To many persons, pets are part of their families. Thus, pets need love and affection as any human member of the family; and as a result, they need good food, medicine, and other supplies.
Chewy is an online store where you can shop pet food and other supplies.It advertises with the tagline “where pet lovers shop”.
The big question on this Chewy review is whether Chewy has pet food and other supplies that are good enough for these special members of the family.
Another question will pertain to the product selection of the online store; that is, whether Chewy has supplies for a wide range of pets. If Chewy does have good products for your every pet, another question will be its pricing; that is, whether its supplies are competitively priced. It’s also important to know whether Chewy offers top services that we’ll expect of the ideal online store (such as easy ordering, fast delivery, easy returns, effective customer service, and more). In the first place, is Chewy legit?
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Yes, Chewy is legit. It is not a scam pet store because they will never take your money without shipping the products you purchased. And also the subsidiary of PetSmart which is a reputable and very reliable pet store located in United States.
This Chewy review will examine the site in order to provide the information that will help you answer these questions and more.
Chewy Review at a glance
- Website: chewy.com
- A US-based retailer of pet food and pet supplies, founded in 2011
- Owned by PetSmart since 2017
- Supports a wide range of pets (dogs, cats, fishes, birds, small animal, reptiles, and horses)
- Offers a wide range of supplies in each pet department, including foods, treats, toys, medication, and more
- Only credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express) are accepted for payment
- Ships to only the 48 contiguous US state
- Advertises relatively fast delivery times of 1 – 2 days
- Accept returns if you are not totally satisfied with your order
- Customer Support is available 24/ 7 via email (service@chewy.com), telephone (1-800-672-4399), and live chat
What is Chewy? – About
Chewy is an online retailer of Pet food and pet supplies. It was founded in 2011 by Ryan Cohen and Micheal Day. The company is based in US; it currently has its headquarters in Florida and Boston, and has other locations (Fulfillment Centers and Customer Service Centers) in Texas, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, and Indiana. Chewy also operate two pharmacies in Kentucky and Arizona.
Chewy Inc, the company behind the online store (www.chewy.com) was acquired by PetSmart in 2017. Chewy’s acquisition for $3.35 billion, was at the time the biggest ever for an e-commerce business. Chewy file registration statement for proposed Initial Public Offering in April of this year (2019); and is now a public company.
Chewy says that its mission “is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents (and partners) everywhere”. True to this mission, Chewy partners with some 1,600+ of the best brands in the pet supplies industry to offer literally everything you’ll need for your pet.
Is Chewy legit?
Given that there are many online fraudsters, before using any online platform for any transaction, you’ll want to determine that it is legit. Thus, the big question is whether Chewy is legit. The short answer to that is: definitely. The longer answer is that: it is 100% legal, has industry-wide recognition, has the capacity to fulfill orders, and has a rich operating record of fulfilling orders, and making satisfied customers.
Our first check of a legit online store is usually legality. This is because the stores that are 100% legal are less likely to be scams. Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box. The website is operated by Chewy Inc., which is a fully registered US company. Also, Chewy operates licensed pharmacies which have NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) and LegitScript accreditation.
The company was acquired by Petsmart in 2017 in a record-breaking acquisition; and since the second quarter of this year (2019), Chewy Inc has gone public, and has been trading in the New York Stock Exchange. Suffice it to say that a scam store do not bother with getting legal company registration certificates and definitely cannot get listed in a Stock Exchange.
Another check of a legit online store is visibility and industry-wide recognition. This is because the scam stores operate largely in the shadows. Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box. By 2017, it was even accounting for about 50% Pet Supplies sales in the US. As such, it is easily one of the biggest names in the Pet Supplies industry. Also, Chewy has been featured by renowned publishers and media houses which include The Wall Street Journal, Las Angeles Times, Forbes, and more. Suffice it to say that a scam store cannot gain the recognition of such industry watchers.
Another check of a legit online store is the test of time. This is because scam stores naturally die with time, especially as their scamming activities are exposed. Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box, as it has been operating since 2011. Suffice it to say that 8 years is enough time for scamming activities of a scam store to be exposed.
