What do you think about buying pet products online?

Question

Have you ever purchased pet accessories online? Which websites would you recommend and would you buy products on ebay?

Is it expensive?

Could you all please provide me the URL's to the websites so that I can see what is available? Thanks!

I'd like to thank everyone for their answers as this really helps me decide which sites are good.

One last addition to the question: would you purchase an item over the net if the company selling it was from another country far away?

Answer 1

As a breeder I do a lot of purchasing online such as puppy collars, chew toys, puppy pads etc. I have found it to be much cheaper and better quality for the price. Below are URL's to companies that I have had success with in the past.
I personally would never purchase from Ebay. Enjoy shopping!

Answer 2

I'm a big fan of it. You can find things or quantities that you can't find locally. The Golden Rule is to use your common sense. I do it all the time, but. . .
1. The products are not terribly expensive in general. Watch for shipping charges. Often, they are more than the product itself. If you can find a site that has free shipping, great -- but usually you must order over than a certain $$ to get free shipping, so. . .
2. Order in "bulk". You don't have to buy a ton of the same thing, but even if you have one animal, you will need a certain amount of stuff every month. Unless you are buying a big ticket item, keep a list for 1 month and at the end you will probably meet the threshold for sites that offer free shipping. Try to find a website/ websites that have all of your regular supplies.
3. If you are buying online from other than a known chain, many offer you the option of paying through Paypal. This is a big plus because you know that you aren't giving out your credit card info to strangers. Try to make sure that they have their physical location listed on the site -- if you really, really want to buy something from a seller without a physical location listed, call them just to verify that they're a really business and to get their snail mail addy.

I also have ordered from ebay and have been happy with it. Here are some guidelines. Use common sense. Unless you've dealt with a seller before and know them to be trustworthy, look for products with reliable brands -- so you don't buy "snake oil". The seller's history should be available so you can tell how many times they've sold and how many people have been pleased and/or problems people have complained about. Watch shipping charges (see above). Sometimes you can get free shipping or such a low price you'd pay more for it in the store, so it's a great deal. Sometimes you can find things you can't find other places.

Bottom line is: do it, but be careful.

Hope this helps, Deborah

Answer 3

Petsmart has free shipping over $50, while I think Petco does not.

I would recommend buying things such as harnesses, new food (as in food you've never bought for your dog before), certain cleaning products and medicines from the store, because you can then see the ingredients, and also for things like harnesses, you can see if they fit. However, most online stores offer in-store returns, so it's not too bad!

All pet products aren't really cheap, with the exception of a few bones and toys. I wouldn't buy too many pet things off ebay, you never know if they've been used or what.

Answer 4

I buy stuff from PetEdge (www.petedge.com) all the time. I have purchased toys, rawhides, boots, shampoo, a dryer, and my cloth folding/travel crates from them and I have always been happy with my order. They also supply a lot of the local grooming shops and small-time petshops with toys, accessories, and treats. It's a lot cheaper than buying from PetSmart or most of the other petstores. They don't have a minimum order requirement, but the do charge a $7 processing fee for orders under $60. Usually I get a couple of friends to go in on an order with me, we each pay for our items and we split the shipping charges.

I would buy products on ebay, but they rarely, if ever, have any of the pet products I'm looking for. The only thing I've purchased for the dogs on ebay has been a wagon (like a radio flyer kid's wagon), although my friend has bought dog backpacks there before. Just like with anything else on ebay, it's your responsibility to research what exactly you're buying and ask the seller questions.

Answer 5

I think there is no problem in buying accessories online. www.petsmart.com sells online stuff. I do loads of online shopping, mostly from ebay. Never had a problem.

Buying medication online is another matter. People do it because it's cheaper that getting it from the vets so they can't see why not. However, you can't be sure what you're getting online - it could be expired, stored incorrectly, unsuitable for shipping or just a plain straightforward fake. You might be all right, but when it comes to meds I don't think it's worth the risk - they're cheap for a reason.

Chalice

Answer 6

For non prescription stuff, compare online prices with Petsmart or Pet Warehouse, and don't forget the shipping and handling fees. Ebay is a good bet if you know the retail value of what you're bidding on. Again, be careful that the seller isn't padding their sale with high shipping and handling fees. Now, if you're talking prescription stuff, my vet will match internet prices, and I don't have to wait for what I need. Entirelypets has the best prescription prices right now.

Answer 7

I buy some things online, but never medication.

I like this site - It's a great store at Lake Tahoe and has a lot of unique and breed specific items

http://www.tailsbythelake.com/

Answer 8

Drs. Foster & Smith online. It's a mail-order catalog started by two veterinarians... Very reputable! I would NEVER use E-bay.

Answer 9

I have bought on-line from Amazon. They have links to many websites. I think they are the safest as far as credit card info goes. I don't use E-bay because I hate PayPal. Drs Foster and Smith just had their kitten and puppy food recalled. Check the FDA website.

Answer 10

trust me, ebays the best. it ends up being cheaper than the online pet shops and they have everything you ever need for your pet. lots of choice and a lot of sellers combine postage so it's cheaper for you