How to Find Hidden Pet Supplies Deals: A Savvy Shopper’s Guide

You can get amazing deals of up to 40% off your first pet supplies delivery from major retailers. Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart give new customers huge discounts between 35-40% off their first purchase.

These obvious deals are just scratching the surface. Most pet owners buy from traditional pet stores or their favorite online shops, but the best prices might surprise you. Membership clubs give deep discounts on bulk purchases, and local animal shelters sell supplies at competitive prices. The key is knowing the right places to look for discount online pet supplies.

We tested dozens of money-saving strategies for pet supplies and put together a complete guide to finding hidden deals. These insider tips will help you cut down your pet care costs a lot, whether you need food, toys, or basic supplies.

Set Up Your Deal-Finding System

Smart shopping for pet supplies needs a proper plan instead of just browsing around. A well-laid-out system helps you find the best discounts on pet supplies and keeps you from buying things you don’t need.

Create a pet supplies inventory

Smart pet supply shopping starts with knowing what you have and what you need. Businesses lose approximately $1.75 trillion globally when they don’t manage their inventory well, and pet owners waste money the same way without proper tracking.

Make a detailed list of your pet supplies:

• Food and treats (note expiration dates)
• Medications and supplements
• Toys, bedding, and accessories
• Grooming supplies and cleaning products

The quickest way to track your supplies is through inventory management apps. These tools help you watch expiration dates on unused products and stop waste. Your supplies work best when you store everyday items where you use them and keep occasional-use items in one spot.

Organize deal notifications

Retailer loyalty programs give you automatic discounts and points for future purchases. The Petco Pals Rewards program gives 1 point for every dollar spent (each point equals 5 cents), and you get a $5 coupon after earning 100 points. PetSmart Treats gives 8 points per dollar spent, which you can use after earning 1,000 points.

Store apps offer exclusive deals. PetSmart’s app rewards you with 1,000 bonus points just for downloading it, worth $2.50 in savings. You should also sign up for email newsletters from smaller pet retailers that often share special sales with discounts between 20-25%.

Discount pages on retailer websites are a great way to get deals before making purchases. Petco’s monthly offers page, Chewy’s Today’s Deals tab, and PetSmart’s Sale tab show current promotions you might miss otherwise.

Build a shopping calendar

A smart shopping calendar keeps you from paying full price for last-minute purchases. Sales cycles and special events are the best times to shop. These events boost foot traffic to pet stores through exclusive promotions.

Auto-shipping regular items like food or litter saves money. Petco gives 35% off your first repeat shipping purchase and 5% off later orders. Chewy and PetSmart offer 30% off original repeat shipments and 5% off each following order.

PetSmart and Chewy ship orders over $49 for free, while Petco’s free shipping starts at $35. The sort of thing I love about seasonal promotions goes beyond Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

This three-part system turns you from someone who occasionally finds deals into a savvy shopper who saves on all pet supplies.

Use Technology to Uncover Hidden Deals

Pet parents who know their way around technology are finding big savings with digital tools that spot the best deals. These modern tools work around the clock to catch discounts you might miss with regular shopping.

Price comparison tools for pet supplies

Sites like DugDug give you complete pet product details from multiple stores in an easy-to-read format. DugDug stands out from regular comparison sites by organizing products in ways that make sense. They group flea treatments by your pet’s weight and show available coupons right next to each item. Checkbook’s shoppers looked at popular pet food prices and found warehouse clubs offer great deals. Sam’s Club prices were 22% lower than average, BJ’s came in at 18% below, and Chewy beat the all-store average by 11%.

Deal alert services that work

YepiPet’s Price Watch feature can reshape how you hunt for deals. This tool keeps an eye on prices at major stores like Amazon, PetSmart, and Costco. You get instant alerts when your favorite items go on sale. Many stores will give you a small discount (usually 5%) if you sign up for regular deliveries through their auto-ship programs.

Browser extensions for automatic coupon finding

Browser extensions work like digital coupon hunters in the background while you shop. PayPal Honey tests every available coupon code at checkout, and members save about $126 each year. Capital One Shopping looks at prices across different websites and works great for pet supplies. Some users saved around $150 over six months. The Camelizer extension shows you how Amazon prices change over time, so you know whether to buy now or wait for better deals.

