Play time: e-commerce, subscriptions and standards

The global pet toys market was valued at $9 billion (€7.7B) last year and is expected to reach $15.3 billion (€13B) by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights.

In the past 5 years, pet e-commerce has developed as online companies promise innovation, q-commerce offers ever-faster speeds of delivery and subscription programs become more sophisticated and personalized. As the sector expands, the question of safety standards is increasingly being raised.

Pet toys in e-commerce

Traditional brick-and-mortar pet stores remain strong players in the pet sector, but data from Euromonitor International indicates that nearly one-third of global pet care sales, which includes toys, are expected to be made through e-commerce by 2026.

Standing out in a crowded marketplace and building a solid online presence, however, are not easy tasks. Providing a USP is one way. Irish company K9Connectables offers enrichment dog toys, with the aim of offering mental stimulation through chewable puzzle toys of varying complexity.

The company’s social media shows how it has connected with pet parents online, building a presence to also enable it to supply to pet shops.

Online pet toy brands also target consumers’ increasing expectations of convenience.

“Selling online gave us full control to connect with dog parents in a more meaningful way, while also making the process simple, fun, and convenient,” says Anthony Smith the co-founder of Sniff ‘n Snack, a California-based subscription business that delivers 2 healthy treats and 2 engaging toys each month tailored to a dog’s profile, taking into account factors such as gender, age and allergies.

Sharing on social media

Social media and targeted advertising are the primary digital marketing strategies pet toy brands use to reach customers and get their products noticed.

Subscription service BarkBox by omnichannel pet retailer BARK, another which delivers toys alongside snacks, has driven engagement on Instagram by leveraging user-generated content of dogs enjoying its products and promoting interaction through Instagram Reels.

BARK has recently posted its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ending 30 June 2025 showing that it achieved its strongest DTC gross margin quarter to date.

Revenue was $102.9 million (€87.9M) ahead of the company’s guidance range as it acquired more new subscriptions than expected and experienced a greater shift towards higher-value subscriptions.

To be successful, pet toy brands must understand their target audience and the platforms they are utilizing.

For instance, women splurge more on pet toys than men – a 2023 LendingTree report shows that female customers lavish an average of $643 (€549) annually on “pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment”, while males spend only $458 (€391).

“Most of our customers are women between 25 and 50 who consider their dog a true family member,” notes Debs Riley, Director of UK dog subscription service Woofbox.

Q-commerce considerations

As e-commerce has become a mainstay of everyday shopping habits, q-commerce is sought out for its fast delivery times, typically under an hour, which beat the delivery options offered by longstanding online giants such as Amazon.

In India, platforms such as Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart offer dozens of small pet toys, including plush toys, rubber balls and chew toys, as well as larger items such as cat toy trees and pet tunnels, for immediate dispatch.

In the US, the largest q-commerce players have yet to move into this area to the same extent, with GoPuff offering only a few small pet play items. DoorDash, meanwhile, partners with pet stores and general stores to offer pet toys if available.

Renewing the subscription box

The pet subscription box market was valued at $823.5 million (€703.7M) in 2024 and is forecasted to reach $1,674.3 million (€1,430.6M) by the end of 2030, representing a yearly growth rate of 15.24%, according to Virtue Market Research.

Providing a specialized, curated and constantly evolving offering is something that clearly appeals to pet parents. “We can reach cat families, regardless of where they live,” says Ryan Lee, co-founder and Head of Marketing at Meogic Box, a bi-monthly subscription service offering premium cat toys and cat-themed gifts and surprises for their families.

“Customers are looking for ways to discover new things. Subscription models are a fun and low-effort way to consistently engage with pets.”

The market now offers subscription boxes with various combinations of treats and pet toy types for different breeds, sizes and ages.

“Plush toys are still the most popular across the board, but we’re seeing increased interest in tougher toys like rope or thermo-plastic rubber options, especially from owners of larger breeds or younger dogs who are teething,” reports Riley, whose company Woofbox has plans to introduce a toys-only box to its range in the coming months.

Boxes are also leveraging increasing levels of personalization and premiumization. The Super Chewer box from BARK targets dogs who chew heavily with boxes containing ultra-durable toys tailored to chew and play styles.

“A well-designed subscription can support enrichment without the owner needing to constantly research or shop around,” adds Riley.

As well as discounts or free gifts on sign-up, subscription-based companies are looking at other ways of adding value to their boxes.

In addition to monthly themed toys and healthy snacks, Dublin headquartered business BusterBox has recently added access to video calls with experienced vets to the benefits it offers members.

Where are safety standards?

New toys for pets are launched daily but, despite their proliferation, there are few safety standards in place for these products.

There is virtually no regulation in the US, while in the EU, pet toys aren’t covered by the Toy Safety Directive, although they must still follow important safety rules around general consumer product safety and chemical regulation.

This mainly means complying with the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which has been in full effect since December 2024.

“There is a dichotomy between where we are as an advanced and booming pet marketplace and the laws dictating the safety of pet toys,” says Keith Rhoades, Global Director of Rise at Intertek, a safety testing company.

The lack of pet toy safety standards is not just about the loose definitions of labels like ‘unbreakable’ or ‘indestructible’, it is also about potential dangers lurking within products, such as heavy metals like lead and cadmium, micro-plastics and choking hazards.

Taking the initiative

The Ecology Center, a US nonprofit environmental organization, analyzed the safety of various pet products and found that 48% of the tested tennis balls contained detectable levels of lead.

In fact, tennis balls made exclusively for dogs were more likely to contain lead than standard sport balls.

Intertek understands the market’s problem and offers a solution in the shape of a patented pet-safe material, and also provides technical expertise and industry insights to help manufacturers craft safe pet toys.

BARK is one retailer that has led the way in this area, after announcing last year that it is leading an initiative to standardize pet toy safety on a global level and partnering with ASTM, an international standards organization. Other individual companies have made their own rules.

Chicago-based dog subscription company PupBox, for instance, publishes a list of substances that are banned from its products – showing that in the absence of industry-wide standards, businesses see the value of taking the initiative.