Pets.com seeks to sell everything your pet pines for. . . . But unlike its competitors, Pets.com has a formidable foe on its leash: Amazon.com. . . . Back in 1994, of course, the online pet market looked comparatively tranquil. That’s when Greg McLemore . . . registered the Pets.com address and launched the site.
‘We are running hard and fast to make Pets.com the best possible customer experience, from product selection to customer service,” said Julie Wainwright, chief executive officer of Pets.com. “This significant investment [from Amazon.com and Hummer Winblad] allows us to support our plans to build an enduring, customer-focused company.”
Customer service, a factor that helped distinguish one of its investors, Amazon.com, is also key, with Pets.com planning to fulfill all orders from its warehouses starting in June.
Newcomer Pets.com . . . has positioned itself as a strong contender with some 10,000 pet items for sale, content that includes an online lawyer and an anchor position on America Online, according to McLemore.
Amazon agreed to buy 50 percent of closely held Pets.com.
Greg McLemore, a founder of Pets.com who currently is senior vice president for business development, said Amazon was chosen as a major investor because ‘they have a lot of successful experience in electronic commerce.’
Pets.com is the largest pet company on the Internet, specializing in popular and rare pet accessories, products and food. . . . Founded by established Internet entrepreneurs Greg McLemore and Eva Woodsmall in 1998, Pets.com is a spin-off of WebMagic, . . . an Internet incubator that has launched several sites including Toys.com.”
. . . former CEO of Reel.com decided Thursday to join Pets.com . . . a Pasadena-based online retailer. . . . First on Ms. Wainwright’s mind is finding space in San Francisco or the East Bay; some [team members] will relocate from Pasadena.
Toys.com . . . offers a huge selection, search engine, articles for shoppers, and more. Ordering is secure and you can even see if the items are out of stock.
For those with children, Toys.com charts the availability of the season’s hottest playthings and lists cool stocking stuffers for under $10.