You'd think that buying your pet supplies from a pet superstore would give you the best deal, but it's not always the case. A friend of ours who has two dogs who are very fussy eaters went into our local convenience store a couple of days ago and discovered their favourite food was cheaper there than in our nearest pet superstore. And it wasn't even a special offer - this was the regular price. Okay, the superstores may have more choice, and everything's under one roof, but they're not always the cheapest option. Any stories to share on this?
Superstores tend NOT to have the best deals a lot of the time, I find. I always check price per kilo on anything I buy - as buying the bulk packs of anything very often works out more expensive. I also always check the prices online before I buy cat food. I find Amazon is usually the cheapest for what I buy. Plus, Amazon offers student discount, so if you have a student card you can save even more.
I always find pet items are soooooo expensive! I have two kittens, and I was shocked at how much things cost. So I started doing things my own way. I now make all their own cat food for them, and freeze it, it is not only much better for them than store bought stuff, but it is also way cheaper. Win Win! My boyfriend also built a scratching post for them, which they love! They love to play in Cardboard boxes, and have fun with bottle caps on a wooden floor. They are budget Cats, but they love it!
Well I always buy food from my vet because I feel more comfortable that the item was tampered with by workers or anything. Maybe thats just an OCD or fear I have
I don't like pet superstores either. They're cool to explore, but they're always so expensive. I'd much rather buy from a more generic store. If there were something specific I couldn't find anywhere else, I might be there, but otherwise, I'll pass.
I rarely go to pet superstores. I have one close, but I have always found them to be more expensive. Many pet stores- big or small - are more expensive then Walmart or the supermarket. I can see shopping there if you have to buy something and they are the only stores that have it.
It depends on the item. Petfood is usually cheaper at Petco or Petsmart, but they have a really high markup on dog toys, dog beds, and so on, so you are better off buying those at a local petstore. They draw you in for the cheap food and hope you'll spend money on something else while you are there.
The pet superstore I shop at is way overpriced on many of their items. The only reason I shop there is because it's close and they carry the brand of dogfood I use. However, I rarely buy anything else there because I can almost find it cheaper someplace else.
I buy most of my pet supplies at Tractor Supply. They provide excellent prices and quality. I have a large variety of pets and need food for everything from horses to rabbits. I know I am almost always getting the best deal there, as opposed to the local grocery store or pet supply store where things are often marked up in price. I also make use to coupons in the paper to get the best price possible.
I used to go to pet stores at first, because they seem to know better, there is always someone to talk to and ask for advice and things, but the truth is that it is so expensive to go there all the time. Then I switched to a supermarket and I was still able to find the products I needed, plus the fact that you only shop once for everything;your things and your dog's
Personally I thought the local pet store had the best prices. However, if you have one in your town you may want to call the local feed mills. These places handle nothing but pet foods and generally get great deals on the pricing. I know my dog food is fifteen dollars cheaper per bag then the pet stores. So hopefully this helps people out in saving money, also the feed mills may have some of the other items you need for your more exotic type pets and since they already have this in stock the price is significantly lower. For example, my chicken feed is twenty dollars cheaper then tractor supply when the bag size from TSC is added up for the size from the feed mill.
I agree with you, I noticed that items in pet stores in general are more expensive as compared to when you buy them from the supermarket. I think it's because they have to pay for their monthly lease in the mall, that's why they have to increase their prices.
We have a pet superstore here in Key West. I used 'Yesterday's News' cat litter. It is actually cheaper at Wynn Dixie than at the pet superstore.
Pet food is just too expensive at pet stores. I buy mine from my Vet. I think he gets discounted stuff because he buys them in bulk. As for pet supplies I have actually found that they cost less at hardware stores. There is this big hardware store near us and it sells collars, dog shampoo etc and its way cheaper than in pet stores.
Superstores may be super but they are not cheap...one would think that they would be, but they are not. We buy our pet food from our local grocery store and am very happy with the prices of their pet food. I generally stay away from superstores.
