What is Petco and the other box stores doing wrong?

I just got back from Petco where I purchased cat litter and I have to share my encounter with you.

I was waiting on line at the check out counter when I overheard a staff member showing a customer Advantage II which is a flea control product.

The customer didn't understand the difference between Advantage and Advantage II. I winced when I heard the staff member inform the customer that she didn't know the difference (an F grade on training and educating your staff for Petco) either. The employee also stated that she didn't know why Petco didn't carry Advantage any longer and the only other product that the customer could buy was Frontline Plus if she didn't feel comfortable buying the Advantage II. At this point I'm near apoplectic....my pet peeve is misinformation being spread around. The only thing worse is when individuals aren't trained properly with critical information.

My blood was boiling at that point so I jumped in and educated (hopefully) not only the customer but the staff member that Advantage is no longer made and the difference between Advantage and Advantage II was that there is an insect growth regulator (IGR) in Advantage II.
The customer was interested in learning more and I answered a few questions for her (yes, doing the employees job). Meanwhile, the staff member simply walked away not terribly concerned that she didn't know much about her store and it's products.

You might be saying to yourself "Monique...chill out. Not a big deal."
Well it is a big deal and for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, Petco drops the ball big time. If you are in the pet industry, you damn well better guarantee that your employees can answer questions regarding any of your products, particularly when your pets safety is at risk. I don't care if these are high school kids working part time, you need to properly train them. Petco is not doing anyone any good by having employees going through the motions.


Secondly, this is a perfect example as to why you should buy directly from a veterinarian. And not just any veterinarian, because not all vets are created equal. Find an AAHA certified hospital. Their standards are higher than most. Only 15% of hospitals are certified and it is voluntary (which should tell you something).

Yes, and I've heard it a million times before. "Vets are so expensive..." Well, yeah, because you're getting someone who understands the products and your pet, not a "well, maybe you can try this one..." response. You get what you pay for. Factor in that some over the counter meds can be lethal if given improperly and you'll understand why this lights my hair on fire.

We see it at the hospital. Someone bought a product at a big box store and didn't realize they bought a product intended for a dog rather than a cat and the next thing they know, their cat is critically ill because a sales person didn't inquire who is the intended recipient of the product. Or here's another example we've seen. Someone will buy (again one of the big box stores) a dog product that is toxic to a cat (in other words, there are products that shouldn't be used in mixed pet households). And predictably their cat grooms their dog and becomes violently ill due to ingesting said product.

I wish I could say this is infrequent but it is not. We see and hear it all too frequently.

Again, let me reiterate where Petco is dropping the ball. They aren't educating their staff so they can educate their customers. And that begins the cycle of misinformation. That customer will then tell a friend "Oh...just go to Petco and save....blah blah blah" Customers assume that the employees at big box stores have been trained, know what they are talking about and are passionate about the four legged ones. I have yet to meet one of these models. Petco needs to get serious about caring for our furkids just as much as we do. If not, they are simply another greedy corporation interested only in their bottom line.

And lest you think that I'm flogging Petco out of some personal bias, I am not. We hear the horror stories regarding similar scenarios from online stores, Pet Smart, Petmeds, Pet Supermarket, etc....
Stay informed everyone and Keep Wagging!