12 Reasons Your eCommerce Pet Store Has Low Conversions

According to a report, the global pet care market is expected to grow by 7% CAGR until 2032. 

eCommerce pet supply stores give pet owners:

• convenience, 
• more choices,
• product information, 
• price comparisons that make the value clear, and
• a sense of community.

However, not all online stores are seeing the boom and you’re probably in the same dog house.

If you’ve seen a dip in your pet store sales and want to change that, your conversion data is the best place to begin looking for answers.

After working with many online pet stores, we are ready to let the cat out of the bag. 

Jump to:

1. Your website structure is confusing

2. You’re not making the best of your homepage banners 

3. You’re not creating fun cat-egories 

4. Your pet store lacks personalization 

5. You’re avoiding pawlidays and milestones 

6. You’re not pricing right

7. Your pet store lacks an ‘identity’

8. Your visitors feel overwhelmed by the UX 

9. You’re not purr-suading enough

10. Your cart page is not encouraging 

11.  You may be out-of-stock too often

12. You’re not showing how you give back

How to boost pet store conversion rates - Infographic

12 Common Reasons for Low Conversion Rates on Pet Supply Stores

1. Your website structure is confusing

Most shoppers crave immediacy. 

A study found that the average human span fell from 12 seconds in the last two decades to about eight seconds today. 

So, you have less time to make an impactful first impression.

Here are some tips to create a better UX on pet supply stores:

a) Get buyers to product pages faster with drop-down menus.

Make it easier for pet owners to shop through sub-categories so that they land on products in less than 3 clicks.

b) Use the site search to 3X your pet store’s conversion rate. 

A study found that 43% of online shoppers go straight to the search box and are two or three times more likely to convert.

The site search feature helps shoppers in product discovery match product search intent without wasting time browsing through subpages. 

c) Make it easy for pet owners to shop for their favorite brand.

Nearly nine in ten surveyed pet owners in the US said they often looked for certain brands when buying pet supplies, such as food or toys. 

The report also found that U.S. consumers are slightly more likely to be brand loyal on behalf of their pets. 

So, display industry favorites to win those sales. 

You can streamline this experience by adding a ‘Featured Brands” or “Best Sellers” section on the homepage to make navigation easy.

2. You’re not making the best of your homepage banners 

Your homepage banners are the best place to 

✅ introduce your pet store offerings, 

✅ help shoppers discover your products, and

✅ convince shoppers to buy.

Here are some ideas to try on homepage banners on your pet supply stores:

a) Offer exclusive deals, sneak peeks, or early access to new products through your homepage banners. 

This creates a feeling of exclusivity and encourages first-time visitors to act quickly to take advantage of the opportunity.

b) Include customer testimonials, reviews, or user-generated content in your homepage banners.

Seeing positive experiences from real customers can persuade first-time visitors to take action.    

c) Create banners that leverage scarcity and FOMO to drive urgency and compel action. 

Limited stock, countdown timers, or phrases like "Don't Miss Out!" can motivate visitors to purchase.

eCommerce pet store example - Care-A-Lot Pet Supply homepage banners

We love how Care-A-Lot highlights how they are the ‘local’ pet supply store through their homepage banner. 

If your pet store serves customers in different regions or countries, then customize banners with localized messaging, images, or offers to better resonate with your local audiences.

3. You’re not creating fun cat-egories 

When it comes to product categories, online pet stores can tap into their wittier persona.   

Here are some cat-egory headlines to try on your pet supply stores:

• Pawsitively Purrfect Supplies
• Tail-Wagging Treats and Snacks
• Top Picks for Happy Pets
• Discover What's New for Your Furry Friends

Some tips to remember:

✅ Organize categories in a logical hierarchy that mirrors how customers think about pet products. 

Start with broad categories and then drill down into more specific subcategories to help visitors navigate the site efficiently.

✅ Avoid overwhelming visitors with too many categories and subcategories. 

Keep the number of categories manageable and consolidate similar products under broader categories to simplify navigation.

eCommerce pet store example - Zigly

We love how Zigly combines its categories with adorable pictures of pets and a colorful layout to make it more engaging. 

4. Your pet store lacks personalization 

Pet owners often impulse-buy toys or accessories. 

So take advantage of it.  

Here are some tips to boost sales through targeted recommendations on your pet supply stores:

a) Analyze customers' purchase history to recommend products that are relevant to their past purchases. 

For example, if a customer frequently buys cat toys, you can suggest new cat toys or related accessories.

b) Use personalized recommendations to cross-sell complementary products or upsell higher-value items. 

For instance, if a customer adds a pet bed to their cart, you can recommend matching accessories.

c) Provide personalized gift recommendations for customers shopping for friends or family members with pets. 

Offer gift guides or curated collections based on the recipient's pet type, personality, or special occasions such as birthdays or holidays.

eCommerce pet store example - Pawfy

We love how Pawfy has created a short product recommendation quiz that entices shoppers with a ‘10% off’’ discount.  

5. You’re avoiding pawlidays and milestones 

Like with all online shopping, consumers expect discounts during the holiday season. 

So don’t fail to promote seasonal offers from the year’s busiest shopping activities. 

Here are some tips to boost sales during the holiday season on your pet supply stores:

a) Curate a selection of holiday-themed pet products or create exclusive or limited edition holiday-themed products for pets, such as festive sweaters, toys, or treats. 

b) Partner with local animal shelters or rescue organizations and run adoption-themed campaigns, offer discounts on adoption fees or donate a portion of sales to support pet adoption efforts.

c) Collaborate with pet influencers or social media personalities to promote your holiday products or campaigns to reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility.

eCommerce pet store example - Petco

See how Petco celebrated National Pet Day with an easy-to-apply discount code for selected products. 

