How Concentrated Is the US Pet E-Commerce Market?

The US pet e-commerce market is one of the most concentrated retail channels in the world. Three platforms — Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart — capture the overwhelming majority of online pet spending, and Amazon alone takes close to half of it (Yahoo Finance, 2026).

For a pet brand, that is both a comfort and a leash. Most of your demand sits behind a short list of doors — which makes those doors easy to find, and expensive to walk through.

How Concentrated Is the US Pet E-commerce Market?

The US pet industry reached $158 billion in 2025, up from $152 billion in 2024 (APPA, 2026). A growing share of that spending now happens online.

Online, the field narrows fast. Amazon captures close to half of pet e-commerce sales, Chewy follows at 41%, and Walmart sits at 33% (Yahoo Finance, 2026). These shares overlap because most pet parents buy from more than one site.

Omnichannel is the norm, not the exception. 82% of pet care dollars come from consumers who shop both online and in-store (NielsenIQ, 2025).

By comparison, Europe is less top-heavy. The top five sites capture 66% of online sales in Italy, the most concentrated EU market, and just 46% in France (ECDB, 2026).

Read those numbers together, and one point stands out. The US pet channel concentrates demand more tightly than any of Europe’s five largest markets.

*EU Big Five: share of net online sales by site tier, 2025. The dashed line marks Amazon’s share of US pet e-commerce. Sources: ECDB, 2025; Packaged Facts, 2026.

E-commerce Сoncentration: EU Big Five vs the US Pet Category

*Pet-category shares overlap because pet parents shop across multiple platforms; they reflect buyer reach, not exclusive revenue share.

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What Does This Concentration Mean for Your Channel Strategy?

In France, the top five sites leave 54% of online sales to everyone else — real room for the long tail. The US pet shopper gives you far less of that breathing room.

So the instinct is to plant your flag where the herd already grazes: Amazon first, Chewy second. That instinct is correct. But concentration cuts both ways. When three landlords own the street, they set the rent: referral fees, ad costs, and pricing rules included.

The long tail has not vanished. It has moved to newer channels. APPA reports that Gen Z discovers and buys pet products through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram (PetFood Industry, 2026). Subscriptions pull weight too: 52% of pet owners use one for some purchases (PetFood Processing, 2025).

The winning play is to ménager la chèvre et le chou — keep both the goat and the cabbage happy. Defend your share on the big marketplaces while you test the channels coming next.

Netpeak USA builds marketplace strategies for pet brands facing exactly this trade-off — defending Amazon and Chewy while opening the next channel. The French Kiss blog is where we share the playbook.

Bonne chance — and may your Subscribe & Save conversion rate be ever in your favor!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How concentrated is online pet shopping in the US?

Very concentrated. Amazon captures close to half of US pet e-commerce sales, with Chewy at 41% and Walmart at 33% (Yahoo Finance, 2026). Because shoppers use several sites, these shares overlap.

Is the US pet market more concentrated than Europe?

Yes. In the EU Big Five, the top five sites capture between 46% in France and 66% in Italy of online sales (ECDB, 2026). In the US pet category, Amazon alone approaches half of online sales (Packaged Facts, 2026).

How big is the US pet industry?

US pet industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025, up from $152 billion in 2024 (APPA, 2026).

What share of pet shoppers buy online?

Most buy through both channels. 82% of pet care dollars come from consumers who shop both online and in-store (NielsenIQ, 2025). 

Where is the growth beyond Amazon and Chewy?

In emerging channels. APPA reports that Gen Z discovers and buys pet products through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, and 52% of pet owners use subscriptions for some purchases (PetFood Processing, 2025).