However, the ultimate test of legitimacy is fitness for purpose. This is because, scam stores do not deliver. Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box. The scam stores do not deliver simply because they are set up to rip people off, and therefore has nothing to deliver. However, Chewy has a “bigger the better” policy, which has driven the Company to open massive fulfillment centers stocking a great selection of products. This gives it the capacity to fulfill orders. Also, Chewy’s long operating record is rich with positive reviews of the Company actually fulfilling orders. That is, customers who place orders receive real products that, most often than not, are satisfactory.
Is Chewy safe?
Chewy is safe. The question of whether Chewy is legit is whether you can be ripped off. The answer is clear – Chewy is not scam store that rips people off. However, another question is whether it is safe to share your sensitive information with it. If a store is not safe, users’ sensitive information (such as credit card information) may leak out, leaving the users exposed to all the cyber fraudsters out there.
In this regards, Chewy says that it implements reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguard designed to protect the information it collects. A further look shows that it uses SSL technology, which is the industry standards for ensuring protection of data transmitted over the internet. SSL also employs top-level encryption ensuring that even if data is captured, it cannot be read. Thus, it’s safe to say that Chewy is safe.
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Using Chewy
To use Chewy, you’ll have to register and create an account. However, creating an account is relatively easy. You’ll have to nominate a username and password in the process. To make a purchase, you’ll need to go through the product categories; on finding what you want, you can proceed to checkout. You’ll be prompted to log in, if you’re not logged in. You’ll also have to enter your shipping address; then you can select a payment method, and place your order.
You should find the Chewy experience very straightforward. In fact, Chewy is high rated in the top online independent customers’ review platforms. For example, at the time of writing this review:
- In trustpilot.com, it is rated 3.9/ 5 by 7,432 reviewers
- In consumeraffiars.com, it is rated 3.4/ 5 by 577 reviewers
- In resellersrating.com, it is rated 7.11/ 10 by 85,209 reviewers
- In Sitejabber.com, it is rated 4.3/ 5, with 351 of the 458 reviewers giving it a 5 star rating
- In Influenster.com, it is rated 4.8/ 5, with 91% of the 5,037 reviewers giving it a 5 star rating
Complaints
However, no Company is immune to complaints, so you’ll find some customer complaints. What was consistently mentioned by different customers and in different review platforms is late delivery. As we’ll find, Chewy advertises a super fast delivery time of 1 – 2 days. However, many customers report that their orders were delivered much later. For example:
- Marty J in sitejabber.com says “5 days to ship, never 1 – 2 days as promised”
- Bryan I in Sitejabber.com says “shipment arrived late and they lied despite proof… My stuff always comes from goodyear [which is] 3 hours away. They tried to tell me it came out of state… After I blew that up it became the feigned one dollar coupon apology while taking no responsibility…“
- ChristineStrau in Resellerratings.com says “I ordered food for my animals and they say 1 – 2 days shipping. Well, I won’t get my order for 6 days from the day I ordered. My animals will be out of food; and they gave me a credit, but I don’t have money to buy another… Don’t say 1 – 2 day shipping if you can’t follow it…”
- Jessica Moody in Resellerratings.com says “1 – 2 day delivery is not accurate and false advertising”
- Calvin Meyer in Trustpilot.com says “Chewy advertises fast 1 – 2 day free shipping over $49. Not so true; took a week to receive dog food. If I would have known it was going to take this long, I would have shopped somewhere else”
- Frank Szap in Trustpilot.com says “Chewy deliveries have been better in the past. It took 4 days to get package…”
As can be seen from the reviews, it seems that Chewy does not quite live up to their 1 – 2 day delivery promise. However, the lateness is not usually too much because complaining customers report that their orders were received in 3 – 8 days. However, because plans had been made with 1 – 2 days in mind, it can become really frustrating when delivery promises are not met.
Another complaint that significantly stood out also related to delivery. In particular, it is poor Not-at-home deliveries by Chewy shipping partner – FedEx. For example:
- Frank Szap in Trustpilot.com says “… [FedEx] truly suck; always an issue with them. They leave packages wherever the f… they want!!!”
