Pet owners are dedicated to finding the best quality products for their beloved pets, whether it is their daily food, special treats, supplements, medical supplies, bedding, or other pet products suitable to their particular companion. Pets today are more like family members than ever before, and you treasure your furry friends, desiring only the best for them.

For many years, the only options for finding pet products were brick-and-mortar shops and grocery stores. Thanks to the internet that has all changed, and now you can find a world of online pet store websites at your fingertips.

Especially since covid19 became a significant factor in determining whether businesses can keep their doors open or not, individuals are seeking out alternative ways to purchase items. Shopping online is gaining ground in the pet supply industry, with the trend going towards using your computer to buy pet supplies. But are these online websites superior to your local specialty pet store? Let’s look at some reasons why we think shopping online for your pet is vastly better than limiting your shopping to your local retail store. These include:

•  Social Distancing
• Variety
• Comparison Shopping
• Expertise of Staff
• Bulk Purchases

We will consider each of these advantages that online shopping has over brick-and-mortar shopping, especially when you are buying products for your pets. Although there are good reasons to shop locally for your pet, you may find that adding online shopping as a way in which you obtain pet products is advantageous enough for you to make the switch to online pet store shopping.

Social Distancing

Covid19 has made us all think a little differently about how to approach shopping in person. Perhaps you are not comfortable going into a crowded pet store or large grocery store to buy your pet supplies. Maybe concerns about exposure to coronavirus is not the only thing that gives you pause when you think about shopping at your local store.

Some pet stores now allow people to bring their dogs into the store; this could be a serious problem for someone who had an incident with a dog in the past that makes them uncomfortable around strange dogs. All of these are good reasons to avoid in person shopping and try online shopping instead.

 

Variety

Another reason to consider shopping at an online pet store is variety. When you are shopping at a retail store, you are limited to the products that the specific business has in stock. Your local store will carry a limited number of options for most of the items on your shopping list.

You may prefer a particular brand of pet food, but if your local shop does not stock it, you will not be able to purchase it for your pet. Contrast this to shopping online, where you can find your favorite brands of pet food and supplies at multiple online stores. Shopping online also enables you to compare various products in order to find the precise item that suits your pet’s needs.

Comparison Shopping

If you are buying your pet supplies in your local grocery store, you are stuck with the price they are asking. You do not have an option. But when you shop online, you can search for the best price for the items for which you are searching.

There are even websites online that comparison shop for you, so you can find the best price out there. In addition, you may be able to get a better deal if you purchase in bulk, or in a larger quantity or size than is available locally. You can also look for coupons to get the total price lowered, to obtain free shipping, etc. You cannot do any of this at your local retail store.

Expertise of Staff

You may feel that going to your local pet store allows you to speak with knowledgeable employees who can advise you of the advantages and disadvantages of particular items. You do not have to give up customer service online. Website employees are trained to provide information to you, and they often have tools at hand to answer all your questions.

You can usually find a chat feature on the website where you can chat with an employee in order to obtain answers for your inquiry into product information. You can also usually speak by phone with an employee at the online store if you have additional questions about a product.

Bulk Purchases

We all price shop. You may need a box of cat litter, and you know that the smaller box of cat litter is more costly per pound than buying a large sack of cat litter at your grocery store. But if you are unable to lift heavy objects, putting that 35-pound bag of cat litter into your shopping cart may be impossible. You also will then have to wrestle that heavy bag into your vehicle and later, get it from your vehicle into your home. This is another reason why online shopping can be so much easier than buying at a local store. You can order that large bag of cat litter and have it delivered right to your door. From there, it is just a simple step to get it inside. You have saved money and you have saved yourself the difficulty in negotiating the product from store to your home.

We understand that your pet is your family. Comparison shopping online is going to enable you to find the best products for your pet, at the best price, and get those items to your front door quickly and easily. Perhaps it is time to consider adding online pet supply shopping to your arsenal of ways to save time and money while lowering your personal health risks during the pandemic. This trend is not going away. Once pet owners ‘discover’ how easy it is to order their pet supplies online, it will continue to be the preferred way to shop for their companion pets. Check it out for yourself!

 

 

 

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