Pet Owner Consumer Behavior: Results from Our 2021 Report

It’s no secret that people love shopping for their pets. Pet supplies make up an enormous and profitable niche in ecommerce, with the U.S. pet industry bringing in billions of dollars of revenue each year.

Pet owners’ love for their furry, feathered, and scaly friends set them apart — but what about their shopping habits? Let’s take a look at how pet owners are spending in 2021, where they prefer to shop for their pets, and some of the top-performing pet products on Amazon this year.

What kinds of people are U.S. pet owners?

Of the 1,066 U.S. consumers surveyed for Jungle Scout’s Q2 2021 Consumer Trends Report, 786 said they had purchased pet products like cat food and dog toys this year. Viewed through that lens, we can assume roughly 68% of the U.S. population could be considered pet owners — or “pet parents,” a perhaps more fitting term for the modern pet-pampering consumer that has nonetheless roused lively debate.

In a separate survey, we asked a smaller group of pet parents about their preferred shopping methods and the kinds of pet products they’re buying now, based on what’s trending on social media and how their lifestyles will change as U.S. pandemic restrictions continue to ease. Quotes from their responses can be found throughout this article.

So, what kind of people make up the pet parent segment of U.S. consumers?

Unsurprisingly, pets are popular across generations and demographic groups, including men and women, parents and child-free people, and married couples and singles.

• While people of all ages in the U.S. own pets, the majority fall roughly into the Millennial generation. 52% of U.S. consumers who buy pet products in 2021 are between the ages of 25 and 44. Only 4% of these consumers are aged 75 and up.
• Slightly more women than men own pets; 55% of consumers who purchase pet products in 2021 identify as female, while 45% identify as male.
• In terms of employment status, 65% of pet owners work full- or part-time hours. Of those workers, 77% leave home to work, while 23% work from home. Roughly 8% are unemployed or currently furloughed due to COVID-19, 16% are retired, and the remaining 12% are students, homemakers, or unable to work.
• Pet owners’ household income varies, though more than half (53%) earn under $75,000 per year. The majority (86%) say their household income is the same or higher in Q2 than it was in Q1, and only 12% say their income has decreased in the last three months.
• Many consumers made big lifestyle changes in the past year. Overall, 13% of U.S. consumers changed jobs, 12% moved, while another 18% bought or sold their home. 6% got engaged or married, and 6% welcomed a child.

The single-biggest change?

18% of Americans adopted a new pet during the pandemic, including 24% of existing pet owners.

When asked which areas of their life are the most important, pet owners rank pets as their second-greatest concern, just behind family. As far as what matters most, when you’re a pet owner, your pet comes ahead of your finances, human friends, career, and even your own physical and mental health.

Pet owner spending and shopping frequency in 2021

Similarly to the average U.S. consumer, pet owners have maintained or decreased their overall spending in 2021, while maintaining or increasing their spending online and on Amazon.

Pet owners are frequent, on-the-go online shoppers — 70% make purchases online at least once a week, and a quarter shop online once a day or more. And while they also use computers, tablets, and smartphones to shop online, 68% of pet owners prefer to make purchases from their smartphones.

Where U.S. consumers shop for their pets

Pet owners tend to start their online product searches on Amazon, though many use search engines like Google.

On social media, pets mean business

Owners can find no shortage of product recommendations from famous furry faces on the internet. Pet influencer marketing on social media is a huge industry, with celebrity animals like cats, dogs, squirrels, turtles, and marmosets engaging millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok.

Online shopping offers convenience and variety

More than one in five pet owners (23%) in the U.S. shop on Amazon for pet supplies. A similar number (22%) shop for pet products online at Walmart.

Three quarters of U.S. pet owners (75%) are Amazon Prime members, and 50% have Walmart+ memberships.

Pet owners tend to be loyal to certain brands, particularly when shopping for their pets. When asked whether they look for specific brands when buying pet supplies, 42% say “always,” and another 46% say “sometimes.”

Top pet products to watch in 2021

Like many U.S. consumers, pet owners plan to resume a variety of pre-pandemic activities this year, including visiting family, working in an office, and staying at hotels.

“Calming” supplements for dogs

Intended to reduce stress related to loud noises, separation, and travel, these popular anti-anxiety dog chews are in high demand.

“Smart” toys

Interactive and robotic toys for cats, like this electric flopping clownfish, are becoming bestsellers on Amazon, with monthly sales in the tens of thousands.

High-tech automatic pet feeders

Returning to the office could mean the occasional late work night. So that their dogs and cats don’t miss a meal, pet owners are buying automatic feeders in droves. Some options, like this one from Furbo, have cameras and smartphone compatibility so owners can dispense treats remotely.

Dog car seats

Of course, some pet owners will simply bring their furry friends along when they reenter the post-pandemic world. In that case, they’re probably in the market for safe transit products, like comfy car seats for dogs, a category seeing high demand. This option saw a jump in sales this June.

Cat backpacks

One person we spoke with suggested another handy transportation solution: “Cat backpack, 10/10 recommend.” The same goes for owners of cats and other small pets, many of whom are buying cat backpacks. Take this one from Lollimeow, which has sold over 3,000 times in the past month.

Pet owners shop with family in mind

Pet owners tend to be discerning, brand-loyal, and tech-forward shoppers who value their pets as much as their human families. With so many consumers adopting pets during the pandemic, the pet supply industry is poised to grow even more.

Have you splurged on any pet products in the past year? Tell us about it!