- Chris Kelly in Trustpilot.com says “As long as Chewy.com uses FedEx, I will not shop with them…”
- Jeff Myers in Trustpilot.com says “My main purpose of using Chewy.com is so I don’t have to go to the store to get all of [my sizeable order] and then lug it to the house. Chewy.com is supposed to have “delivery to the door” delivery service… Well the last couple of deliveries have been to the end of the driveway and not to the door. I have called FedEx (who is the delivery service for Chewy.com) and I was told they would send the driver back to my house to properly deliver it. Of course, no one ever showed up. I also called Chewy.com to complain to them. While the customer service rep was very helpful and seemed concerned, she did confirm that Chewy.com has contracted with their delivery partners for “to the door” service, and she seemed powerless to correct this problem. Not having these boxes delivered to my door kind of defeat the purpose of using Chewy.com. If I have to go to the end of my driveway and get the boxes and then bring them to my house, I might as well go the rest of the way to the store and just buy it there. I feel I am paying for the convenience of having products delivered to my door and I am not getting that”
- Jessica Moody in Resellerrating.com says “FedEx does not go through gates so my package sat right next to the sidewalk for anyone to grab as they walked by…”
Products
You’ll want a store with a wide product range so that you can get all your related items in one place. Apart from the convenience that offers, there could be cost savings – from large order discounts, or paying to ship one order, instead of shipping different orders from different stores.
Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box, as it offers a wide range of products. It has supplies for a range of pets. When in Chewy, you can shop by pets. The various pets, and supplies you’ll find in each pet department, are as follows:
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Dog:
Dog – Food, Treat, Toys, Health care, Dental Care, Crate& Pens & Gates, Beds & Mats, Carriers & Travel, Bowls & Feeders, Grooming, Flea & Tick, Clothing & Accessories, Leashes & Collars, Training & Behaviour, Technology, Gifts & Books, Memorials & Keepsakes
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Cat:
Cat – Food, Liter & accessories, treats, toys, healthcare, dental care, flea and ticks, training & cleaning, crates, pens & gates, beds & mats, trees, condos & scratchers, carriers & travel, clothing & accessories, bowls & feeders, grooming, leashes & collars, technology, gifts & books, memorials & keepsakes
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Fish:
Fish – Food & treats, Aquariums & starter kits, Cleaning & maintenance, décor & accessories, filters & media, gifts & books, health & wellness, heating & lighting, water care
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Bird:
Bird – Food, Treats, cages & accessories, liter & nesting, perches & toys, grooming & health, gifts & books
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Reptiles:
Reptiles – Food & treats, terrariums & habitats, habitat accessories, heating and lighting, cleaning 7 maintenance, substrate & bedding, health & wellness
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Horse:
Horse – Health & wellness, feed & treat, tack & stable supplies, grooming, toys, gift & books
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small Pets:
Small Pets – Food, Bedding & liter, Beds, hideouts & toys, gifts & books, grooming & health, habitat & accessories, harnesses & carriers, treat
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Pharmacy
There’s also a Pharmacy department, where you can shop in the following sections: Heartworm, Flea & tick, pain relief & arthritis, skin & coat, allergy relief, ear & eye care, medications, health conditions.
It should be said that Chewy not only work to ensure that there are options for every pets, but it also works to build the best selection possible. So within each section of any given department, Chewy offers the full gamut. Using the “Dog” department as an example, in the sections, the following can be found.
