PetParker brings pet lovers closer to their loving furry family members by enabling them to spend more quality time amidst running errands. PetParker promotes micro-mobility on its platform, allowing pet owners to leave their homes with confidence in the company of their pets. The company was born in Brazil, where over 60% of households are home to pets, and its smart dog stations have seen widespread adoption by businesses and pet owners alike.
Now PetParker is expanding internationally to North America, taking its first steps into Vancouver, Canada. Speaking to Arteculate Asia, Founder & CEO of the platform, Georges Ebel shares the remarkable story of PetParker, and how his journey of wanting the best for his pets resulted in a company transforming cities by enabling mobility for pet owners and allowing businesses to serve this segment of consumers better.
The Origin of PetParker: A Simple Solution for All Pet Owners
“Over the past decades, pets have become an increasing part of a family’s composition, with owners wanting to spend more time with them,” Georges shares. This trend includes taking their pets on walks while they visit everyday establishments such as grocery stores and supermarkets. However, he conveys that animals are not allowed inside these places for sanitary reasons.
Further, in cities like Vancouver and others in the Americas and Europe, tying them outside is prohibited by law. Georges states, “It is also unsafe to leave animals alone outside, as pet violence such as kidnapping, accidents, and theft are becoming notoriously popular in places like the UK.” This phenomenon has made spending time with pets inconvenient as owners often had to plan walks and sometimes make two trips to the same place.
Sharing his personal experience and the inspiration behind PetParker, Georges had been walking his dogs a few years back when he remembered he needed to stop for groceries. Securing his dogs outside the store, he proceeded inside. Within moments, people in the store told him his dogs were missing. Rushing out, Georges was thankfully able to recover his pets before they had gotten too far.
He later unknowingly developed the very first PetParker Station and placed it outside the same store for him to use whenever he visited. To Georges’ surprise, the store manager shared that several other customers had also started using his station. “Soon after, I was also informed that another store manager had asked to see me and requested that I make a similar one at his store, too,” he said.
How PetParker Works for pet owners
PetParker smart stations are placed outside supermarkets, pharmacies, and grocery stores to encourage pet owners to leave home walking their pets instead of using vehicles. “Through this, their pets enjoy the company of their owners, improves the health of both owner and pet, and is also good for the city by reducing vehicles on the roads,” explains Georges. It also reduces the risks of leaving animals inside vehicles, which could accumulate heat and cause distress.
The platform works much like bike-sharing systems. Pet owners can download the app and instantly see the nearest PetParker Stations on a map. Once they arrive at the station, they can open the door by scanning the QR code and accommodate their pet inside. “The stations are in their fifth generation of development, and proprietary tech to make sure the pet is safe and comfortable. This includes door locks, cameras, temperature sensors, ventilation and fans, and an antibacterial finish on its walls for hygiene,” Georges highlights. The owner may open the door again by scanning the QR code to retrieve the pet.
Enabling businesses to offer a better experience for pet owners
Today, PetParkers smart stations have been installed in over 200 medium and large supermarket chains, shopping malls, and pharmacies across Brazil. The platform is being sold through a full-service subscription service to these businesses. By installing PetParker’s smart pet stations, companies can enhance the customer experience by providing a comfortable and convenient place for pet owners to leave their pets outside while they shop or attend appointments.
As a result of the improved experience, PetParkers smart stations attract pet owners and increase foot traffic, leading to potential sales and opportunities for cross-selling. Moreover, businesses can leverage the PetParker app to advertise their participation in the network, showcasing their brand, services, and exclusive offers to pet owners actively seeking pet-friendly establishments. This ability to advertise their services to a new audience is offered in tandem to businesses with their subscriptions. Collectively, PetParker’s offerings enable businesses to cater to pet owners’ needs by offering a practical solution and enhancing the customer experience.
“Our strategy is to target stores looking to improve customer experience and drive traffic inside. With PetParker stations, visiting these locations becomes a habit for customers and a source of recurring revenue for the business. We grew by targeting business sectors; gyms, restaurants, and small offices next to be introduced to PetParker,” conveys Georges.
Unleashing the Future Plans of the PetParker Platform
Drawing inspiration from the sharing economy of bicycles and ride-hailing, PetParker intends to scale the business to make it accessible to all pet owners. “We hope to place our smartphone app in the pockets of everyone with a pet,” Georges says. The PetParker team is also continuously improving their smart stations’ safety, reliability, and comfort.
Pet adoption is growing at a fast pace around the world. Accordingly, Georges states that the team is set to begin its international journey with Vancouver, Canada. “Market readiness and size of the pet market are the key drivers to our expansion plan, and our research tells us that expanding into a safe and developed market like Canada will give us better insights into venturing into markets like the US, EU, and Asia.”
To learn more about PetParker, head over to petparker.com.br and petparker.co