Pet brands operate in a market projected to reach $157 billion by 2025, with 86% of pet owners shopping online. This combination of high spending and digital behavior makes loyalty programs essential for brands looking to increase repeat purchases and customer lifetime value. For Shopify Plus pet brands seeking a modern retention platform, Rivo's loyalty program offers the infrastructure to compete with major retailers while maintaining full customization control.
Key Takeaways
- Pet loyalty programs have evolved beyond basic points systems to include emotional perks, subscription models, and omnichannel experiences.
- Rivo stands out as the top choice for Shopify Plus pet brands, offering developer-friendly tools with 99.98% uptime and month-to-month contracts.
- Major retailers like PetSmart and Petco dominate with tiered programs and service integration, while e-commerce players like Chewy excel at convenience and emotional connection.
- Independent research shows top pet loyalty programs achieve 85% transaction linkage rates and annual churn below 10%.
- Referral programs in the pet space can achieve 4× industry average opt-in rates when combined with personalized content.
The pet industry's recession resistance—with only 19% of owners trading down during economic pressure—makes loyalty investment particularly valuable. This list covers the best loyalty programs for pet brands, from enterprise solutions to specialized approaches.
1) Rivo — Modern Retention Platform for Shopify Plus Pet Brands
Best For
Pet brands on Shopify Plus seeking customizable loyalty, referrals, and memberships in one platform
Rivo provides the retention infrastructure that pet brands need to compete with major retailers while maintaining complete control over their customer experience. The platform has generated over $1.5 billion in revenue for client brands across industries, with documented results including 52x ROI and 3.1x repeat purchase rate improvement.
These results demonstrate Rivo's effectiveness across diverse business models. The platform serves thousands of brands ranging from emerging DTC companies to established enterprises, proving its scalability and adaptability to different pet brand needs and growth stages.
Key Features
- Fully customizable points system with VIP tier automation based on spend, points earned, or orders placed
- White-labeled referral marketing with 20+ fraud prevention tools including IP monitoring and self-referral blocking
- Paid membership programs using Shopify Plus checkout extensions and stackable discounts
- Native Shopify integration loading under 100ms with 8+ checkout touchpoints
Pet brands benefit from Rivo's developer-first architecture, which supports custom earning rules for purchases, reviews, social follows, and birthdays. The platform processes 2.9 billion API calls annually with 99.98% uptime—critical for brands managing high-volume pet supply orders.
Unlike legacy competitors requiring annual contracts, Rivo offers month-to-month billing starting at $49/month for brands processing 200+ orders. The Plus plan at $499/month includes white-glove onboarding, dedicated success managers, and 60+ integrations including Klaviyo, Recharge, and Okendo.
Real-world results demonstrate the platform's effectiveness: Kitsch generated $5.8M in loyalty-attributed revenue with 1.2M activated customers, while HexClad drove $450K in referral revenue within 90 days achieving 92x ROI. OSEA Malibu achieved a 77% repeat purchase rate among customers who redeemed rewards.
2) PetSmart Treats
PetSmart Treats represents the benchmark for omnichannel pet loyalty, integrating retail purchases with grooming, hotel stays, and Doggie Day Camp into a unified program. The program ranked highly in Canada's loyalty program studies with strong scores for value and engagement.
Key Features
- 10 points per $1 spent, with tier bonuses of 2 additional points for Bestie tier and 4 for VIPP tier
- Three membership levels: Member, Bestie, and VIPP
- 1,000 points = $2 in savings, redeemable in-store, online, and in-app
- Birthday and Gotcha Day gifts plus 2X points on PetSmart Charities donations
PetSmart successfully relaunched their loyalty program to fuse salon activity with retail purchases in a single cohesive system. This integration creates a seamless experience that connects all customer touchpoints across services and products.
Pet brands can study PetSmart's approach to service-integrated loyalty—the unification of retail and services creates switching costs that pure product discounts cannot match.
3) Petco Pals Rewards & Vital Care
Petco operates a dual-program model that separates casual shoppers from committed pet parents. Pals Rewards is free, while Vital Care costs $19.99/month and delivers approximately $320-400 in annual benefits.
This dual approach allows Petco to serve different customer segments effectively. Casual shoppers benefit from basic rewards without commitment, while dedicated pet parents receive premium health and wellness benefits that justify the monthly investment through veterinary savings and service discounts.
Key Features
- Pals Rewards: 1 Vital Care Point per $1 spent, earning $5 for every 167 points
- Vital Care: Routine vet exam credits, 10-20% discounts on food and services
- "Welcome to the Family" program for new pet parents with up to $285 in savings
- Integration with veterinary services and training
The health-wellness positioning differentiates Petco from pure discount competitors. This approach positions loyalty as preventive pet care rather than transactional savings—a strategy pet brands can replicate using tiered membership programs.
