronger ‘middle man’ for store-based retailers right now. Especially those who due to the outbreak, are unable to drive shoppers into stores in person.

Grab em’ Whilst They’re Fresh

Lockdown has inspired a surge of new pet owners now that everyone is spending much more time indoors. Meaning more time than ever to nurture and raise young animals. However during a time where venturing outdoors is limited to essential trips only, we can expect the marketing model for the pet sector to shift accordingly.

Pet retail brands will have to invest more in catching and maintaining customers at different stages of the buying journey. More specifically – at the start. It is fair to say that those owners who have been pet parents for a while will already have decided on their preferences and which brands they are loyal to.

This won’t be the case for newer pet owners. New pet parents are likely to be seeking some form of recommendation for what things they should be buying. And their first purchase will likely dictate what brands and products they will invest in long-term.

It would therefore be a worthwhile investment for the pet sector to put in place some inventive digital marketing tactics. In order to target this group of consumers more effectively and convert them to more long-term returning customers.

Involving breeders or veterinary services in this model also would return some benefits. As these professions are normally the starting point for new pet owners.

Community Engagement

Lockdown rules  significantly restricted our opportunities to go out. And pet owners may also have found that their opportunities to socialise with other like-minded pet parents have suffered in the same way.

Over time, pet stores have acted as a social hub for owners which has been swiftly been removed from the sector’s marketing model. Pet care brands who successfully fill this void by building new engagement tools for themselves and their customers are likely to reap the benefits. Having re-installed an active community behind their offerings. A

good example is the use of streaming services which has been heavily utilised by pet care companies in China.

Off with the In-store

Pet care customers now unable to physically attend stores in person. And the coronavirus has in turn limited a brand’s opportunity to encourage ‘impulse buying’. This huge increase in using online shopping as the primary method of sourcing goods means pet owners are less likely to discover new products. Or make unplanned purchases via their in-store experiences.

This boost in automation and ‘purpose driven’ only shopping, suggests that brands, especially those in the pet sector will need to explore new methods of encouraging impulse. Buying to maintain larger, more diverse orders on a consistent basis. In-store marketing such as displays and merchandising will become less useful as traffic continues to dwindle.

Shoppers going forward will be ‘locked’ into their shopping habits online and essentially remove themselves from the market. Which in turn, will also alter the competitive landscape.