Petco has partnered with online marketplace Rover to provide its pet parent customers with access to pet sitting, boarding and dog walking services directly from the retailer’s website. As a treat, first-time customers will receive a $10 discount on the services. Additionally, members of Petco’s Vital Care health and wellness program will be eligible for a $20 discount beginning in spring 2022.
Founded in 2011 in Seattle, Rover has connected pet owners to millions of service bookings and features the Rover Guarantee, 24/7 support, vet consultations and GPS walk mapping. Services available via Petco will include:
- Overnight boarding at a sitter’s home;
- House-sitting services at the pet’s home;
- Dog walking;
- Doggy daycare in pet sitters’ homes; and
- Drop-in visits for potty breaks, play dates and litterbox cleaning for cats.
“We are pleased to expand our relationship with Rover and make their services more accessible to pet parents through Petco’s integrated, multichannel ecosystem of solutions,” said Jenny Wolski, SVP of Omnichannel Experience at Petco in a statement.
Petco has been busy differentiating itself in the highly competitive (and lucrative) pet care sector. Most recently, the retailer announced plans to set up shop-in-shops at Lowe’s stores, with plans to expand to a total of 15 locations by March 2022. The retailer also has:
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- Created live shopping events with strong social commerce elements;
- Launched a New York City flagship store focused on its Reddy private label brand in November 2021; and
- Launched a retail media network in May 2021.
But other pet care retailers are vying to be leader of the pack. Chewy CEO Sumit Singh, speaking at the NRF 2022 Big Show in January, discussed possible growth routes for the online subscription service that include international expansion and a brick-and-mortar presence, through stores or even pet hotels. Chewy already has moved into pet insurance and established a Practice Hub for veterinarians.