4) Global Pet Foods Pet's Rewards
Global Pet Foods has achieved strong rankings in Canadian loyalty program studies, consistently scoring among the top programs nationwide. The program's unique dual-earning mechanism has driven its success and customer adoption.
Key Features
- Dual earning: Air Miles points plus Frequent Buyer punches simultaneously
- Free bag of pet food after specified purchase threshold through Frequent Buyer
- Higher value score due to dual earning mechanisms
- Strong performance in consecutive annual loyalty rankings
The "two programs in one" approach multiplies reward opportunities without increasing program costs proportionally. Pet brands considering international expansion can study this model for markets where coalition programs like Air Miles have strong penetration, or implement similar dual-reward structures using Rivo's flexible platform.
5) Chewy Autoship & Chewy+
Chewy dominates online pet retail, with 36% of pet owners purchasing from the platform in the last 12 months. Their Autoship program continues to grow, while Q3 FY24 sales rose 8.6% year-over-year.
These growth figures demonstrate Chewy's strength in the competitive online pet supply market. The company has built a loyal customer base through convenience features and personalized service that extends beyond typical e-commerce transactions.
Key Features
- Autoship: 5-10% savings on select brands with automatic delivery scheduling
- Chewy+: Free shipping and 5% cashback rewards (membership launched in late 2023)
- Famous for personal touches: handwritten holiday cards and sympathy flowers when customers lose pets
- Flexible scheduling and easy management via app
Chewy's emotional loyalty strategy—unexpected gestures like sympathy flowers—creates brand connection that discounts alone cannot achieve. This approach validates the importance of personalization features in customer retention strategies.
6) BARK (BarkBox)
BARK demonstrates that 44% of pet owners cite "enjoyment" as their top reason for maintaining pet subscriptions—more than twice as important as price. The company achieved record-high retention in its 2023 fiscal year and has maintained strong retention since despite economic pressures.
This preference for experience over price reveals an important insight for pet brands. Customers value the emotional benefits and anticipation of curated experiences, suggesting that loyalty programs should emphasize delight and personalization alongside traditional discounts.
Key Features
- Monthly themed boxes of toys, treats, and chews personalized to dog's size and play style
- Strong retention performance that consistently outperforms customer acquisition metrics
- Curated experience based on breed, size, and preferences
- Whimsical themes create anticipation and delight each month
The retention-first success proves that experience-based loyalty can outperform pure discount models. Pet brands can replicate this through VIP tier programs that emphasize exclusive experiences over transactional rewards.
7) Blue Buffalo Good Rewards
Blue Buffalo migrated from their Buddies program to Good Rewards in March 2024, powered by the Fetch app. This approach allows customers to earn points by snapping receipts of Blue Buffalo purchases at any retailer.
Key Features
- Works at any retailer—not locked to specific store ecosystems
- Part of General Mills Good Rewards—earn across multiple GM brands
- Redeem for gift cards, charitable donations, or sweepstakes entries
- Leverages Fetch's established user base and technology
The retailer-agnostic model suits pet food manufacturers who sell through multiple channels. This approach maximizes convenience for customers while building direct brand relationships independent of retail partners. Pet brands on Shopify can achieve similar flexibility using Rivo's omnichannel capabilities to reward customers across all purchase locations.
8) The Honest Kitchen
Type: Points + referral hybrid with content personalization
The Honest Kitchen achieves 4× industry average referral opt-in rates with a 25% conversion rate—meaning one in four referred friends makes a purchase. The program emphasizes personalization over discounts.
These exceptional referral metrics demonstrate the power of combining loyalty with targeted content. When customers feel understood through personalized recommendations and education, they become natural brand advocates who actively refer friends and family.
Key Features
- Personalized content based on pet's profile (species, weight, allergies)
- Personalized rewards and product recommendations on loyalty account pages
- Combined loyalty and referral program
- Uses customer data for educational content tailored to individual pets
Premium pet brands should note the content-as-loyalty strategy: positioning as a trusted advisor rather than a discount provider. This approach aligns with Rivo's capabilities for custom earning rules via API that reward engagement behaviors beyond purchases.
9) Pet Supplies Plus Neighbor Rewards
Pet Supplies Plus offers a balanced approach combining product rewards with grooming and wash service incentives. The program features a 12-month points expiration that balances urgency with customer-friendliness.
Key Features
- 5 points per $1 spent, 1,000 points = $5 reward
- After 8 full-service grooms or baths, earn a free add-on package
- After 8 self-service washes, earn a free wash
- Free products from select brands after specified purchase quantities
The neighborly positioning differentiates from national chains through community focus. Regional pet brands can study this model for balancing service and product rewards in loyalty program structures.
10) Jollyes PetCLUB (UK)
Jollyes demonstrates exceptional engagement metrics: 85% of transactions linked to the loyalty program, members shop an average of 7 times per year, and annual churn remains below 10%.
