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When it comes to shopping for pets, Americans have long had options to meet their furry best friends’ needs. However, among direct-to-consumer pet supply companies, Chewy has made a name for itself over the last 15 years as a giant in the pet supply space, known for its online-first model. Chewy reported net sales exceeding $3 billion in its fiscal second quarter. As consumers make increasingly intentional spending choices and navigate an ever-changing retail landscape, what sets the Chewy consumer apart?
Recent consumer-declared data from CivicScience show that nearly one-third of U.S. adult pet owners (32%) regularly buy pet supplies on Chewy, while nearly 1-in-5 (18%) have not yet done so but plan to soon. Parents represent the largest share of consumers who either already shop on Chewy or plan to.
Breaking the data down among cat and dog owners specifically, those who own both are the most likely to shop on Chewy regularly (40%), while cat owners show the most untapped interest: 31% plan to try Chewy soon, compared with 18% of dog owners.
Chewy Shoppers Put Health and Brand First
Regular Chewy users are twice as likely as pet owners overall to say they are shopping online more now than they were this time last year (24% vs. 12%). But convenience is only part of the draw. When choosing between brand and price, 35% of regular Chewy users prioritize brand, nearly double that of pet owners overall (19%). The gap is even wider among Chewy intenders: 42% say brand matters most.
Among the many factors that shape pet purchases, healthy choices top the list for both regular Chewy users (56%) and intenders (50%), but the two groups diverge from there. Regular shoppers lean more on outside guidance, with 46% citing vet recommendations and 33% citing friend or family recommendations, compared with 27% and 25% of intenders. Intenders, meanwhile, place more weight on safety (48% vs. 43%) and cost (47% vs. 39%), putting them on par with pet owners overall on price (45%).
Chewy Users and Intenders Already Lean on AI
With Chewy building around AI, both regular Chewy users and intenders already feel comfortable with the technology. Thirty-one percent and 33%, respectively, say they use two or more AI platforms per month, compared with 24% of pet owners overall. Intenders stand out in particular, with 75% using at least one AI platform monthly, well above pet owners overall (53%).
When using AI to choose products, regular Chewy users value clear explanations of why a product is suggested most (29%), ahead of saving time (24%). For intenders, saving time comes first (25%), but clear explanations still rank among their top priorities (18%), suggesting AI tools that show their work may resonate with both groups.
4 Things to Know About Chewy Intenders
Using AI-enabled survey technology that engages millions of U.S. respondents weekly, CivicScience continuously gathers self-reported data on people’s wants, needs, hopes, fears, tastes, and intentions. Here are a few key insights on consumers planning to use Chewy soon and how they compare with the average consumer:
- Planning a Bigger Holiday Budget: Nearly 6-in-10 (59%) intenders say they plan to spend more on the holidays this year, far higher than Gen Pop (36%).
- Positive Income Outlook: Chewy intenders are particularly optimistic about their income, with 54% expecting it to be higher in the next six months, 16 percentage points above Gen Pop (38%).
- Influenced by Nostalgia: Nearly one-quarter (24%) say nostalgia holds ‘a lot’ of influence over their purchases, compared with 17% of Gen Pop. Overall, 86% say it has at least ‘a little’ influence.
- Tuned Into Collegiate Women’s Sports: One-in-five (20%) plan to watch collegiate women’s sports this fall and winter, compared with 12% of Gen Pop.
Chewy’s intenders combine a stronger brand focus than pet owners overall with closer attention to cost and safety than current users, a mix that suggests winning them over may depend as much on trust and value as on convenience. With larger holiday budgets and an optimistic income outlook, the season ahead may be an especially timely window to reach them.
