Petco feels competition from Amazon. In what appears to be an about face from self-service stores, Petco’s new concept stores are service-focused stores that aim to give shoppers something they can’t buy online.
“What we’re doing [in San Marcos] today will look very different a year from now. If it doesn’t, then I’ve failed,” Weatherup told CNBC. “This is where people go to be educated. … Even the small things are really important.”
Source: CNBC, July 17, 2018. Link.
Petco is trying to Amazon-proof its business. Time will tell if the strategy really works. The privately held pet-goods retailer has just opened a new service-focused store that aims to give shoppers something they can’t buy online.
INSIGHTS: The education and services component of this concept has disruptive potential to current veterinary hospital models. Whether it makes Petco Amazon-proof is yet to be seen. Pet owners are obviously missing something within the VCPR for Petco to fund this pilot.