Nnnooooo!!! This is the overwhelming response as word spread via social media on April 18 when PetSmart, Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Chewy, Inc., the online pet retailer with amazing discount prices.
It appears PetSmart has a strategy and combining the new companies will create a better company that will be better able to reach pet product consumers both online and in-store in North America. The deal is expected to close by the end of PetSmart’s 2017 fiscal quarter.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, PetSmart president and chief executive officer stated
“PetSmart strives to be the trusted partner to pet parents and pets in every moment of their lives. We are focused on improving our customers’ experience in-store and online as we continue to execute against our long-term strategic initiatives. Chewy’s high-touch customer e-commerce service model and culture centered around a love of pets is the ideal complement to PetSmart’s store footprint and diverse offerings. Together, PetSmart and Chewy will provide the most convenient customer experience to a wider base of pet parents across every channel.”
Chewy fans aren’t so sure the merger will benefit their pets or their wallets. They have some of the cheapest prices in the pet food industry. Coupled with super fast delivery (including order accuracy) and excellent customer service, Chewy, founded by Ryan Cohen and Michael Day in 2011, is one website shared by pet owners as being the one go-to company for all of their pets needs.
What’s happening is the merger of PetSmart, with over 1,500 physical stores with Chewy, an online-only company. Ryan Cohen told Yahoo
“Since we started Chewy, we have been dedicated to understanding and satisfying the evolving needs of our customers to deliver the highest quality pet products and customer service. Combining our strong e-commerce expertise with PetSmart’s best-in-class infrastructure, footprint and breadth of offerings including services will help us ‘wow’ our customers even more.”
Ryan will continue to lead Chewy after closing, as the company will operate largely as an independent subsidiary of PetSmart. Hopefully, the companies will continue to prosper and to do this they must deliver the most competitive prices combined with consumer convenience.
The acquisition is said to be the biggest in e-commerce history at a cost of $3.35 billion.
How do the readers feel about the merger of PetSmart and Chewy? I hope nothing changes, service-wise, as Chewy is about as good as they come on prices and their quick shipping.
Elisa
Source 1
I’ve never had to be home for a Chewy shipment!
What does ANY of that have to do with the pet store merger???
As I said before, they are mutually incompatible business models. I don’t see an upside at all. The online business will fail to provide decent service and pricing it succeeded at. It’s buying out the competition, bleeding it for what it’s worth then dumping it in a few years when it’s dead. Mark my words. GEEZE this infuriates me!
Dee, Are you aware that PetSmart profits from the “declaws” for kittens and cats that are part of Banfield’s Wellness package? I would never support this practice, with my dollars.
/wiki/Banfield_Pet_Hospital
Banfield Pet Hospital is a privately owned company based in Vancouver, Washington, United … PetSmart received rent and a share of the profits from the clinics
Banfield does “declaws” on kittens and cats as part of the “Wellness” package. Ugh! Petsmart benefits. I never support either one.