PetFoodDirect

Pros:  Great site navigation, overall good product choice, not just for cat & dog owners.

Cons:  Food prices are high. Cat litter choices limited.

The Bottom Line:  This is a good online service, with fairly well represented products - BUT - do some comparison price shopping first.

Full review
PetFoodDirect.com is not a comprehensive name for this online service. The website offers food, treats, pet magazines, pet accessories, pet toys, pet advice, and even items for pet owners. It really is a pet shop online!

One of the striking qualities of this online service is the ease of use. Every category is clearly labeled. The site moves quickly, with lots of visuals. Easy to recognize logos and trade names make viewing faster. There are pictures of every product, so that you can identify what you want if you can't remember a fine distinction (e.g., "Let's see – was that hairball control for seniors or hairball control light? Oh, it's that brown bag!") While the website is visually "busy," it's not complicated, because it's well laid out.

Another of the positive aspects of the website is the variety of brand names offered. There's an abundance of choices, though not all major brands are represented. Brands available only in pet stores are here, as well as those readily available in grocery stores.

PRODUCTS:
Cat food & treats (wide selection of dry and canned)
Dog food & treats (also a great selection)
Cat litter (disappointingly limited, compared to the food offerings, which are extensive)
Dog & cat accessories & toys (training, leashes, crates, pads, bowls, first aid kits, etc.)
Fish food & accessories (fresh & salt water – pumps, tanks, water conditioners, etc.)
Bird food & accessories (cages, perches, feeding aids)
Small animal & reptile food & accessories (for gerbils, rabbits, rats, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, small reptiles and –yes, even chinchillas)
Travel Central (not the strongest category, with only 2 pet travel books and limited accessories)
Magazines (dog, cat, bird, reptile, fish)
Pet owner gifts (T-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.)

PRICES:
Prices vary, with many comparable to pet shops, while others are slightly higher. None are unreasonable, however, if you're seeking convenience. Uh…except the food. The FAQ section mentions that prices may not always be cheaper than those found in stores, due to geographical differences. Even acknowledging those differences, some of the cat and dog food prices seemed rather high. I did some comparison shopping on dog and cat food that I use.

Dog Food:
Science Diet 20 lb Senior Dry – PetFoodDirect $19.49 – Petsmart $15.49
Iams 8 lb Active Maturity – PetfoodDirect $10.49 – Walmart $8.99
Pedigree 13.2 oz cans – PetFoodDirect $.83 each – Walmart $.44 each
Alpo 13.2 oz cans – PetFoodDirect $.68 each (on sale) – Walmart $.42 each

Cat Food:
Science Diet 8.5 lb Hairball Light dry– PetfoodDirect $16.49 (on sale) – Petsmart $17.99
Iams Active Maturity dry – PetFoodDirect $15.49 – Walmart $12.79
Friskies 5.5 oz cans – PetFoodDirect $.41 each (on sale) – Walmart $.27 each

Keep in mind that several of the above PetFoodDirect prices are sale prices, compared to non-sale prices of other vendors. The regular prices range from $1 to $2 higher on average. Some of the price differentials are so significant that buying food from this online service is not worth it to me. Add shipping costs, and that's a fairly hefty bill.

SHIPPING COSTS
Speaking of shipping prices, the website has a very nice feature for estimating the cost of shipping. There are charts of geographical areas, divided by weight. The lowest shipping charge I saw was $6.99 for less than 10 lbs. I was going to order a $14.99 book about traveling with pets, until I realized the shipping cost was about half the price of the book! Cancel that order! The vendor obviously wants bulk orders, so the better shipping prices are in the higher weight ranges. Shipping is done via US Postal Service, UPS or Fedex, and deliveries are made within the promised 1 to 5 day time period.

ORDERING
Ordering is simple. A shopping cart is available, and keeps a running total. You don't have to wait until you check out to find out the shipping cost, because that is calculated along with the product prices as you add things to your shopping cart. Major credit cards are accepted, and a printable confirmation page appears when you complete your order. You can also check the status of your order online.

A nice feature of the service for those that are regular users is the "Meals Plus" plan. This offers automatic delivery of items on a regular basis. Set up what you need on a monthly basis, and forget about it! Talk about convenience!

DISCOUNTS/SPECIAL OFFERS
Occasionally, the service offers special offers. For example, in November, 2001, there is a special $10.00 coupon offer. There's also a "Free Food For A Year" contest. That's worth a few moments of time to enter!

PET CARE
Two of my favorite features are the pet advice sections, titled "Animal Wellness" (tidbits about various aspects of pet health) and "Ask the Vet" (responses to questions from site users.) I've picked up a few bits on information from both.

OTHER
PetFoodDirect has an affiliate program, much like other popular services, and offers links from existing websites as well as setting up new ones.

OVERALL
I think this is a wonderfully easy site to navigate, with a lot of options, and some good information. The convenience of ordering from home and quick delivery are positives. I recommend that all pet owners take time to study the website and determine whether it is a beneficial service for their particular needs. I don't find it particularly useful on a regular basis, as my dog and cat food needs can be filled at much lower costs, and my cat litter choices are not even on the list.