9 years, 8 months ago-
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Hopefully I’m not duplicating someone else’s discussion. I just read the email from Yvonne and I have to admit that my jaw hit the floor. I have so many questions swirling through my head and the more I think about it, the more questions I have.
I don’t think this is a bad idea, but I’m curious what BlogPaws and Pet360 will look like a year from now. Does this mean we won’t work with Petco anymore? How does PetSmart feel about paid opportunities for bloggers? Can we get a blogger discount? J/K
I’ve tried so many times to become a PetSmart affiliate and was rejected each time soundly. So I kind of feel like I made it through a side door – hee hee
I was curious if anyone had any thoughts, questions, concerns, etc. Not that I can answer them, but my first impulse was to come here and ask “wadda ya’ll think about this?”
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I’m still digesting….
Interestingly I was accepted as a PetSmart affiliate but have never made a dime. I’m hopeful this will mean more, better, but probably different opportunities for everyone through Pet360, BlogPaws and more.
I had written several pieces for PetFinder (for a very nice $$ return) when they were owned by Discovery, and when Purina purchased the company and those opportunities went away. *shrug* Bigger isn’t always better but I’m reserving judgement.
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As you know, an issue near and dear to my heart is the sale of aversive training tools in the big box pet stores. I have stopped personally shopping at them for the most part, so I have mixed feelings about being affiliated through BlogPaws, although it’s hard to get away from since PetSafe is another big sponsor and they make shock collars. My own microcosm of training values is one I know can’t realistically be applied to the big picture in many cases, but I do hope that with the influence of many bloggers who advocate for force-free training, perhaps some positive changes can be made!
Aside from that, I’ll be curious to see what this means for BlogPaws!
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I saw it announced yesterday and have mixed feelings. First Pet360 and then PetSmart. I kinda feel like when big businesses come to town and put the little ones out of business. Why would people outside of other pet bloggers read our stuff when they can get so much more from the bigger sites they can join as members who can hire seo experts to place in the top searches and have their own staff as opposed to one person trying to do everything? I know I sound like Debby Downer but WTH.
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Thank you, everyone who is sharing thoughts and questions. I don’t have all the answers yet. I only have GREAT expectations. Is this a good thing? I believe it is. I believe it’s up to US to bridge the gap between a great and strong brand like PetSmart, and the pet parent looking for information and resources.
Pet360 and BlogPaws need you to continue asking those hard questions, but we hope you understand that some of them will not be answered immediately! We are committed to our pet parents… we want to help pet bloggers grow and make money… we want to do so many things! With your patience and help, we will achieve many, many goals.
Never hesitate to ask ME directly, if you have a concern or a question you don’t want to ask publicly. I am open to the discussion!
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We’ve been talking about this article in a closed FB group. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/under-pressure-from-jana-petsmart-says-it-will-explore-potential-sale/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 and someone commented that at this year’s Blogpaws a representative of PetSmart said they wouldn’t consider paying bloggers for 3-4 years. This worries me. What does it mean?
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I think this is a great thing for all concerned. To me, we already know Pet360 is a big supporter of bloggers. I can’t believe Petsmart would be so short sighted as to not see the tremendous value we bring to their table. I do wonder about conflict of interest affiliations, too, Kimberly. I’m hoping they enact a more hands off approach and let the blogging network do their thing and make a living (hard enough to do without worrying about what we can and can’t work with). I guess time will tell, but it’s exciting, nonetheless.
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I want to reserve judgement until 1) the deal is done. They only announced the acquisition. And 2) I know more about how PetSmart operates. To be honest, I don’t know as much about how they do things. I know a lot more about Petco and prefer them as a store. I could understand why they would want Pet360, but I don’t understand what they would do with BlogPaws. Unless they are offering opportunities or special access there isn’t much they could give me that I would need. As long as they don’t seriously mess it and we can still do campaigns and stuff, I’m ok with it. Oh, and if the staff doesn’t change. That too.
