Integration of a "bricks and clicks" strategy is now complete at PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. and http://www.petco.com/ with the new re-branded e-commerce website homepage. PETCO and http://www.petco.com/ are the nation's leading community-based premium pet food and supplies integrated retailer.
"Completing the re-branding project culminates the first phase of our original plan for the total integration of store and e-commerce operations," said Mike Woodard, PETCO's Senior Vice President, Business Development. "We have fully integrated our store product assortment and most promotions. Now we will build on this success to complement our product assortment, further improve site functionality and tailor features to meet the desires of individual customers," Woodard added.
PETCO entered the e-commerce business with its joint venture partner petopia.com, one of the original pet food and supplies e-commerce sites. PETCO acquired selected assets of Petopia late last year and began the transition to PETCO early this year. The new homepage completes the metamorphosis from Petopia to PETCO.
Petco.com has incorporated the look and feel of the stores, even using some of the colors found in PETCO stores, print advertising and in-store signage in the re-branded homepage.
The Value of Integration. Consumers and PETCO benefit from the "bricks and clicks" integration. As Internet shopping matures, a significant percentage of consumers will shop online and offline as their needs dictate. Those online/offline shoppers will turn to brands they know and trust.
"Our integrated approach has created a symbiotic relationship so that our more than 560 stores help promote our e-commerce business. This constant reminder to our store customers encourages them to browse and learn about our product offerings online. What we've found is that a growing number of our store customers have researched or browsed products online and then purchased them at their neighborhood PETCO," Woodard said. "We are providing the ultimate convenience, knowledge and selection to meet consumer needs whether they want to go to a store or have the products sent directly to their home," he added.
In addition to the consumer benefit, PETCO has benefited by integrating its online operations into its overall business. The company created an e-commerce department at its headquarters office, but relies on the resources of other departments to support e-commerce business. This synergy ensures consistent messages for both operations and saves money.
What's Next? The next development phase includes adding depth to the online product offerings. For example, additional specialty books and organic foods are being investigated.
"Our objective is to add even more specialized items that may not be available in our stores. This will add further value to the site and offer customers unique products not readily available elsewhere," Woodard said.
About PETCO. PETCO operates more than 560 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia. The pet specialty retailer offers more than 10,000 items for pet owners who pamper their pets.
SOURCE: PETCO
Contact: Don Cowan, +1-858-657-2086,
+1-858-657-2028,
Website: http://www.petco.com/