6. You’re not pricing right

A study found that:

✅ 63% rely on Google to check prices, 

✅ 24% use price comparison websites or apps, and 

✅ 4% ask family and friends.

Since customers are loss-averse, they are often drawn to sellers with better deals. 

So, if you wish to win the sales, you’ll need to win the price war.

Here’s how to apply pricing strategies on your online pet supply stores:

a) Price competitively, but don’t sell your product short—ensure your costs are within the industry average. 

b) Use subscription-based pricing to encourage return purchases and customer lifetime value.

c) Explore points system to retain customers and reward loyal shoppers

d) Improve customers’ average order value (AOV) with product bundling.

eCommerce pet store example - Pawfy

See how Pawfy offers subscribe and save cues on the cart page to get more sales.

7. Your pet store lacks an ‘identity’

When it comes to eCommerce pet stores, there are more opportunities to be creative than in other industries. 

Genuine marketing is a huge hit with your target audiences. 

Pet owners connect more with brands that really understand how it feels to have pets and what is involved in the day-to-day realities.  

So, don’t be afraid to show your stories. 

It’ll help to be more relevant and add to your brand’s identity. 

eCommerce pet store example - Dog & Co.

We ❤️ how Dog & Co. includes their dogs and cats as a part of their teams, even showing them working behind the scenes. 

The brand also encourages shoppers to visit their physical store to meet their pawsome team.  

Even their Instagram is a pet lover’s page so shoppers are more than happy to follow and engage:

You might also like: 41 Marketing Ideas For Online Pet Stores (With Examples)

8. Your visitors feel overwhelmed by the UX 

The truth is no marketer achieves sustainable success by invading buyers’ privacy or forcing a deal.

Permission-based marketing can be a game changer. 

For instance, pop-ups can obstruct customer experience if they are intrusive. 

So, use behavioral triggers and delays (wait time) to ensure customers only see them when they are most likely to act on them. 

eCommerce pet store example - Oh Norman!

See how Oh Norman! has a minimal layout on their homepage.  

What we love:

• They pitch two deals - bundle and a free shipping progress bar above the header. 
• The header itself has only two main categories, which are repeated again on the CTAs.
• The CTAs use a color distinction to grab attention. 
• There’s a discount teaser which expands to a pop-up when clicked on.

You'd also love to read: Why Is Your Conversion Rate Low: Possible Causes + Solutions

9. You’re not purr-suading enough

Pet owners are quick to bounce if your store looks untrustworthy.

They are also very vocal and involved in communities relevant to their pets. 

So, it’s important to establish trust through your eCommerce pet store. 

Here are some tips for your pet supply store:

a) Add a blog to your store.

Publish helpful and non-sales content to build authority and position your brand as an industry expert.

b) Integrate UGC.

Request your customers to tag your brand on social media and share positive reviews in your social campaigns.

eCommerce pet store example - Petsmart

We love how Petsmart has optimized its reviews section that summarizes both positive and critical reviews. 

This way shoppers can get a transparent view of the product’s genuine offerings. 

10. Your cart page is not encouraging 

A user-friendly cart page can motivate shoppers to complete their purr-chases.

Here are some tips to apply on your online pet supply store:

a) Offer relevant cross-selling and upselling suggestions.

Based on the items in the customer's cart, recommend complementary products, related accessories, or higher-value items to increase the average order value.

b) Provide access to live chat support.

On the cart page, let customers ask questions, get assistance with their order, or address any concerns before proceeding to checkout.

eCommerce pet store example - Mau Pets

See how Mau Pets has a very persuasive cart page with easy risk free trials, warranty, and convenient payment plans. 

11. You may be out-of-stock too often

Negative customer experience deters return visits. 

About one-third of consumers reported they would consider switching brands after one bad experience, and a typical American will tell 15 people of their poor experience.

Nothing could be more disappointing than shoppers visiting your store only to find out their favorite products are out of stock. 

Here’s how to ensure you don’t run out of stock too often on your online pet supply store:

✅ Track your stock levels regularly to know when to restock

✅ Use inventory management software to streamline your processes

✅ Consider dropping shipping to eliminate the need to hold inventory

✅ Reconcile lost, damaged, or stolen items to gain a true picture of your stock level

✅ Let customers opt-in for email notifications for back-in-stock alerts. 

eCommerce pet store example - Oh Norman!

We love how Oh Norman! has a pre-order feature on it's product page so the store can gauge demand for product and plan accordingly.  

12. Your pet store doesn’t show how you give back

Pet owners relate more with conscious brands. 

They want to know that your pet eCommerce brand is as involved in the community as they are. 

Highlight your partnerships with animal welfare organizations, shelters, or rescue groups. 

Showcase how your store collaborations whether through donations, sponsorship, volunteer work, or adoption events.

You can also create special product collections where a portion of the proceeds goes directly to the charity. 

eCommerce pet store example - Chewy 

See how Chewy has a whole landing page focusing on their conscious efforts. 

Boost Your eCommerce Pet Store Conversions

Here's a snapshot infographic to share with your team to improve pet supply store conversion rates.

2X Your Checkout Conversions

98% of visitors who visit an eCommerce site—drop off without buying anything.

Why: user experience issues that cause friction for visitors.

And this is the problem ConvertCart solves.

We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experience—and 2X their conversions.

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.