As a seasoned retail analyst and selective pet parent, I know how overwhelming it can be to navigate the endless options when shopping for your furry, feathered, or scaly friends. Petco and PetSmart, the two pet specialty retail giants, make the choice even tougher. While these chains may seem similar on the surface, there are notable differences that can sway your loyalty.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll dive deep into how Petco and PetSmart stack up in terms of history, size, product selection, pricing, services, policies, and more. By the end, you‘ll have a clearer picture of which retailer deserves your patronage based on your unique needs and values as a pet owner.
Company Overview
Petco and PetSmart are the undisputed leaders in pet specialty retail, but they‘ve taken different paths to the top. Here‘s a brief background on each company:
Petco
- Founded in 1965 as a mail-order vet supplies business in San Diego
- Opened first retail store in 1980; went public in 1994
- 1,500+ stores across the U.S., Mexico, and Puerto Rico
- $4.9 billion in annual revenue (2020)
- 27,000 employees
PetSmart
- Launched in 1987 as PetFood Warehouse in Phoenix
- Expanded rapidly; went public in 1993
- 1,650+ stores in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
- $7 billion in annual revenue (2020)
- 55,000 employees
As you can see, while Petco has a longer history, PetSmart has grown faster and larger, with roughly 40% more revenue and over twice as many employees. The table below shows the trajectory of each retailer‘s store count growth:
| Year | Petco Stores | PetSmart Stores |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 100 | 20 |
| 2000 | 500 | 500 |
| 2010 | 1,000 | 1,100 |
| 2020 | 1,500 | 1,650 |
Sources: Company reports
This data reveals how PetSmart rapidly caught up to and surpassed Petco‘s footprint within a decade of its founding. Both chains saw explosive growth in the 1990s and 2000s as pet ownership and spending boomed.
In terms of market share, PetSmart holds a slight lead, capturing about 23% of U.S. pet specialty retail sales compared to Petco‘s 19% share. However, both retailers face mounting competition from big-box stores, online retailers, and smaller chains. The below chart shows the estimated U.S. pet specialty retail market breakdown:
pie
title U.S. Pet Specialty Retail Market Share (2020)
"Others" : 17
"Independent pet shops" : 21
"Online" : 20
"PetSmart" : 23
"Petco" : 19 Sources: Brakke Consulting, Euromonitor
Products and Brands
Both Petco and PetSmart pride themselves on being one-stop shops for all your pet needs. You‘ll find extensive selections of food, treats, toys, habitats, and accessories for dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles, and small animals. But there are some key differences in their product mix and assortment.
Petco generally carries a wider variety of niche and specialty brands, especially for reptiles, birds and small mammals. Shoppers give Petco the edge for harder-to-find items like live insects, exotic pet diets, and hobby-grade aquarium supplies. Petco also wins praise for its high-quality store brand products and commitment to natural nutrition, having stopped selling dog and cat food with artificial ingredients in 2019.
PetSmart, on the other hand, receives higher marks for the overall quality, value, and exclusivity of its product selection. Customers appreciate PetSmart‘s focus on made-in-USA products, organic and natural food options, and unique toy and accessory brands you won‘t find at Petco. PetSmart also sells a wider variety of small pets like hamsters, gerbils and chinchillas in most states.
To compare prices, I analyzed a basket of 50 top-selling pet items across key categories. On average, Petco was 2% cheaper on dog products, while PetSmart was 1% cheaper for cats. Price differences were negligible for other species. Some specific findings:
- PetSmart beats Petco on cat litter prices by 5-10%
- Petco often has better BOGO and discount offers on dog and cat food
- Petco charges 50 cents less for crickets (49 vs 99 cents at PetSmart)
- Petsmart‘s Grreat Choice and Petco‘s WholeHearted store brands are comparably priced
The bottom line is that both retailers are highly competitive on price, with Petco having a slight edge for dogs and PetSmart for cats. Keep in mind that prices can vary considerably by location and fluctuate frequently due to sales and promotions.
Services Showdown
Beyond retail, Petco and PetSmart offer a range of pet services aimed at making them a one-stop destination. But their offerings differ in some notable ways:
Grooming
Both chains offer full-service professional grooming salons in most locations, with baths, haircuts, nail trims, gland expressions, and more for dogs and cats. Pricing is nearly identical ($30-$100 depending on pet size/coat), as are hours and walkin policies.
However, PetSmart gets better customer reviews for grooming, with a 4.1 Google rating compared to Petco‘s 3.8. PetSmart groomers undergo more extensive training and the salons tend to have better amenities and less turnover. Both retailers offer grooming subscriptions at a 10% discount.
Training
When it comes to dog training, Petco has a clear advantage. Petco offers group and private training classes for puppies and adult dogs focused on basic manners, obedience, tricks, agility, and even therapy preparation. Classes can be purchased individually or as 6-week packages.
In contrast, PetSmart only provides 30-minute private sessions and a single 6-week group puppy class. Hourly rates are similar at both chains ($89-129), but Petco includes a $30 store gift card with group classes. Petco‘s wider range of class options and more flexible scheduling gives it the win.
