PetSmart is giving pet parents more options.
The superstore company is adding two new tiers, Bestie and Very Important Pet Parent (VIPP), to its Treats Rewards loyalty program. The program already offered a Member option.
The revamped program is “simplified and more flexible,” and aims “to incentivize more spending and build loyalty,” the company said in an email to Quartz.
The new tiers are based on annual spending from customers. Member account holders can upgrade to the Bestie tier if they spend $500 to $999. Should pet owners want to upgrade to the VIPP tier, they will need to drop more than $1,000 on their beloved pets.
As part of the loyalty program, customers will get personalized offers for their pets, such as birthday gifts, early access to sales and new products, as well as Salon reward certificates.
PetSmart’s added membership options could be more of a “key business opportunity,” as 93% of purchases are connected to Treat Rewards accounts, the company said. PetSmart has about 67 million loyalty members.
Meanwhile, as PetSmart scurries to reach pet owners more broadly, Gen Z already appears to be shifting the pet retail landscape. Gen Z includes those currently between 12 and 27 years of age.
According to pass_by, an AI-powered geospatial insights platform, Gen Z is driving in-store pet traffic. The platform collects data from in-store sensors and 15 other unique datasets.
Over the past five years, the report found that Gen Z’s visits to PetSmart increased by 1.3%.
James Ewen, vice president of marketing at pass_by, said Gen Z’s gravitation toward pet retailers is tied to “brands and establishments that align with their values.”
Ewen said Gen Z not only cares about sustainability and the ethical treatment of animals, but also in-store experiences that create “a sense of community, social engagement and shared values.”
That can anchor loyalty and a steady stream of foot traffic to retail pet stores, he added.