These metrics represent best-in-class performance for retail loyalty programs. The 85% transaction linkage rate indicates that the program has achieved near-universal adoption among customers, while the sub-10% churn demonstrates long-term member satisfaction and engagement.
Key Features
- Exclusive rewards personalized to pet's needs including birthday treats
- Omnichannel—earn and redeem points both in-store and online
- Targeted promotions based on shopping habits, pet type, and purchase history
- 90+ store locations across the UK
The 85% transaction linkage rate demonstrates exceptional program adoption. Pet brands expanding internationally can benchmark against these metrics for loyalty program ROI.
11) The Pet Beastro
The Pet Beastro represents successful loyalty implementation at the independent retailer level, proving that sophisticated programs work beyond national chains.
Key Features
- 1 point per $1 spent in-store, redeemable for discounts and rewards
- 1,000 points = Best Friend Pet Member status (20% off bag day every 5th Saturday)
- Rebate Rewards: shop 6 times in 45 days, earn 1.5% rebate on 7th visit
- Frequent Buyer: buy 12 bags from independent manufacturers, get 1 free
- Mobile app for tracking points, punches, rewards, and event notifications
The multi-program approach—combining points, frequent buyer punches, and rebates—maximizes perceived value without complex infrastructure. Independent pet retailers can replicate this using Rivo's customizable platform without enterprise-level investment.
Why Pet Brands Need Loyalty Programs Now
The pet industry's combination of high customer lifetime value, emotional purchase decisions, and recurring consumption makes it ideal for loyalty investment. With over 25% of pet sales now occurring online, digital-native loyalty programs provide competitive advantages.
Key success factors across top programs:
- Omnichannel integration connecting in-store and online experiences
- Emotional perks like birthday treats and pet-specific celebrations
- Personalization based on pet profiles and purchase history
- Multiple earning opportunities beyond basic purchases
- Clear value propositions with transparent point values
Pet brands on Shopify Plus can implement these strategies using Rivo's modern retention platform—without legacy workarounds or annual contract lock-in.
Building Pet Brand Loyalty with Rivo
Pet brands face unique retention challenges that require specialized loyalty solutions. From managing subscription deliveries for consumables to celebrating pet milestones, the right platform makes the difference between transactional relationships and lasting customer loyalty.
Rivo delivers the complete retention toolkit that pet brands need: customizable VIP tiers that reward your best customers, referral programs that tap into pet owners' natural enthusiasm, and membership features that create predictable recurring revenue. The platform's 99.98% uptime and month-to-month contracts mean you can focus on growth without worrying about technical reliability or long-term commitments. For Shopify Plus pet brands ready to compete with major retailers while maintaining full control over the customer experience, Rivo offers the infrastructure to build loyalty programs that drive measurable results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What features should pet brands prioritize in a loyalty program?
Pet brands should prioritize omnichannel capabilities, emotional perks (birthday and adoption anniversary rewards), and personalization based on pet profiles. The most successful programs like PetSmart Treats integrate services with retail, while premium brands like The Honest Kitchen emphasize content personalization over discounts. Modern platforms like Rivo enable all these features through customizable point rules, VIP tiers, and deep integrations with email marketing platforms.
How do referral programs perform in the pet industry?
Referral programs in the pet space achieve exceptional results when properly implemented. The Honest Kitchen reports 4× industry average referral opt-in rates with 25% conversion, meaning one in four referred friends makes a purchase. HexClad (using Rivo) generated $450K in referral revenue within 90 days with 92x ROI. These results demonstrate that pet owners naturally share products they trust, making referral programs particularly effective for pet brands.
What transaction linkage rates should pet brands target?
Top-performing pet loyalty programs achieve 85% transaction linkage rates, as demonstrated by Jollyes PetCLUB. This metric indicates program adoption and provides the data foundation for personalized marketing. Programs with strong linkage rates also report annual churn below 10%, showing that high engagement correlates with long-term retention. Pet brands should aim for 70%+ linkage within the first year of program launch.
Are paid membership programs effective for pet brands?
Petco's Vital Care at $19.99/month delivers approximately $320-400 in annual value, demonstrating viable paid membership economics. Subscription-focused brands like BARK show that 44% of pet owners prioritize enjoyment over price when maintaining subscriptions. This validates experience-based paid programs that emphasize value beyond discounts, such as exclusive products, veterinary benefits, or curated experiences.
How can Shopify Plus pet brands compete with major retailers?
Shopify Plus pet brands can implement enterprise-level loyalty features using Rivo's platform—including VIP tiers, referrals, and paid memberships—without the infrastructure costs of building custom solutions. Month-to-month contracts starting at $49/month provide flexibility that annual-commitment platforms cannot match. Combined with deep Klaviyo integration for targeted messaging and checkout extensions for seamless point redemption, pet brands gain the tools to deliver experiences that rival major retailers while maintaining the personal connection that defines successful DTC brands.