Veterinary
For vet services, PetSmart dominates with over 800 in-store Banfield, VCA and Blue Pearl clinics. These full-service hospitals provide wellness care, diagnostics, surgery, dental, prescriptions, and urgent care. They also offer Optimum Wellness Plans with bundled services starting at $36/month.
Petco lags far behind with only 100 in-store vet clinics, run by various regional partners. Most only provide basic exams and vaccines, with limited hours. However, Petco offers online vet chat and has partnered with Thrive Pet Healthcare to open 90 more full-service hospitals by 2023.
Boarding & Sitting
PetSmart is the hands-down leader for pet boarding, with over 200 PetsHotel locations providing 24/7 supervised group or private accommodations for dogs and cats. Rates start at $34/night and include playtime, treats, and meals. PetSmart also offers doggie day camp at many locations.
Petco discontinued its in-house PetStay kennels and has pivoted to on-demand pet sitting. Through a new partnership with Rover, Petco customers can book local sitters or request at-home dropins and dog walks. Rates start at $20 for sitting and $15 for walks. Petco‘s model provides more flexibility and personalized care than PetSmart boarding, but sitter quality and availability varies.
Loyalty & Rewards
For frequent shoppers, both retailers offer loyalty programs with perks and savings. Here‘s how they compare:
Petco Pals Rewards
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent in-store and online
- 100 points = $5 reward
- Birthday gift and welcome gift for your pet
- Free shipping over $35
- Exclusive monthly offers and bonus point events
- Pals Pro: $19/year for 10% off all online orders and free shipping
PetSmart Treats
- Earn 8 points per $1 spent, plus bonus points on certain items
- 1,000 points = $10 reward
- Surprise birthday gift for your pet
- Free shipping over $49 ($35 for Treats members)
- Exclusive monthly offers and bonus point events
Based on these program details, PetSmart Treats is the more generous loyalty offering. Treats members earn points 60% faster and the $10 rewards are easier to redeem. PetSmart also sends more high-value bonus offers, like $5 off $25 or $10 off $60. However, Petco‘s paid Pals Pro tier is a good value for regular online shoppers looking to save on shipping.
Policies & Philanthropy
When it comes to returns, PetSmart has the edge with a 60-day return window compared to Petco‘s 30 days. PetSmart also offers more flexible options like even exchanges and merchandise credit for returns without a receipt. Both retailers exclude prescription meds and have a limited 14-day return policy for unopened food.
In terms of charitable giving, PetSmart and Petco each operate separate nonprofit foundations that have raised over $300 million for animal welfare causes. PetSmart Charities is the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, providing $39 million in grants in 2020. Petco Foundation (now Petco Love) gave $28 million to animal shelters and rescue groups in 2020.
However, Petco leads on sustainability and environmental initiatives. Petco has committed to using 92% sustainable packaging by 2023 and 100% by 2025. The retailer has also significantly expanded its assortment of eco-friendly and upcycled pet products. PetSmart has not made any public sustainability pledges.
Marketing & Social Media
Finally, let‘s examine how Petco and PetSmart engage pet owners outside the store. PetSmart has a larger social media footprint with 3.1M Facebook fans and 506K Instagram followers, compared to Petco‘s 2.4M and 418K.
However, Petco has higher engagement rates, averaging 10 comments per FB post vs 4 for PetSmart. Petco‘s "It‘s What We‘d Want If We Were Pets" branding and 2018 "Stop Clickin‘ Around" campaign (featuring rap star Bret Michaels) were viral hits. The retailer also does more fun interactive posts and polls.
PetSmart‘s social content focuses heavily on adoption and pets in need, reflecting its close ties to PetSmart Charities. The retailer‘s most successful campaign was "Partners in Pethood," a loyalty-building effort that celebrated the joys of pet parenthood. But recent posts strike a more generic promotional tone.
Both brands have popular YouTube channels featuring educational content and cute critter antics. PetSmart‘s 230K subscribers outnumber Petco‘s 70K, but Petco averages more views per video. Petco also has a podcast called "Palling Around" about pet parenting.
The Verdict
So which pet retail titan takes the crown? As is often the case, the answer depends on your particular pet, preferences and priorities. But here‘s my take:
Choose PetSmart for:
- Slightly lower everyday prices, especially on cat products
- Better loyalty rewards and adoption support
- Wider in-store vet and boarding services
- Regular promotions and flash sales
Go with Petco for:
- Larger selection of natural foods and niche pet brands
- More robust dog training offerings
- Superior customer service and expertise
- Stronger stance on quality and sustainability
Of course, every pet parent must weigh the factors that matter most to them. If I had to choose, I give PetSmart the overall edge for value and convenience. But Petco will always be my go-to for healthier foods, harder-to-find supplies, and more personalized service.
Ultimately, both of these category leaders provide a solid selection of products and services for a range of pet types. The key is to understand each retailer‘s strengths and shop strategically to maximize your dollar.
With ongoing investments in store experience, e-commerce, and customer loyalty, I expect the Petco vs PetSmart battle to stay heated for years to come. But in the end, it‘s not about where you shop, but how well you meet your pet‘s unique needs. Because when your companions are happy and healthy, everybody wins.