- Dog Food – Dry food, wet food, veterinary food, raw food, human-grade, frozen food, freeze-dried & Dehydrated food, Food Toppings
- Dog Treat – Dental & hard chews, soft & chewy treats, biscuit & crunchy treats, bully sticks & natural chews, gerky treats, veterinary diet treats, freeze-dried treats, training treats, dehydrated treats, pill covers and wraps
- Dog Toys – Fetch toys, Chew toys, Plush toys, interactive toys, rope & tug toys, toy storage bins
- Dog Health care – vitamins & supplements, hip & joint care, skin & coat care, stress & anxiety, dewormers, ear care, first aid& recovery, digestive & urinary, test kits, veterinary diet, eye care, weight control, wheelchair & handicap support
- Dog Dental Care – breath freshener & teeth cleaning, dental chews, dental supplements, dental food
- Dog Cleaning & Potty – Potty parts & diapers, Poop bags & scoopers, stain removers, potty training, vacuums & steam cleaners, candles & air fresheners, deodorizers, hair remover & lint rollers, lawn & grass care
- Dog Crate, Pens & Gates – Crates & accessories, Pens & accessories, Steps & ramps, Gates, fence system, doors & accessories, dog house
- Dog Beds & Mats – Crate mats, Pillow beds, elevated & cooling beds, orthopedic beds, heated beds, covered beds, blanket & furniture covers
- Dog Carriers & Travel – Travel aids, travel bowls & bags, Carriers, car accessories, steps & ramps, strollers & bicycle trailers
- Dog Bowls & Feeders – Bowls & diners, feeders & waterers, fountains & filters, placemats, storage & accessories
- Dog Grooming – Grooming tools, shampoo & conditioners, brushes & combs, ear care, paw & nail care, waterless grooming, bath & shower supplies, skin care, eye care
- Dog Flea & Tick supplies – Spot treatment, Collars, oral treatment, home & yard treatment, sprays & wipes, shampoos, combs & accessories
- Dog Clothing & Accessories – Jackets, Tops, Dresses, Pajamas, Jerseys & team accessories, outdoor gear, accessories, costumes
- Dog Leashes & Collars – Harnesses, leashes, collars, ID tags & accessories, Tie out
- Dog Training & Behaviour – Calming aids, Leashes & collars, bark control & remote training, repellents, fence systems, potty training aids, agility training, sport training, service dogs, training books
- Dog Technology – Cameras & Monitors, GPS & activity, feeders & treat dispensers, electronic doors
- Dog Gifts & Books – Books, Calendars & Stationery, Drinkware & Kitchen ware, home goods, clothing & accessories, gifts for dogs, magnets and decals
- Dog Memorials & Keepsakes – Urns & Caskets, Memorial picture frames, keepsakes, memorial stones, books
With the wide range of products that Chewy supports, whatever your pet, and whatever its needs, you’ll find that Chewy has you covered. The humongous selection of Chewy is possible because it features over 1,600 brands including Blue Buffalo, Nutro, Natural balance, Tidy Cats, and more
Pricing and Payment Methods
Pricing
Where costs are involved, we always want the lowest possible. Thus, the ideal stores will have competitive pricing. Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box. You’ll find that it is features relatively low prices in many of its product sections.
Payment Methods
You want it easy when making online payment for you order. Chewy ensures this. You can make payment for your order using the following Credit/ Debit cards – Mastercard, American Express, Visa, and Discover. This is definitely not a wide range of payment options that buyers will want to find; however, with the cards, making payment should be easy and convenient. It might disappoint some that PayPal is not supported, as it is the choice payment option of many online shoppers. However, PayPal’s popularity owes largely to the buyer protection it offers; but with Chewy, there are almost no reasons to worry about buyer protection.
Shipping
Shipping is an important consideration; and the most important shipping-related things to consider in any online purchase are: shipping destinations, delivery times, and shipping costs.
Shipping Destinations
You should make sure that the online store you want to use ships merchandise to your location; else receiving delivery of your items will be unnecessarily difficult. In this regards, many buyers will want stores that ships to many worldwide locations so that their location is more likely to be covered.
Unfortunately, Chewy serves only the American market. This rules out international shoppers. More so, it is only the 48 contiguous US states that Chewy ships to. Thus, buyers in Alaska, Hawaii, and other US Territories cannot use Chewy.
Delivery Times
Except you’ll not mind waiting forever to receive deliver of your online order, you’ll want to consider how fast it takes an online store to deliver from the time you order is submitted. Typically, delivery times consist of order processing time and package shipment time. The former is the time from when you order is placed to when the package ships; and the latter is the time from when the package ships to when it gets to you.
Thankfully, Chewy advertises very fast delivery times. It says that except for orders that require prescription approval, every order placed by 4pm (ET) will ship the same day, and that customers will receive their orders in 1 – 2 days afterwards.
Shipping Costs
Except free shipping is offered, the total cost of any online purchase is made up to its purchase price and shipping cost. Thus, where shipping costs are too high, an item which is reasonably priced can easily become too expensive to acquire online.
In this regards, Chewy does relatively well. It charges a flat rate of $4.95 for all orders under $49, while shipping is free for all orders over $49. It’s a good thing that free shipping is offered. However, it’s even more important that the minimum order requirement is low. Thus, there’s no pressure on you to overspend in chase of free shipping.
