Bostinno
Telehealth for pets: Chewy launches online vet service with nationwide plans
By: Emon Reiser
Chewy.com, which is co-headquartered in Boston and Florida, is taking a bigger bite of the lucrative pet ownership market with its newest offering: virtual veterinarian appointments.
The pet-focused e-commerce giant (NYSE: CHWY) on Wednesday announced a new telehealth offering called "Connect with a Vet" to virtually connect pet owners with licensed veterinarians.
Dogs and cats aren't expected to know how to log in, but Chewy is hoping pet owners will sign up to seek advice regarding the wellness of their pets or receive referrals to local vets or emergency clinics. The program is not used to diagnose medical conditions, provide treatment or prescribe medications, the company said.
The pilot phase of the program launched in Florida and Massachusetts in May and received a high rating from the vast majority of its users, the company said. Chewy intends to eventually offer the program nationwide. It's currently in 35 states.
The company is partnering with vets impacted by the pandemic or those seeking flexible schedules through the Connect with a Vet.
"We have focused our efforts into developing an easy-to-use and convenient tele-triage product that we anticipate will have a positive impact given the current environment, and also extend beyond that,” said Sumit Singh, CEO of Chewy.
Connect with a Vet is offered exclusively to Chewy customers who are subscribed to its Autoship program as a complementary service.
With its latest move, Chewy grabs a larger share of the pet care market amid "historical" projected growth in pet spending that reached $95 billion in 2019, according to the company. In July 2018, the company expanded into pet pharmaceuticals, a $9 billion market on its own.
Chewy rapidly approaches profitability thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic boosting e-commerce sales.
