Lowe’s and Petco Expand Store-in-Store Program Twentyfold After Initial Pilot

Lowe’s and Petco have expanded their store-in-store pilot program from 15 Lowe’s locations to more than 300.

The move aims to serve the 70% of U.S. households — 90.5 million families — who own a pet, Seeking Alpha reported Monday (July 31).

The expansion focuses on rural communities across the country and gives shoppers access to Petco’s pet supplies and veterinary care inside Lowe’s locations, alongside that company’s home improvement products and services, the companies said in a July 20 press release.

“Our initial pilot program with Petco resonated with our existing loyal shoppers and introduced new customers to Lowe’s,” Bill Boltz, executive vice president of merchandising at Lowe’s, said in the release. “Partnering with top brands that our customers know and trust, like Petco, allows Lowe’s to continue elevating and localizing our curated assortment to ensure we have the right products in the right markets.”

The store-in-stores will carry nutrition products and supplies from both national brands and Petco private brands, according to the release. In addition, 75 Lowe’s stores will offer Petco’s Vetco Clinics once a month, providing access to vaccinations, microchipping and preventative medicine.

“As Americans continue to improve their homes for the entire family — including their beloved pets — we’re delighted to bring Petco’s pet care expertise, combined with our health and wellness merchandise and veterinary services, to even more pet parents as we scale up to hundreds of Lowe’s locations across the country,” Petco Chief Merchandising Officer Amy College said in the release.

The companies began piloting their store-in-store locations in January 2022, saying that their research found that 58% of consumers said they would be more likely to shop at a home improvement retailer if they could also get all their pet supplies in the same place.

The announcement of the initial pilot program came in the wake of U.S. households taking in an estimated 11 million new pets during the pandemic, as well as demanding more convenient and cohesive shopping experiences, Lowe’s and Petco said at the time.

The “store within a store” concept is being deployed across the retail industry, aligning merchants with winning brands that customers love and thereby boosting traffic that will lead shoppers to buy other things while they’re in the store.

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