A growing number of consumers purchase pet food through e-commerce channels. In the UK, Monster Pet Supplies' app allows tech-savvy pet owners to order pet treats and pet foods from their smart phones, tablets or desktops.
“We know that convenience and speed of delivery is key,” Jonny Gould, managing director at Monster Pet Supplies said in a press release.
Encouraging use of the app has been key to the Monster Pet Supplies launch strategy, according to a press release. An initial GBP5 (US$6.5) off the first purchase is further incentivised by the ability to gain an additional GBP10 (US$12.9) off once the app is shared. GBP5 for the referrer is paid once a friend checks out, who also receives GBP5.
Growth of online pet food shopping
As pets solidify their spots as family members in the minds of their owners, technology is becoming an increasingly important way for consumers to gain information and take care of their animals. Among the many pet care segments affected by this trend is pet food: Between the desire for more access to a wider variety of options (particularly in more developing markets) and the “convenience is king” mentality prevalent in today’s shopping patterns, online pet food purchasing is seeing increasing growth that is only expected to continue its upward trajectory.
The global online pet food purchasing landscape
Globally, an estimated 5.3% of total pet care sales happened online in 2015, according to a Fung Global Retail and Technology report, Global pet e-commerce: A dynamic channel in a growing market. This number was up from 2014’s 4.4 percent, showing slow but steady growth overall. Several developed markets were above these percentages, including the United Kingdom (9.4 percent of total pet product sales online in 2015), the United States (7.0% of total pet care sales) and Europe (6.5 percent of total pet product sales), all numbers which showed growth from 2014.
