What should I check before buying an online pet food store?

An online pet food retailer resells food that other companies make. That is different from a brand selling its own products, so the buyer’s questions are different too. Much of the business sits in accounts held by someone else: the brands, the shipping carriers, the platform and the ad networks. Here is what to look at before you go further.

Brand accounts and approvals

Ask each major brand whether the store’s dealer status or wholesale account continues under a new owner. Some brands approve each retailer individually and may say no. Get any answer in writing. Without those accounts, the website may have little left to sell. Our page on checking supplier relationships lists more questions.

Shipping heavy bags

Dog food is heavy and shipping can eat into what each order earns. Ask how the store ships, which carriers it uses, who pays for damaged or lost parcels and whether any shipping rates are agreed in writing. Look at a sample of orders to see what the business actually keeps after postage.

Autoship subscribers

Repeat orders are the steadiest part of many online food stores. Request records showing subscriber numbers over time, cancellations, skipped shipments and failed payments. Ask how long a typical subscriber stays. Ask your lawyer how customer information can be passed to you, and do not assume you may simply take it.

Fulfilment, domain and accounts

If a warehouse or fulfillment partner ships the orders, read its terms and ask whether they can be transferred. Confirm who owns the domain name, the store platform account, the email list and the advertising accounts, and that the seller can hand each over.