The eCommerce of pet products, i.e. all those products intended for pets, is continuously expanding. For instance, in the last year alone, online sales of pet beds and carriers have grown by 1,520% (Shopify data).
But what is the secret of this sector’s online success? And above all, how can eCommerce for Pet products differentiate themselves in a context of increasingly fierce competition?
In this article, we answer these questions by analysing the latest data on the online market for pet products and providing you with 3 useful tips for optimising the shipping of your online pet shop.
How much is the market for pet products worth?
The global pet products market has seen explosive growth in recent years, with an estimated value expected to reach $270 billion by next year.
Best-selling pet products
The pet food segment, characterised by high quality and sustainable products, is experiencing increasing demand. Dietary supplements and pet toys/accessories represent other areas of strong growth, especially online.
Markets driving the sector
The leading European markets in this sector, along with Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, include Italy. In all these markets, an average annual growth rate of 4.9% is expected until 2028.
The reasons behind the strong growth of the Pet sector
Providing a possible explanation for this explosive growth are figures from the European Pet Food Industry Federation, according to which the number of European households that now own a pet is 91 million, i.e. almost half of the total (46%) of European households. In total, therefore, there are over 340 million pets in Europe today.
In other words, for online merchants this is a huge market with even bigger potential. Online shopping is in fact gaining in popularity, offering companies significant opportunities for online sales.
How much Pet Products eCommerce is worth
According to data presented by Grand View Research, the value of the global pet care eCommerce market is expected to reach $149.21 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 7.64%.
In Europe alone, the value of the eCommerce market reached USD 23.01 billion in 2022, and forecasts indicate further growth for the coming years.
Across Europe, 45% of pet owners regularly shop online (GlobalMRRC data, NIQ Brandbank).
Why pet owners prefer the eCommerce channel
Among the reasons why households prefer the eCommerce channel are cheaper prices (for 54% of households), the possibility to enjoy a greater variety of products (47%) and, finally, the ease of searching and comparing available offers (45%).
The quality and composition of the products are also crucial, as confirmed by 42% of the respondents. In fact, there is a growing demand for ecological and natural products for pets.
Growing number of eCommerce Pet available
As demand grows, so does supply: in the last five years, the number of small and medium-sized companies offering specialised pet products online has grown by 20 per cent, further enriching the online market for pet products and offering consumers more choice.
Sales of pet products are also doing very well on channels like Amazon, registering annual growth rates of more than 50 per cent in all major European markets.
All this, however, also translates into a challenge for merchants selling pet products online: how to win new customers and beat increasingly fierce competition?
The answer comes – also – from logistics, i.e. the shipping service you are able to offer your customers. In other words, in order to stand out and win the trust of consumers, it is good to offer them a shipping service for their orders that is not only efficient, but which also knows how to differentiate itself in terms of practicality, speed, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Let’s see how.
3 tips for optimising the shipping of your pet products eCommerce
Based on the peculiarities of the online pet products market, it is possible to outline three areas that can make a difference when it comes to shipping for pet products eCommerce. Here, then, are GEL Proximity’s 3 practical tips:
1. Minimise the risk of return
Pet products, such as food and supplements, but also toys and accessories, tend to have a low return rate. This is a significant advantage for your online store, as it reduces the costs associated with managing reverse logistics.
Therefore, make sure you always provide well-detailed descriptions of your products, especially food-related products. Reviews can also help customers make informed and more informed choices, thus greatly reducing the return rate and increasing your customers’ satisfaction.
2. Rely on the logistics partners best suited to your needs and those of your customers
If we focus on the pet food sector, we find that it presents unique logistical challenges due to the weight and volume of the products. Indeed, bags of pet food are usually very bulky and have a particularly high weight.
For the best handling of your shipments, therefore, rely on trusted logistics partners who can offer you competitive rates even for the shipment of heavy and bulky goods.
If you are looking for some practical and useful tips on how and which logistics partner to choose for your eCommerce, you can read GEL Proximity’s guide to couriers.
3. Offer your customers alternative ways of collecting their orders
For all those less heavy and bulky pet products, such as toys, kennels and pet carriers (which we have seen are increasingly being sold online), offer your customers the possibility to pick up their orders in a more convenient and flexible way thanks to Lockers and Pick-up Points.
Imagine how convenient it would be for your customer to pick up the order containing the new leash for his four-legged friend directly during his daily walk, instead of having to wait at home. Or, worse still, it would be the last straw if the delivery failed because the customer was at the vet’s, for example.
In short, offering your customers the possibility of choosing where and when to pick up their orders online could give you a not inconsiderable competitive advantage, especially in a context in which, as we have seen, competition will become increasingly fierce and, at the same time, sales opportunities will grow exponentially.
If you have an eCommerce of pet products and want to integrate more than 200,000 Lockers and Pick-up Points already active, turn to GEL Proximity now!