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Ditto
christie zizo said:
I want to reserve judgement until 1) the deal is done. They only announced the acquisition. And 2) I know more about how PetSmart operates. To be honest, I don’t know as much about how they do things. I know a lot more about Petco and prefer them as a store. I could understand why they would want Pet360, but I don’t understand what they would do with BlogPaws. Unless they are offering opportunities or special access there isn’t much they could give me that I would need. As long as they don’t seriously mess it and we can still do campaigns and stuff, I’m ok with it. Oh, and if the staff doesn’t change. That too.
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Hey everyone, as Yvonne says, THANK YOU for your comments here. It helps us a lot to hear what your thoughts and concerns are. And it helps our spirits to know you are part of the community that we’ve all been building here together.
I want to add my voice to hers in saying we are excited about the opportunities that we envision this merger will bring for all of us. Near-term, little will change, of course, but longer-term, I think it’s telling how PetSmart’s press release described the value that Pet360 brings (my emphasis):
“[Pet360’s] family of premium brands includes Pet360.com – the most comprehensive online resource for pet parents; petMD.com – the world’s largest digital resource for pet health information; PetFoodDirect.com – the leading online retailer of pet food, medications and supplies; and BlogPaws – the largest professional network of pet bloggers and social media enthusiasts.”
I read that as PetSmart valuing you all, not just Yvonne, me, or the BlogPaws team. Here’s the link to the full release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140819006392/en/PetSmart-An…
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We probably won’t know much more than we’ve said, so far, and some answers simply won’t exist until after the deal closes, but we’ll find out and share what we can.
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I think it could be an amazing opportunity for BlogPaws. Clearly PetSmart recognizes and respects the influence BlogPaws has in the industry. If they didn’t, PetSmart Charities would not have attended BP 2014 with part of their goal being that bloggers might help spread the word about the work they do, especially their Everyday Adoption Centers in stores. As a newer blogger who hasn’t yet monetized however, I do wonder if I will still have value in the community or if I’ll just be “small fry” never being selected for monetization opportunities. I also wonder if brands such as Natural Balance, which Petco carries but PetSmart doesn’t, will still partner w/ BP for campaigns. All this remains to be seen, but overall I think it could be a big boost to BlogPaws. PetSmart is an amazing org., their growth over the last 8 years (thru recession no less!) has been spectacular. Personally, I use every one of their products & services so they certainly speak to me as a pet parent, hopefully they’ll speak to me as a blogger as well ( :. PetSmart Charities is a stellar organization, helping so many animal welfare orgs across North America. I believe they value the support of bloggers, even if not for paid endeavors.
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I’m sad, but hopeful that something good will come from the merger. If you would like to read more about shock collars here are some links for you.
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I have never been more proud of BlogPaws than I am with this transaction. It shows the vision of our leaders and I, for one, am grateful I have been to every single BlogPaws Conference. As I have written time and again, the 2010 BlogPaws Conference in Columbus, Ohio changed me and ignited the passion within. Up up up, can only go up from here. (stealing that last line from a Shania Twain song I love).
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Thank you SO much Kimberly!! Your encouragement really means a lot to me. I have passion & enthusiasm in spades. I left the corporate world to pursue what I’m truly passionate about, Pet Blogging! It just takes time, effort & patience. The support of my fellow bloggers (& BlogPaws) means so much. Thanks again!
Kimberly Gauthier said:Catherine – if you submit a proposal to any brand with that level of enthusiasm, they won’t see a small blogger, they’ll see a person they want representing their product.
It’s not always about reach and traffic; it’s also about passion, professionalism, and drive. I was a tiny photography blogger, but I received cameras and lenses, because I would get so excited to learn something new and the brands loved it.
Loved this response. I could FEEL the enthusiasm.
Catherine Armato said:I think it could be an amazing opportunity for BlogPaws. Clearly PetSmart recognizes and respects the influence BlogPaws has in the industry.
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I do hope the merger will become a step in the right direction for big companies and big brands in recognizing the incredible value quality pet bloggers can bring to their marketing efforts. I’ll cut to the chase here… I’m talking compensation.
I’m concerned however that PetSmart may see this great network of bloggers as a nice chunk of free marketing. I say this on the heels of the recent communications from Pet360 asking bloggers to share information without any sort of compensation. For me, it felt like they had crossed the line that BlogPaws has so passionately tried to defend, and were asking bloggers to work for free.
