See how eCommerce merchants in the pet supply industry are using loyalty programs and community engagement to drive growth.
There's no two ways about it - pet supply sales are booming. In fact, the pet industry is expected to grow by around 56% in the coming years, from its current market value of $320 billion to $500 billion by 2030.
What’s the main driver behind this growth? Our pets are now an integral part of the family and we want the very best for them. Across nutrition, wellness, grooming and enrichment, pet owners are spending more to improve quality of life for their beloved companions.
If you’re an eCommerce merchant in this space, there’s huge potential, with 86% of consumers now shopping for their pets online. However, there’s also a lot of competition, so smart acquisition and retention tactics are key.
The standout brands are those that create a sense of belonging, welcoming consumers into their pet-loving community and fostering loyalty through shared values. It’s all about making customers feel like they're part of a wider family, where pets are a priority, and a loyalty program is an excellent way to do it.
To help you get started, here’s a little inspiration from four brands leveraging loyalty to drive their own growth in the pet supply space.
A UK-based brand, Pets Purest has been on the scene since 2017 and prides itself on its range of 100% natural supplements, treats and grooming products. Whether you’re training a new puppy or looking after the joints of an elderly cat, this eCommerce store caters to animals of all shapes and sizes.
With its key message of “daily wellness, lifelong happiness”, Pets Purest appeals to the growing number of consumers investing in the long-term health of their pets - and it leverages referral marketing to capture their attention.
It’s a simple strategy. Customers who sign up for the program are given a unique referral code to share with family and friends. Anyone who uses the code gets a £5 discount on their first purchase, with £5 also credited to the referring customer.
The brand also makes it easy for customers to use their referral codes, with one-click sharing options for Facebook, Twitter, email, and WhatsApp.
This word-of-mouth marketing can be highly effective, particularly with something as emotive as pet care. When recommendations come from friends or family members who genuinely care about the well-being of their pets, it acts as a powerful endorsement for Pets Purest.
Along with an average order value of around £15 from referrals, the brand also benefits from cost-effective acquisition and a network of loyal customers who appreciate the value of high-quality, natural pet care products.
Consumers have become much more aware of the nutritional needs of their pets, and the detrimental effects of highly processed foods full of artificial additives and preservatives. This has led to increased demand for natural and organic alternatives, and Naturalis Dog is a brand to deliver.
Based in Switzerland, its range of wet dog food contains everything you’d expect to find in a nutritionally balanced diet, all based on the ethos that if we feed our dogs the right foods, they’ll be with us for much longer.
Of course, there are a growing number of natural pet food brands to choose from, so Naturalis Dog uses a clever acquisition technique - it offers customers a free test box so they can experience its premium products firsthand and risk-free.
It then encourages retention by inviting customers to join the Naturalis Dog community through its loyalty program.
Customization and easy access make this program work. Points are referred to as Paws, adding a playful and pet-friendly touch, with one Paw awarded for every CHF 1.00 spent. When these Paws build up, they can then be exchanged for vouchers.
The pop-up widget - present of every webpage - means customers can effortlessly track their Paws and view their available rewards. It’s a simple addition that encourages ongoing participation, helping Naturalis Dog share its passion for pet nutrition with a loyal customer base.
DOGHOUSE is a one-stop shop for canine-loving consumers, offering premium products in clothing and accessories, toys, grooming, and nutrition - including its own range of dog food.
In addition to eCommerce, DOGHOUSE operates two brick-and-mortar stores, with its flagship store incorporating a grooming salon and dog cafe. This makes it a highly community-driven brand, with customers known by name and like-minded pet owners coming together under the same roof.
What DOGHOUSE does particularly well is extend this community vibe to its online customers through a multi-channel loyalty program. This welcomes members ‘to the pack’ and offers ‘canine credits’ for purchases, regardless of where they’re made.
It’s all possible because of QR codes and Influence.io’s integration with Google and Apple Wallets.
These allow DOGHOUSE to issue customers with digital loyalty cards to use in-store, easily accessible with a few clicks on their phone. All the cashier needs to do is scan the code to bring up their loyalty details, and assign purchases to their account. If they shop online, all their information is available to them through the pop-up widget.
Purchases aren’t the only way to earn canine credits, either. The brand has set up a number of earning rules, including points for social media likes and follows. By rewarding customers for becoming part of its online community, DOGHOUSE creates a space where the collective love for dogs and the brand becomes a shared narrative.
It’s a highly successful program, with 1,214 customers signing in its first month. Not only that, these customers are actively engaged, with a redemption rate of 21% compared to the 15% average.
Last up we have the Raw Paws Emporium - a family business specializing in raw pet food, as well as natural treats, hygiene and well-being products.
Sharing their own experience as pet owners, there’s a clear purpose behind the brand, with a whole page dedicated to explaining why a raw food diet is so beneficial for our furry friends. It’s clear the family is passionate about pet health, and this enthusiasm extends to the Raw Paws loyalty program.
A full-page widget explains the program in detail. When customers land here, they’re greeted with the customized opener “Welcome to Pawsome Points: Exclusive perks for loyal pack members” (along with some very cute images that would pull on the heartstrings of any dog lover). This is complemented by a pop-up widget with the customized CTA “Earn Pawsome Point”.
Raw Paws has implemented earn rules aplenty, with 361,935 points awarded in the last month alone.
Customers are rewarded for joining the loyalty program, subscribing to the mailing list and purchases, as well as birthdays and social media follows. This makes it easy for customers to quickly build up a points balance, encouraging both active participation in the program and engagement with the wider brand community.
And just like Pets Purest, Raw Paws drives cost effective acquisition with a referral program - leveraging its most loyal customers to introduce new pet lovers to the pack.
Influence.io's integration with REVIEWS.io presents a powerful opportunity for brands to elevate their review strategies. By seamlessly combining the functionalities of both platforms, brands can incentivize customers to leave reviews, enriching their bank of feedback.
REVIEWS.io has also supported the growth of pet brands. Earthly, a leading pet brand specializing in dog dental care, uses REVIEWS.io to collect and showcase authentic user-generated content, demonstrating the real experiences of satisfied customers. By leveraging REVIEWS.io's robust review collection and management tools, Earthly has seen remarkable results in bolstering its brand credibility and trust within the pet care community.
With their ability to amass User-Generated Content (UGC) through REVIEWS.io. Earthly harnessed this UGC, transforming it into shoppable video content via their integration with Firework. This not only enhanced user interaction but also led to increased sales, helping to drive business growth.
Through the Influence.io and REVIEWS.io integration, brands can effectively enhance their review strategies, gather valuable feedback, and strengthen their brand presence.
Standing out in a crowded market is no easy feat, and the pet supply space certainly has its fair share of brands vying for attention. The good news is that it’s also a space where customers love to get involved - sharing their experiences, connecting with other pet enthusiasts, and becoming advocates for the brands that share their values.
That means it’s a space where a well-run loyalty program can work wonders for growth.
By inviting customers into your community, and rewarding them for their engagement, you create emotional bonds that keep them coming back for more. At the same time, you encourage positive word of mouth, extending your reach and driving brand recognition.
Create a customized loyalty program with Influence.io. Check out our flexible price plans and start connecting with your customers today.