In short
- Ask which pet the order is for, with age in the options, and send the response to your email tool.
- Give vets, breeders and shelters their own options, because their advice leaves no click.
- Ask how long the order will last, and check in on the pet before the bag runs out.
What makes pet supplies different
Every order is for an animal you never see. The American Pet Products Association's 2026 State of the Industry report counts 95 million US households with a pet in 2025. Dogs live in 53% of US households and cats in 39%. A puppy and a senior cat need different products.
Advice starts many purchases. In a 2026 Talker Research survey of 2,000 pet owners for Darwin's pet food, 71% say veterinarians remain their most trusted source for health and nutrition advice, and 43% have used AI tools like ChatGPT for pet health or nutrition information. A vet's advice leaves no click, and a buyer who asked an AI tool may reach you later through search.
Pet supplies get used up, so the next order matters. In Chewy's second quarter 2026 results , sales to Autoship customers made up 84.6% of net sales. A refill email that lands late may reach a buyer who already ordered elsewhere.
What your reports miss
Your analytics show the last click and what was in the cart. They cannot show which pet the order is for, whether a vet or breeder sent the buyer, or whether the dog ate the food. Those facts decide what you suggest next and when the refill email goes out. Here is how to ask the first question and read the answers.
The questions to ask
1. Who or what recommended us?
- Why it matters: Vets, breeders and shelters start many pet purchases, and none of them leave a click.
- If many say a breeder or shelter: On the Growth plan, branching shows a Short answer follow up only to those buyers, asking which one. Send the names that keep coming up a starter pack for new owners.
2. Which pets is this order for?
- Why it matters: Species and age decide what the buyer needs next. A cat owner who keeps getting dog emails learns to ignore you.
- If you sell to both dogs and cats: On the Growth plan the response lands on the buyer's Klaviyo profile, so puppy, cat and senior dog owners each get their own flow.
3. What did your pet use before this?
- Why it matters: Switchers show you which brands you win buyers from. First timers need help to get started.
- If many switched from a supermarket brand: Send a day two email on moving the pet to the new product step by step.
4. How long will this order last you?
- Why it matters: The buyer knows how fast their pet goes through a bag, so you know when the refill email should land.
- If most say about a month: Send the refill email a few days before the order runs out, and offer a subscription with that rhythm.
5. How has your pet taken to it?
- Why it matters: Pets are picky, and the owner only finds out after the first bowl. That moment decides the second order.
- If many say "Will not touch it": On the Growth plan, a Short answer follow up asks those buyers what happened. AI groups the written responses into topics, so you see whether the issue is taste, size or the switch.
When to ask
In SEA Survey, the post purchase email waits until the order ships, then for the delay you set in days. Our advice for pet supplies:
| Moment | Question | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you page | Who or what recommended us? | The vet visit or the breeder's tip is fresh |
| Thank you page | Which pets, what they used before, how long it will last | The buyer knows these by heart, and it takes three taps |
| Email about 10 days after the order ships | How has your pet taken to it? | The pet has tried it, and the bag is not empty yet |
Example: what a dog food brand would do
This example is made up to show the steps. Your own responses decide.
Say you sell air dried dog food online. The Thank you page survey shows a large group picking "A breeder or shelter", and the written follow ups keep naming the same three breeders. Most of those orders are for a puppy, and most buyers expect a bag to last about a month.
That gives you three moves. Send those breeders a starter pack with a card for each new owner. Send puppy buyers a day two email on moving to the new food step by step. Time the refill email to day 24 for buyers who said a month. The check in email then tells you whether fewer pets refuse the food.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving vets, breeders and shelters out of the attribution question. Those buyers pick "Google search" or "Other", and you lose the signal.
- Asking whether the pet likes it on the Thank you page. The bag is not open yet.
- Answer options that read like health claims. "Cleared up his itchy skin" sounds like a claim if you quote it. Ask how the pet took to it instead.
FAQ
What if a buyer has more than one pet?
Make the pet question Multiple choice, so a buyer with a puppy and an adult cat can pick both, and you see the whole household.
Does a survey slow down checkout?
No. The Thank you page shows after the order is placed, so the survey never stands between a buyer and paying.
Can I tag customers by pet?
Yes. The Sea Survey Submitted trigger in Shopify Flow can tag customers or orders by response, so a cat buyer can enter a cat flow in any tool that reads Shopify tags. The same trigger can add each response to a Google Sheet.
Sources: APPA, 2026 State of the Industry release, May 2026. Talker Research for Darwin's pet food, pet owner survey, August 2026. Chewy, Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results, September 2026. Timing in this post is our advice, not a measured rule.