Please don’t get me wrong… it’s not all about money. I blog because I love it. But I also know how much time, energy and expense goes into each and every post that features some sort of marketing message.
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I did do a review of some PetSmart clothing and toys (unpaid) last year. At least they were extremely generous with the amount of stuff they sent. I was kind of shocked actually because I wasn’t expecting them to send me that much stuff. And they were willing to send out an equally awesome box of stuff for a giveaway.
I like PetSmart, and shop there most of the time when I need to go to the pet store. I am hopeful that this deal goes in a good direction and that BlogPaws continues to be an awesome place for pet bloggers. Congratulations to Pet360 and BlogPaws on this also.
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Change can be scary. So much is unknown. If this aquisition goes through, change is inevitable. I say watch the writing on the wall and pay attention to the trends to make sure you are ahead of the curve….either to help make sure the change goes in a positive direction or be in a good position to benefit from whatever changes occur. Crossing my fingers that its positives for this community and pet bloggers. I think we’ve built a strong enough community to survive outside of BlogPaws if necessary.
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Thanks for the discussion Kimberly, and insights from Tom and Yvonne! Yvonne, did BlogPaws sell all rights to Pet360, or did you by chance have a clause that allows you to spin off independently again, if Pet360 (or future acquisitions) chose to go in a different direction?
I’ve survived several corporate acquisitions; some meant better opportunities, one meant a loss of job due to reorganization. I believe the best approach is to stay positive, continue on with our great work, and as always, look for opportunities to continue to meet, and exceed our blogging goals.
I found these links with more info about the acquisition:
http://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/mergers-and-acquisitions/…
http://www.petproductnews.com/headlines/2014/08/20/petsmart-acquire…
Acquisition expected to close Sep 2014: http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/144445/petsmart-posts-robust-q2-ear…
BUT THIS IS THE BIGGEST NEWS OF ALL – PETSMART IS ALSO CONSIDERING SELLING THE COMPANY: “… we have decided to explore options to maximize shareholder value, including a potential sale of the Company.”
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=93506&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1959579&highlight=
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Wow! This is HUGE news and it’s taken me a few days to digest! I don’t think I’m totally there yet either. I’ve been through my share of corporate mergers so I know how tricky these things can be.I can only hope that this means BP and Pet360 will only grow stronger and reach a broader audience of pet parents. On that same note, sometimes bigger doesn’t always mean better. I’d like to remain optimistic that this will only bring pet bloggers into the mainstream. I’ve seen the way beauty blogger/vloggers have totally changed that industry and how beauty companies are spending their marketing $$$. As a result a ton of the beauty bloggers have been able to make this their full-time job! I’d LOVE to see the same thing happen in the pet blogging world!There were a few things that shocked me during the PetSmart workshop at the 2013 conference:
- They had mentioned they don’t pay pet bloggers yet. It also seemed that they were more interested in connecting with mommy bloggers and hadn’t even really tapped into our world yet. I’ve actually reached out to them on more than one occasion to work together and never heard back.
- Jeff Davis mentioned that their affiliate program (which I’ve been part of since I started blogging) is managed by someone else so they had no info about this. I thought this felt a little disconnected. I’ve also been surprised how outdated all their affiliate banners are. I emailed the affiliate manager awhile back and they pretty much had an “i can’t really help you” attitude about it.
We’ve always shopped at PetSmart so I’ve been a bit disappointed with their lack of support with pet bloggers. I’m hoping this new merger can strengthen that relationship. Only time will tell. -
Hi Aimee and everyone,
As several of you have mentioned, there are a lot of unknowns as this transaction moves ahead. All we can be sure of right now is that BlogPaws was mentioned in the press release as one of the assets that Pet360 brings to the combined companies and that PetSmart is already familiar with how we work with pet brands. Most of those brands also sell through PetSmart, just as they do through Pet360.
Chloe has noted that we have a number of paid programs in the works. So little will change in the near term and we’ll all have to see how it plays out, working together toward Aimee’s optimistic outcome.
That’s been our purpose from the beginning!
Tom
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