Introducing Pet Supermarket
Pet Supermarket is a specialty pet retailer that has been around for nearly 50 years. Founded in 1973 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida by Charles West Jr., the company has grown to over 150 retail locations across the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada.
In 2009, Pet Supermarket was acquired by private equity firm Olympus Partners. The current CEO is Thomas McNeely, who has decades of retail management experience under his belt.
Pet Supermarket positions itself as offering quality pet products at affordable prices. But does their huge selection justify shopping there for your furry friend? Let‘s take a deeper look at what Pet Supermarket has to offer.
Overview of Products and Services
Pet Supermarket calls itself "America‘s trusted pet store" with good reason – they carry a massive assortment of over 10,000 pet products. Their offerings include:
- Pet foods: dry, wet, raw, chilled, frozen, prescription diets
- Pet treats and dental chews
- Toys, beds and accessories
- Health products: vitamins, supplements, medications
- Grooming supplies: shampoos, nail clippers, brushes, etc.
- Crates, carriers and cleaning supplies
- Reptile and bird products
- Pet Supermarket branded offerings
- Veterinary services including vaccinations.
They also have self-serve dog washing stations at many locations where you can use their shampoos, towels, aprons, tethers and dryers to clean your pup.
With all those products available in stores, you may be wondering how much is actually available to purchase online? Unfortunately their e-commerce catalog contains just a fraction of their total selection. Many items like refrigerated and frozen foods can only be bought at retail locations.
In-Depth Analysis of Pet Food Offerings
Pet nutrition is where Pet Supermarket claims to shine. They won the 2018 Pet Business Industry Recognition Award for pet specialty nutrition. To maintain their pet food credentials, Pet Supermarket employs highly trained staff called Pet Counselors to guide you in finding the optimal diet for your furry family member.
Let‘s dig into the ingredients and nutritional suitability of some of Pet Supermarket‘s flagship premium food brands, including their private label Performatrin line:
Performatrin Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
This turkey and potato recipe is free of corn, wheat and soy and aims to support digestive and skin health. It meets AAFCO nutritional standards for adult maintenance with a guaranteed analysis of:
- 34% min protein
- 14% min fat
- 4% max fiber
- 12% max moisture
Feeding guidelines vary based on your dog‘s weight, from 1 1/4 cups up to 4 cups per day.
Downsides are that the protein sources are not specified as deboned turkey or turkey meal. Instead they use the vague term "turkey" which could contain less meat. It also contains pea fiber and pea starch which boosts the protein percentage.
The food uses natural preservatives mixed tocopherols rather than controversial artificial preservatives like BHA or BHT.
On balance, while not the highest protein or meat concentrate dry food on the market, for the price point Performatrin offers average nutritional value.
30 lb bag retailing at $50.99.
BLUE Wilderness High Protein Wet Cat Food
This pate-style wet food features real chicken as the first ingredient along with healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and carrots. It has added vitamins and is grain and gluten-free.
Guaranteed analysis per can:
- 10% min protein
- 5% min fat
- 1.5% max fiber
- 78% max moisture
While packed with quality ingredients, some veterinary nutritionists point out that extremely high protein diets can be problematic for cats long-term unless specifically recommended to manage a medical condition. This food has a whopping 10% protein. Most cats only require about 6-8% in wet foods.
Comes in 3 oz and 5.5 oz cans. Average cost is $2 per 3 oz can. So it is reasonably priced for a premium wet food that cats gobble up, but moderating portion sizes is advised.
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Urinary Tract Health Formula
This dry prescription cat food from Nestle Purina is designed to promote healthy urinary pH and reduce recurrence of alkaline urine that could lead to crystals and stones.
It contains reduced magnesium and protein, with added supplements to make the urine more acidic like DL-Methionine and potassium citrate. Cranberries and antioxidants are included which offer additional urinary health benefits.
Feeding guide recommends feeding solely this food to cats prone to urinary tract diseases. Retails for $30 for a 6 lb bag on average. Being prescription, this food can only be purchased after receiving authorization from your veterinarian.
