2025 Neighborhood Pet Store Day Results

A Day of Fun and Strong Sales

This year’s Neighborhood Pet Store Day (NPSD) was, again, a huge success for independent pet retailers and suppliers who partnered to make the last weekend of September special for local communities.

Unlike typical marketing holidays that primarily focus on awareness, NPSD delivers solid, data-backed results. According to one of IndiePet’s founding sponsors, Astro Loyalty, NPSD generates strong traffic results for retailers and reactivated customer sales for participating brands. From coupon redemption data, this is what we know:

NPSD Drives Real Shopper Behavior — Not Just Awareness

NPSD isn't a typical promotional event where people browse but don’t buy. This year, redemption rates for offers during NPSD were 4-5 times higher than those of a typical weekend, signifying active participation and tangible consumer action. For brands, that’s valuable data that proves their marketing dollars are being well-spent. It shows that when offers are strategically aligned with a community-driven event like NPSD, pet owners don't just see special offers – they act on them. Pet shoppers are actively purchasing, testing new products, and stocking up on their pet essentials. NPSD has provided a measurable link between awareness and conversion.

NPSD Provides a Huge Opportunity for Brand Trial and Reactivation

One of the standout achievements of NPSD is the increase in brand trial and reactivation. Brands showed a 52% increase in new or reactivated customers, compared to a typical weekend. This figure reflects both first-time buyers and customers who hadn’t purchased from the brand in over a year.

For brands, NPSD represents an opportunity to overcome two of the toughest challenges in marketing: trial acquisition (getting new customers to try a product for the first time) and reactivation (re-engaging customers who have strayed from the brand.)

Reward and Rebate Offers are a Successful Dual-Impact Strategy

Another key factor driving NPSD’s success is the strategic use of reward and rebate offers—each designed to target different shopper behaviors. According to Astro, reward offers were up 352% MSRP for participating sponsors vs. a normal weekend. These offers, such as “Buy X, Get Y Free”, encourage customers to try new products. Pet owners felt incentivized to explore new food toppers, treats, or product lines, which drove brand trial and exploration. Rebate offers were up 427% vs. a normal weekend.  Rebates like “$X Off” appeal to returning or price-sensitive customers who are looking to replenish high-value items like pet food.

These two offer types worked together to create a balanced strategy: Reward = trial and excitement, Rebate = volume and loyalty. For brands, offering both reward and rebate incentives during NPSD proved to be an effective way to attract both new and returning customers, maximizing engagement in a short time.

Sales Growth Outpaced Traffic Growth — Bigger Baskets and Returning Buyers

One of the most significant outcomes of NPSD was that sales growth outpaced traffic growth. Sales were up 42% overall, with new or reactivated customer growth rising by 36% at the retailer level and 52% at the brand level.

This means that NPSD didn’t just bring in more shoppers, it also led to larger baskets and bigger purchases per visit. The event managed to reignite loyalty and motivate shoppers to spend more on each trip, particularly when in-store merchandising, bundling, and carefully designed offers were involved.

For pet brands, this was a great weekend. During NPSD, brands were able to sell to new customers and re-engage customers who had not interacted with the brand in months or even years. That’s a win for both retailers and manufacturers.

The "Halo Effect" on Brand Awareness and Loyalty

From Astro’s perspective, the halo effect is also a large, lasting benefit for participating brands. When customers redeem an offer during a community-focused event like NPSD, they associate the brand not just with quality products, but with supporting local businesses and the communities they care about. And, shoppers are more likely to develop a sense of trust and emotional connection with a brand when it’s linked to local, neighborhood-centered initiatives.

The Future of Neighborhood Pet Store Day: A Lasting Impact on the Pet Retail Industry

Neighborhood Pet Store Day isn’t just another promotional event—it's a powerful, data-driven opportunity that provides tangible benefits for brands and independent pet stores alike. The results from the 2025 event are clear: NPSD isn’t just about attracting shoppers—it’s about creating loyal, engaged customers who spend more, try new products, and support local businesses.

For brands, NPSD offers a rare combination of new customer acquisition, reactivation of lapsed buyers, and overall higher sales, all while fostering a strong emotional connection to their products. By offering strategically tailored reward and rebate offers, brands can create a more effective marketing approach, driving results that go far beyond a single event.

As NPSD continues to grow, it’s clear that the future of pet retail will be deeply intertwined with local communities and pet owners who increasingly value the personalized, trusted service they get from independent pet stores. The success of NPSD is a reminder that when brands and retailers work together in the spirit of community, everyone—pets, owners, and businesses—wins.