Chewy Debuts Vets-Only eCommerce Offering
Online pet product retailer Chewy, Inc. has debuted Practice Hub, an eCommerce solution designed for veterinarians to help simplify pharmacy services and boost' clinic revenues.
Practice Hub provides veterinarian practices with the online retailer’s fast delivery, as well as its Autoship subscription service for pre-arranged delivery of food and medication on a specified schedule. As part of the platform, veterinarians set prices, create pre-approved medication prescriptions and can generate revenue when pet parents order items in-clinic or buy from Chewy.com.
The launch of Practice Hub follows a recent PYMNTS report that Chewy was testing the new technology. The platform is an extension of Chewy’s Petscription platform, which is used by 8,000 clinics across the U.S. to review and approve prescriptions.
Read more: Chewy to Launch Marketplace for Vets in Expansion of Health Offerings
Chewy’s research has shown that roughly one-third of pet owners fail to take their pets to the vet regularly, as PYMNTS has reported. By launching a platform on top of the Chewy website, veterinarian practices can gain access to the online retailer’s 20 million customers, while pet parents can more easily find veterinary care.
According to a PYMNTS report, Chewy, a $33 billion company, saw a 32% increase in its first-quarter sales, netting $2.1 billion for the first three months of 2021. In addition, the company added 4.7 million new customers in the previous quarter.
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In terms of future growth stemming from the launch of Practice Hub, Chewy said several nationwide veterinary groups, as well as independent practices, have already implemented the new platform.
“Enrolling in this service is a win for our staff, our clients and their pets,” said Matthew Dobbs, chief medical officer at Destination Pet. “It just made a lot of sense to give our clients another option to order their pets’ medications with fast, free shipping on a broad selection of pet medications, including veterinary diet food, and remove the hassle of approving online prescriptions in-clinic. This partnership also helps us earn revenue and reduce overhead costs while carrying less inventory in the clinic.”