How Does Pet Supermarket Compare to Competitors?
Pet Supermarket positions itself as a more affordable alternative to premium pet stores and big box chains. Let‘s see how they stack up to the competition across some key metrics:
Selection
With over 10,000 SKUs, Pet Supermarket wins when it comes sheer number of products to choose from. Far more than neighborhood pet shops. But loses to giant chains like PetSmart and Petco that carry up to twice as many items.
Prices
On average Pet Supermarket‘s everyday prices are 5-10% lower than big chains on comparable items. But they infrequently run promotions or incorporate loyalty rewards where the other major players offer weekly sales.
Quality
Product quality and brand recognition lags behind premium players like Petco but better than mass market general retailers. Focus primarily on pet store exclusive brands rather than popular names consumers recognize.
E-Commerce
Subpar – only about 20% of products available online for home delivery compared to almost 100% product selection from leading e-tailers.
So in summary, Pet Supermarket strikes a balance between product volume, affordable pricing and decent quality that makes it appealing for the average pet owner on a budget. But expect to compromise on brand diversity or online convenience.
The Good and Bad of Shopping at Pet Supermarket
Based on our hands-on evaluation, here are some pros and cons experienced by this pet supplies chain:
Pros
- Massive product variety in stores
- Very knowledgeable Pet Counselor staff
- Competitive pricing especially on foods
- Extensive veterinary services offerings
- Senior and military discounts on select days
- Price matching guarantees to local competitors
Cons
- Low stock levels on popular items
- Majority of products not available online
- Checkout lines move slowly
- Dated store environments
- Employees push house brands over name brands
On the whole, shopping experience will meet requirements for most routine purchases but falls short if you demand premium brands or online ordering capabilities.
What Do Customer Reviews Say?
Scouring over 1300 online customer reviews across various rating platforms, the consensus is very positive:
- 85% 4 or 5 star ratings
- Pet owners feel staff go above and beyond to help
- Praise for veterinary services value and accessibility
- Complaints about out of stock situations on promoted sales items
- Mixed feedback on e-commerce with shipping delays and inaccurate site inventory
Top negative review themes centered around billing errors, difficulty using loyalty programs and associates pushing unnecessary add-ons during veterinary exams.
Given the volume and breadth of products and services offered, Pet Supermarket generally delivers good experiences at competitive prices. But like any big retailer, you‘ll encounter the occasional miss.
Getting the Best Bang for Your Buck at Pet Supermarket
Here are some of our top tips to maximize savings and satisfaction when shopping Pet Supermarket:
- Price match online offers if items cost less elsewhere
- Watch for weekly ad specials both online and in store flyers
- Buy larger bag sizes of staple foods to get lowest cost per pound
- Enroll in VIP Buyer‘s Club for discounts on grooming among other perks
- Make use of Wellness Plan membership for reduced cost vaccines and exams
- Combine manufacturer coupons with Pet Supermarket promotions for biggest bang savings
- Call ahead for inventory availability as limited online visibility
Planning purchases carefully pays dividends over impulse buys when you have over 10,000 items to tempt you!
Contacting Pet Supermarket Customer Service
Didn‘t find what you needed or have questions not answered in this review? You can contact Pet Supermarket customer service through:
- Phone: 1-866-434-1990
- Email: [email protected]
- Live chat on their website during business hours
- Fill out customer contact form and get a call back
Response times average one business day. Note phone hold queues may be long during peak seasonal shopping like Christmas.
The Final Verdict: Is Pet Supermarket Your One Stop Pet Shop?
In the end while Pet Supermarket may not master any one thing like premium brands or rapid home delivery, their expansive in store product variety and competitive pricing make them a pragmatic choice for the everyday pet products you require.
Couple that breadth of assortment with veterinary wellness plans and self-serve dog washing at select locations, and Pet Supermarket succeeds as a convenient neighborhood supplier able to meet 80% of owners‘ pet needs.
Just be prepared for the other 20% to require a special trip to a big box competitor once Fido turns his nose up at his usual food or your tabby treats run out sooner than expected!
