How to Get the Best Deal at Pet Stores Every Time

By: Dannie Phan | March 2, 2020

If you have a furry friend at home, you want to do everything you can to ensure she’s happy and healthy. That means nutritious pet food, safe pet care, toys to play with, a comfy place to sleep, and treats for when they behave well.

All of those goodies, however, can cost a fair chunk of change. No matter how much you want to spoil your pet, you have to do so on a budget. How, then, do you go about getting the best deals at pet stores?

Good news, animal lovers. You don’t have to restrict your animal-based purchases to a restrictive budget. Keep some of the following tricks in mind. You’ll be able to shop with paw-pose, bringing gifts galore back home to your fluffy friends.


Shop at Local Pet Stores

When we say “shop local,” it has two meanings. For starters, you’ll save money and time if you do take your pet store business to local shops. Your neighbors run these businesses, and by shopping non-name brand products, you’ll save money and give back to your community. However, you should also consider buying for your pet’s food, toys, comfort items, and other pet products at local chain stores like PetSmart, Petsmate, or Petco. Forgo online shopping at Amazon in favor of localization, and you’ll find that the deals come to you. Different locations often offer different deals every week. You’ll be able to reap the benefits of your locality if you visit the shop in person!


Take Advantage of Localized Events

Similarly, local pet store chains like Pet Supermarket (as well as non-chains) will frequently put on events that you and your pet will be able to attend. You won’t hear about these events, though, if you don’t make an effort to visit these local businesses frequently. Stop in and see what your pet store’s weekly calendar has on tap. Alternatively, enter your zip code into a store locator online and see what kind of deals you can get when you attend a local event. Different pet-oriented savings at events often include free grooming, goodies, discounts to be used at a later date, and more.


Use a Branded Credit Card

Not all pet stores offer branded credit cards. However, those that do help you save money every time you come inside. A branded credit card will generate in-store rewards for you. Allowing you to receive a discount on a purchase or access to a membership-only credit. If your local pet store doesn’t offer a branded credit card, try to use a cash back card or other rewards card when you’re purchasing something for your pet. While you won’t receive in-store credit, you’ll come away from your purchase with awards on your account that you can use later on. It’s not a traditional way to save, but it certainly is a useful one.


Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store

We live in the era of online shopping. Shipping, though, often costs us as much, if not more, than the purchases we make. Luckily, there’s a way to get around that cost. At Petco.com, if you want to purchase a product for your pet online, go for it! Instead of having it shipped to your address, you can go for a store pick-up that day. This one-two punch of savings will let you apply online Petco coupon codes to the product of your choice while also helping you avoid shipping costs. It’s the perfect way to save!


Coupon, Coupon, Coupon

You’ll be able to find coupons discounting purchases at your local pet store chain in the newspaper, promo codes on a pet store’s site, through the store’s newsletter, and on social media. Even influencers who’ve partnered with the store may have discount codes that help you save money on pet supplies. These deals can range from a BOGO on dog food or cat food to an all-purchase discount on everything sitewide you need for your pet. It’ll be much harder for you to bring home dog treats or cat toys if you’re using an expired coupon. Make sure the coupon of your choice hasn’t expired. That said, each pet store has its coupon policy, so do your research ahead of time to see what coupons you’ll be able to take advantage of upon checkout.


Shop Major Sales like Black Friday

Use significant holiday sales like holiday sales to stock up on nonperishables for the best discount. Big-ticket items like crates, crate accessories, litter boxes, cat furniture, dog beds, and popular pet toys can usually wait for these season sales. For reoccurring purchases like dog food or cat litter, consider subscription programs through your pet store of choice. There's also a growing number of online subscription boxes for pets of all types and sizes. Often there are deals for the first order or first repeat delivery on auto-ship.


Join a Loyalty Program

Finally, if you want to save money at your local pet store, you absolutely need to sign up for a rewards program. These programs, which often only let the stores email you with early access to sales, will help you save on in-store purchases with little commitment. There are often other reward perks like free pet birthday gifts or free shipping offers. Some are point-based, whereas others serve solely as discount cards. Most, however, will let you access deals that the store in question only makes available to its members. Petco has Pals Rewards, which gives you 5% back every day with a member account. Pet Supermarket VIP program gives a similar $5 reward for every $100 spent, free cases of dog or cat food for every ten cases purchased, and free dog washes for every six self-serve dog wash purchased. PetSmart has Treats Program where pet owners can earn 8 points for every $1 spent in stores or online at PetSmart.com.  All you need to do is create a profile. When the programs are so low-commitment, it’s a mistake to pass them by!

All in all, you don’t need to fret too much about shopping at your local pet store. There are dozens of ways you can save on your purchases if only you know how to take advantage of them. Explore online deals with Swagbucks pet subscription boxes and cashback when you shop at Petsmart.com, PetCareRx, and EntirelyPets. Find deals on Petco gift cards and 1-800-PetSupplies gift cards with MyGiftCardPlus.



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