How is the recent rebranding of Petsense impacting the retailer’s performance?
American rural retail chain Tractor Supply rebranded its pet-exclusive retailer Petsense last year. A year after, GlobalPETS gathers the insights of the company and marketing experts in how the business is going.
Customer crossover
Matthew Rubin, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Petsense, tells GlobalPETS that the companyâs branding strategy has allowed it to develop a âcrossover from customers, with Tractor Supply customers shopping at Petsense and vice versa.â
Rubin further mentions that the parent companyâs customers are now visiting Petsense for premium pet foods and products, as well as grooming services.
On the other hand, Petsense-only customers are now using Tractor Supply âfor lawn and garden supplies, clothing and other product categories that are complementary to their lifestyle,â Rubin says.
A significant part of Petsenseâs rebranding was the creation of its loyalty club, known as its âNeighborâs Club.â According to Rubin, the integration of the Neighborâs Club initiative is paying off, as it now has over 30 million members and is a âkey benefit.â
There are 192 stores operating across 23 states, 3 of them were opened in the last quarter to July 2023. By the end of the year, the company aims to open 10â15 new locations.
Attachment with Tractor Supply
Petsense is still strongly associated with its parent company, a connection that is evident within the branding itself, âPetsense by Tractor Supply.â
Troneâs Brand Experience Strategist Hunter Ellis suggests that compared to Tractor Supply, Petsense does not have as many customers or as much brand awareness as a stand-alone company. Keeping the âby Tractor Supplyâ serves as a âboost in terms of awareness,â he adds.
Catering to the premium customers
Troneâs CEO Douglas Barton recalls that the pet companyâs previous logo had a very different look, while now it has a more âpremium and sleekâ style.
Before the rebranding, Petsense was spelled with a dollar sign (Petsen$e), whereas now it has a paw print in the P, and the dollar sign has been removed, showing their âpull away from being a bargain or value-driven store,â Barton notes.
Catering to the premium client base opens the business up to more opportunities such as pet grooming, healthcare service, wellness and preventative treatment, Troneâs CEO explains.
Targeting suburban areas
Unlike other major retailers, experts note that Petsense is targeting mid-small suburban areas. âIt seems like Petsense is strategically trying to not be where PetSmart is or some of the other big box retail stores like Walmart.â
Tractor Supply is trying to reach an audience with gardening or agriculture backgrounds, so the company chooses to locate its stores away from large cities and position them closer to its desired clientele.
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