Your furry friend will learn to love the postman now that pet subscription boxes are available in Australia, writes Kylie Baracz
The new craze sweeping the country is the pet subscription box service. This service delivers treats, toys and other fun goodies for your pet right to your door! They can be delivered monthly or even as a single purchase — all to suit your dog’s needs.
So where can you get these handy pet boxes? Dogs Life speaks to three exciting companies that are experts at delivering goodies to your pet.
Spottybox
Founder Tanveer Bal says adopting his first dog inspired his Spottybox enterprise.
Why did you start Spottybox subscription box company?
Unfortunately I didn’t grow up with a dog in the house as a kid. My parents just never got one. I got my first dog Zac, who is now two, in my mid-20s and couldn’t believe my parents never had a dog! Zac became my best mate and I also saw myself as a dog parent and not an “owner”. At the same time I noticed a big trend towards subscriptions and the big love we all have for our pups. I felt I could deliver something valuable with a cool brand for dog parents.
How do you source your treats and toys for each box?
We aim to include four to six items per box each month. Currently all our supplies are from Australia with a few international brands. We have been talking with some cool brands from overseas that Australia has not yet seen. As we grow we will certainly be working with boutique and large international brands. We are all about the convenience and discovery.
What feedback have you received so far about Spottybox deliveries?
Feedback has been amazing from our customers. We have been making small changes here and there based on that feedback. We recently did a survey which we got some incredible feedback from, and our current and new subscribers will see some changes fairly soon.
Is it common for owners to subscribe to monthly boxes or do they tend to try one out first?
Absolutely! The majority of our customers try us out at first and then continue on monthly once they, or their pup, fall in love with the deliveries.
What challenges do you face when it comes to sending out boxes each month?
Like any business we have a few challenges — I would say shipping would be up there. We are based in Melbourne and shipping to WA takes a long time. We will only get better at it, as Australia Post love us a little more!
Do you believe that subscription boxes like Spottybox will be the way of the future?
I don’t believe it’s the way of the future but definitely a part of it. Someone will innovate and do things differently in a couple or so years from now. It could even be us!
What are you planning for the future?
Firstly, I want to say a big thank you to our subscribers for giving us a shot. We will continue to improve our service and work with more and more brands. In relation to the future, currently our sole focus is Spottybox. With that said, we are always learning more and more about our doggy parents and will definitely introduce more products and services in the near future.
Spottybox
www.spottybox.com
PawBag
Holly Lawrence shares the reasons why PawBag has become so successful.
Why did you start PawBag subscription box company?
Our founder, Cesare, realized that pet stores in general all had the same items. There was no variety, or anything interesting. The aim of PawBag was to become the personal shopper for pets, and curate products from all around the world for them.
How do you source your treats and toys for each box?
We try to source products that aren’t available in your local pet shop. We look for local treat businesses, and search the UK, US and Asia for fun new toys and accessories. We go the extra mile, heading to trade fairs around the world to see what’s happening in the pet industry internationally.
What feedback have you received so far about PawBag deliveries?
Our customers love getting their PawBags. We ship express and in one or two days there is a box full of goodies waiting on the doorstop. Our Facebook page is really a testament to how much people love our PawBag. We love seeing pictures of all our happy “pup-stomers”.
Is it common for owners to subscribe to monthly boxes or do they tend to try one out first?
It really is a bit of both. We have customers jump straight in and grab a six-month subscription, and we have people who prefer to buy one every other month. We’re really flexible, and I think our customers like that.
What challenges do you face when it comes to sending out boxes each month?
Making sure we don’t double up on goodies is the hardest. We want our “pup-stomers” to get new goodies every time!
Do you believe that subscription boxes like PawBag will be the way of the future?
E-commerce is definitely the way of the future, and companies like PawBag, which actively curates products, unlike other companies that just source and package, will continue to grow in the market. Our customers are getting great products, great packaging and a service all for the right price.
PawBag
www.pawbag.com.au
ruvBox
Claire Thompson reveals the secret to why ruvBox is a winner.
Why did you start ruvBox subscription box company?
Because of our “ruv” of pups great and small! We wanted to offer a service to other dog lovers that would allow fun, innovative and thoughtful goodies to their door on a monthly basis. Every month we offer a different theme so the surprise doesn’t just end with the fab goodies — each box is a unique experience in itself. Our monthly themes offer a nice surprise for our human customers! We’ve had a “pawty” pup theme with dog beer and pooch pops, Yankee Doodle Doggy American theme with apple pie macarons, jerky and stars and stripes toys, “Howl-aween” theme with jack-o’-lantern squeaky toys, pumpkin bakes treats and monster cookies, and summer ruvin’ theme with flavoured bubbles for pups, fish’n’chip treats and nylabone bacon-scented spare ribs to name just a few. Every theme has a matching colour scheme, newsletter and a surprise or two! We like to keep it fun and fresh.
How do you source your treats and toys for each box?
Our buyers spent a lot of time and effort trying to find really unique, great products that you can’t find at your local pet store. We really pride ourselves on the quality of our product. It’s a great way for dog owners to try some of the best new companies and products in Australia they might not otherwise have thought of.
What feedback have you received so far about ruvBox deliveries?
We’ve never had a complaint about our boxes from the thousands we’ve sent out since our company began in July. Our “pup-stomers” really get into the spirit of sharing their ruvBox experiences with us, which we love. The response across our social media sites has been overwhelming since we launched. Each of our boxes includes a “pawty” hat what matches the theme so our proud pups can pose for a pic with their ruvBoxes. We love receiving the pics and videos every month — it’s great to see happy pups feeling the “ruv”! It’s what we’re all about — bringing, spreading and sharing the joy!
Is it common for owners to subscribe to monthly boxes or do they tend to try one out first?
Often people jump straight in there and sign up for six months. We offer three different payment plans for one, three or six months. The six-month one works out just $35 for a ruvBox with free shipping, so it’s an appealing offer and a very popular one. Lots of customers will try a gift box first to test the product, and we sold hundreds of gift ones at Christmas for friends of our existing subscribers. The conversion rate for those who buy a one-off one to becoming a regular subscriber is high for us.
What challenges do you face when it comes to sending out boxes each month?
We take extra care to make sure every parcel we send is as perfect as it can be. For us the packing process can take a bit of time because we put so much “ruv” into each box. Boxes are personally addressed to pups and we will customise boxes to meet special dietary needs if requested.
Do you believe that subscription boxes like ruvBox will be the way of the future?
Subscription boxes are currently very popular in Australia and abroad across all industries not just pets. We think dog lovers will always get a kick out of having a box of pre-selected goodies hand-delivered to their door, however stores still play an important role in delivering service to pet owners.
Future plans?
We’re excited to soon be launching our ruvShop so customers can buy products that have appeared in our boxes on a one-off basis or for gifts. We’re also working with a doggy spa product company to bring out a line of special products designed exclusively for ruvBox, so watch this space. We’re delighted with the fantastic response to our boxes and the future is looking great. We’ll continue to grow our customer base so we can spread as much “ruv” to as many dogs, and humans, as we possibly can.
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