Research projects the pet care and pet supplies industry will reach upwards of $200 billion by 2025. And, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we believe the sky is the limit for this category on Amazon. Especially now that more shoppers are buying online for their entire households, including their pets. In fact, according to eMarketer, pet products have seen an increase in sales of 7% among Prime shoppers between Q1 and Q3 of this year. Because of these statistics, e-commerce, particularly Amazon, has become impossible for pet brands to ignore. Continue reading to learn more about what pet brands need to prioritize on Amazon.
With such fast-paced growth, the pet category has become incredibly competitive. As with any brand, if you’re not on Amazon, your competitors are likely earning sales and gaining an edge over your business. We encourage all pet brands not on Amazon to begin the process of getting started. And, for those already on the channel, now is the time to enhance your presence.
There’s equal opportunity for well-established retailers and challenger brands on Amazon. Brands get out of the marketplace what they’re willing to put in from an investment and strategic standpoint. Because of this, it’s crucial for brands to be well-equipped and supported with knowledge of Amazon’s nuances.
One of the most influential tactics to overcome the competition on Amazon is to earn reviews. This is where consumers share their experience and can add credibility to a brand and its products. Reviews also tell a story of what’s most important to consumers and how to appeal to them and drive sales. Based on our own research of reviews of popular pet products, these are the top areas pet brands should focus on within their Amazon presence:
Many pet owners purchase supplements for their animals. Most common are flea and tick prevention or heartworm prevention. But, there are many more supplements, vitamins, or medications pets need based on their unique circumstances.
There are a number of factors that influence a purchase decision with these products. To name a few, the products must be authentic and not a counterfeit. Products must also tend to whatever medical condition they're meant to treat and improve the pet's quality of life.
As alluded to above, pet products must live up to what the product detail page claims. Beyond health products, this holds true for items like toys, waste clean up, and more.
This applies to products in any category. But, when reading through reviews of pet products, we saw this sentiment mentioned more than usual. So, if the product doesn't reflect the quality claimed in the listing, shoppers are more likely to leave a bad review.
Pet owners often turn to Amazon when they want to splurge on a new toy for their pet. Shoppers are looking for products that stand out and will guarantee joy for their animals.
Whether it's a toy, treats, or a new pet bed, it's up to brands to convince shoppers their product will make pets happier than competing listings. There are a number of spaces on a product detail page brands can use to appeal to this mindset. For example, the image library, bullet points, and even A+ pages.
Price plays a huge role in any product's success on Amazon. And in the pet category, shoppers may pay extra attention to the price. After all, pets are expensive, especially over time. In fact, people spend between $1,500 and $10,000 annually on their pets.
When it comes to pet products, shoppers will usually be able to determine whether their money was well-spent after one purchase. And, oftentimes, pet owners are shopping for products that will save them money. We suggest keeping this in mind, not only when creating detail pages, but when prioritizing your catalog assortment.
Regardless of category, communicating clearly through product detail pages makes a difference. For pet brands, it's important to keep the above in mind when creating the perfect product detail page. Brands can leverage what's most important to customers and translate that into conversion-worthy content and creative.
Again, this is crucial to all brands, all the time. But it will be increasingly impactful as Amazon becomes more competitive.
If you could use the support of a strategic partner, schedule a free consultation. And, as always, we’re here to answer any questions about your Amazon presence.