Apps that find the cheapest pet store prices

Mobile apps take smart shopping to another level. Research shows that 70% of pet owners buy online at least weekly, and 52% use deal-hunting browser extensions. Chewy’s app has special “Today’s Deals” and gives you 5% extra off future auto-ship orders. ShopSavvy turns your phone’s camera into a barcode scanner that quickly compares prices at both physical stores and online shops.

Master Timing Strategies for Maximum Savings

Smart timing of your purchases might be the best overlooked way to find the cheapest pet supplies. My analysis of pet product pricing data over several years has revealed predictable patterns that can help you save more money.

Understanding clearance cycles

Smart pet parents can utilize clearance sales that follow predictable patterns. Retailers clear inventory at month-end to meet sales quotas, and deeper discounts appear during seasonal transitions. You can save money by:

• Looking for reptile supplies in late summer and early fall when store owners run “aggressive promotions” to boost sales after summer slumps
• Finding “everything you need” packages during holiday seasons that bundle lighting, substrate, housing, heating, food and animals at discounted rates
• Watching for end-of-month deals when pet stores offer special discounts to achieve monthly sales targets

Black Friday drives the pet industry just like the general gift industry, with retailers depending on increased foot traffic to improve year-end sales figures.

Seasonal sales patterns for pet supplies

Pet product prices follow specific monthly cycles that can help plan your shopping:

Pet Food: Prices tend to climb through the first half of the year, drop in July, rise again until November, then fall sharply in December. January offers the lowest prices, while November hits the highest.

Pet Supplies: Prices peak from February through May, reach their lowest from late spring through summer (bottom out in September), then climb during holiday season with November peaks before December drops. February costs the most while September costs the least.

Overall Best Timing: January consistently offers the lowest prices across all pet categories, while November stands as the most expensive. The takeaway? “Buy early (September) or buy late (December)”.

Pet supplies like clothing or accessories often go on clearance when they’re out of season. This creates perfect opportunities to plan ahead for next year’s needs.

Explore Unexpected Places to Buy Cheap Pet Supplies

Pet supplies don’t have to come from pet stores anymore. Smart shoppers know they can get better deals at some surprising places.

Non-traditional retailers with pet sections

Lowe’s and The Home Depot stock everything from pet beds to kennels and cleaning supplies. Walmart’s PetRx service gives pet owners access to affordable prescription medications that work for dogs, cats, and livestock. Target’s pet aisles feature bright displays with calming food, outdoor toys, and starter kits. You can get free contactless pickup through their app.

Wholesale clubs and buying groups

Warehouse clubs can save you big money on pet essentials. Sam’s Club prices are 22% lower than average, and BJ’s prices beat the all-store average by 18%. Rescue groups can join North Shore Animal League America’s Cooperative Buying Program, which teams up with Covetrus to get discounted supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Manufacturer direct programs

Buying straight from manufacturers cuts out the middleman and saves money. Linton’s program helps partners save 22.6% on goods while keeping quality high. They check factories carefully to make sure products meet or exceed standards without driving up costs.

Local community resources

Many local groups help pet owners with free or cheap supplies. The ASPCA has helped feed more than 10,000 animals at their free pet food centers in NYC. Food Bank For New York City sometimes stocks pet food when they get donations. Strong Paws Rescue works with local stores to give out free food.

Online marketplaces beyond the obvious

The best deals often hide on lesser-known websites. Zooplus, the biggest online pet shop in Europe, rewards customers with zooPoints on purchases. BudgetPetCare.com matches the lowest prices on everything from flea treatments to joint care products. Sites like PetDropshipper give you access to more than 300 pet brands.

Conclusion

Smart pet supply shopping goes beyond just knowing where to look – it just needs a strategic approach that combines organization, technology, timing, and learning about unexpected sources. Our research and testing shows that these combined methods can lead to savings of 20-40% on regular pet care expenses.

A proper inventory system and price tracking tools help prevent wasteful spending. The right timing of purchases around predictable sales cycles and seasonal patterns maximizes your savings potential. Many pet owners miss out on deals because they stick to traditional pet stores, while the most important savings await at wholesale clubs, manufacturer direct programs, and local community resources.

Note that finding the best deals consistently matters more than one-time savings. The best approach is to start small by trying one strategy at a time – whether that’s setting up deal alerts or checking out new shopping venues. You’ll soon develop a natural rhythm to find the best prices for your pet’s needs.