Surges in sales. Immunity from the pandemic’s financial downturn. And an ecommerce market share outpacing online retail as a whole. By every metric, the pet industry represents one of the most lucrative opportunities for online brands. Every metric … except one. Despite strong numbers, it’s a dog-eat-dog world with the biggest of the big devouring far more than their fair share. Intense competition marks the pet food, pet care, and pet supplies landscape — especially mass merchandisers who are privy to high-volume sales, the luxury of lower margins, and scale. The top two players, PetSmart and PETCO, account for nearly half of all online pet product revenue. Amazon’s debut into white-labeled pet-food challenges2 start-ups lacking methods to address variable costs like supply-chain logistics and shipping. What’s more, traditional retail giants like Walmart and Target are expanding their online presence — redefining the pet market and shoppers’ expectations. How can DTC catch up with the pack? Good news: There’s plenty of hope. With real numbers and tested strategies, this guide provides an overview into the state of the pet industry broken into two parts alon