Special Shipping Feature (Autoship)
A special shipping feature that Chewy has is the Autoship. This allows you to schedule regular shipment of pet supplies such as food, treats and potty pads. With Autoship, you won’t run out of supplies and won’t have to come to the website to place orders all the time.
It’s also very easy to set up. You browse for your pet supply as usual, then at checkout, you can select “Yes” to Autoship. You’ll then be taken to a page, where you can set your schedule. Interestingly, there are no membership fees for Autoship, and you can cancel anytime. Also, Chewy incentivize the service. It advertises that there is a 30% discount for the first purchase; and afterward, there’s a 5 – 10% discount on select brands.
Return
Sometimes, when online shoppers get their orders, the joy of expectation turns to disappointment because of not being 100% satisfied with the order. As a result online shoppers generally like retailers that’ll allow them return an unwanted order, and get a replacement or a refund.
Thankfully, Chewy ticks this box, as it allows returns. Its return policy states that “if you’re not 100% unconditionally satisfied with your pet supplies, you can return them”. However, Chewy does not accept returns or exchange of prescription medication, except your order was incorrect or damaged.
It you need to return an eligible Chewy Order, you only need to contact the customer service team, and you’ll be provided with instructions for returning the item. In most situations, Chewy issue refunds without requiring you to return the original order. However, the return in required, you’ll be responsible for the item until it is gets to Chewy’s fulfillment center.
Customer Support
There’ll definitely be questions, and some customers will have issues with their orders. Thus, the ideal online store should have an effective customer support service for handling the questions/complaints that customers will have.
In this regards, Chewy supports the popular self-help and contact support channels. For self-help, the first place to start is an FAQ page in its website. The page answers many questions that persons have thrown at the Chewy in the past, so you just might find that what’s on your mind is treated there. Also, to aid navigation, the self-help articles are grouped into various subjects as follows: Support, Autoship, Shipping, Payments, Returns, and Prescription Items.
If you do not find answers in the self-help articles, you can always contact Chewy directly via email, live chat, and telephone. The email address to send your submissions is service@chewy.com. The live chat feature can be accessed from the website; and for the telephone service, the number to call is 1-800-672-4399. It’s interesting to state that the telephone service is available round the clock. Whatever the time (night or day), Chewy can be reached on phone. Also, the line is toll-free, so you won’t have to worry about charges when you need assistance.
It should be mentioned that in the reviews, Chewy is lauded for its customer service. Customers positive reviews include: being connected to real persons, relatively fast response time, very understanding and helpful support personnel, and more
Sites Similar to Chewy:
Pros
- Has supplies for many animals (dogs, cats, fishes, birds, etc)
- Has a huge selection that ensures that you’ll get whatever you want for your pet
- Its prices are competitive
- Has relatively fast delivery times
- Free shipping is offered; and with a relatively low minimum order requirement ($49+ orders)
- Offers an Autoship service that allows you schedule regular deliveries of your pet supplies
- Offers a very easy return policy
- Different channels for getting help (Email, telephone, and live chat), and the service is available 24/ 7
Cons
- Ships to only 48 contiguous US states
- Delivery may take a few days later than the 1 – 2 days advertised
- Many packages are left not “at the door” but by sidewalks or end of driveways
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Summary
Chewy is a legitimate US based retailer of pet supplies. Chewy.com is a legit online store; it is operated by Chewy Inc, which is a Public Company owned by PetSmart. Whatever your pet, and whatever its need, Chewy has your covered. You’ll find supplies for dogs, cats, fishes, birds, small pets, reptiles, and horses. Pet supplies offered range from food, to treats, to feeders & liters, to medication, and more.
Importantly, Chewy has friendly prices. More importantly, Chewy has superb services. Finding what you want and placing an order will be a breeze; Chewy offers relatively fast delivery; there’s free shipping for Orders over $49; you’re guaranteed a refund if you’re not totally pleased with your Order; and there’s a very responsive and effective customer support service.
There are just small bumps on the road. First, the company ships to only the 48 contiguous US states, so you cannot get the Chewy service if your shipping address is not in the continental US. Also, you just might get your order a few days late; so allow for this when planning your deliveries. Lastly, if you’ll not be at home to receive your package, you just may find that the Chewy’s shipping partner (FedEx) will leave it by the sidewalk/ driveway, instead of entering through the gate to leave it “at your door”.
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