Would You Let Amazon Feed Your Dog?

Would you let Amazon feed your dog? It’s a question that millions of customers and pet owners who are now the focus of the tech giant are wondering. On the heels of a seemingly endless string of new business initiatives, company announcements, and product offerings, Amazon is now looking for a stake in the pet food industry.

Aptly named Wag, the Amazon dry dog food comes in several different varieties, including primary protein sources such as chicken, beef, lamb, and turkey and with no grains added. Off the product page on the company’s site, Wag dry dog food at first glance has all the trappings of a quality, high-end dog food that you won’t find commonly at the convenience store.

The product is made in the US with ingredients sourced in the country and imported. The entire formula has been created by veterinarians using an optimal blend of protein and fat to keep your dog healthy, happy, and strong. You can buy different varieties of the dry dog food—which is available for puppies and mature dogs—in bags ranging from 5, 15, and 30 pounds.

While the question I posed at the beginning of this article may seem innocuous—it’s not like Amazon is coming to your house to feed your dog like they do by delivering packages to your car or inside your house—there is a metacontext that exists beneath the inquiry. Indeed, purchasing dog food from Amazon isn’t all too different from buying your pet food from Walmart or a grocery store.

The issue is, in reality, Amazon’s relentless crusade to seemingly conquer every market they enter. In the same way, Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods has disrupted traditional grocery stores, the Wag brand of pet food is sure to intensify competition among retailers. Petco and PetSmart, the titans of the pet food industry, are particularly threatened by this move.

As noted by Bloomberg, dog food is a particularly difficult product to be sold online at a profit because of how heavy and expensive the product is to ship.

“It appeals to Amazon as a product pet owners purchase frequently, keeping the online marketplace top of mind during buying decisions,” the article states.

It’s no surprise that Amazon wants to jump into this lucrative market, both as an additional revenue stream but as a means to bolster customer retention and continue Amazon’s quest to permeate every facet of our lives. According to an annual report by the American Pet Products Association, American consumers are expected to spend an estimated $72 billion on pet products—a $3 billion leap from last year.

You can look at the report in greater detail here.

The Wag brand is Amazon’s latest addition to their existing private-label product offerings that include batteries, clothing, baby products, and household goods. Wag enters an Amazon-owned ecosystem of pet products as well, with pet beds, carriers, toys, and more to entertain your pooch with.

Let’s bring this discussion back to the question I posed at the beginning. Personally, I don’t see any qualms with purchasing dog food from Amazon. Glancing at their product offerings page, the food is priced relatively fairly and is good for dogs of all life stages. As long as I can buy more dog food and expect the same perks as any other Amazon product, there’s little difference between Amazon and any other retailer. As far as whether you should feel concerned about how deep the billion-dollar company is embedding itself into our lives? That’s down to personal preference.

What do you think? Would you buy Amazon pet food? Have you already? Let us know what your dog things in the comments!