Petco Brings Together Products and Services in Single Membership Program

Petco has brought together its products and services in a single membership program.

The Vital Care program now includes products, grooming services and veterinary care. It has two tiers — one free and one paid — and currently has 24 million subscribers, Petco said in a Monday (Jan. 30) press release.

“Building on the strength of our existing two membership offerings, by bringing them together under Vital Care, we’re making it even easier for customers to understand and maximize the program offerings to provide their pets with the best possible care and get the most value from Petco,” Petco Senior Vice President of Omnichannel Customer Experience Jenny Wolski said in the release.

PYMNTS research has found that subscription-based services skyrocketed over the last several years, propelled by the multitude of consumers staying at home during the pandemic.

The average consumer spent $273 monthly on subscriptions in 2021, up from $237 in 2018 — a 15% increase, according to the “Subscription Commerce Tracker®,” a PYMNTS and Vindicia collaboration.

One way to provide a well-managed customer experience is via a superaggregation strategy that enables consumers to find, use and pay for a wide range of services in a single, trusted environment, the report said.

Petco’s Vital Care pet platform is a “whole health offering,” Wolski told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster in an interview posted in December.

The membership “is the manifestation of everything that Petco has to offer,” Wolski said at the time. “It’s not just a vet plan, it is an everyday health and wellness care plan for your pet.”

Competitor Chewy, too, has been expanding its range of offerings for pet owners. In August, the online pet product retailer said it was growing its wellness and insurance program and its eCommerce solution for veterinary practices.

In Petco’s new, expanded Vital Care program, the free tier offers members points on every purchase of merchandise and services, perks that include a free product or service after purchasing a specified number, and digital resources that include pet care reminders, according to the press release.

The paid tier of Vital Care offers those benefits as well as extended rewards expiration, additional discounts and a member help line, the release said.

Petco reported in the release that members of its previous membership program, Pals Rewards, visited stores 50% more often and spent 40% more than nonmembers.

“Pet parents are looking for seamless, one-stop shopping and personalized advice on how to support their pets’ health and wellness, and a Vital Care membership gives them all of that and more — including exclusive savings on products and services across our differentiated omnichannel ecosystem, which no other membership offers,” Wolski said in the release.

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