How Omnichannel Brand Zigly is Creating Memorable Experiences to Win the Trust of Consumers

The pet care industry has seen a dramatic evolution. In the past, pet care was largely limited to traditional brick-and-mortar stores, but now the industry has expanded to include a wide variety of online platforms. Regardless, the pet care industry in India is still fragmented and has been controlled by local businesses, but it is evolving and going through a transformation as responsible pet parenting is on the rise. 

India has seen a growth in pet ownership over the past ten years as a result of increased disposable income, particularly among the middle class, more nuclear families, rapid urbanization, and a shift in people's attitudes toward treating animals like members of the family. Millennials are new pet parents and they don’t have options to get access to quality pet services and products. First-time pet parents are fuelling the demand for pet care products and services. 

To cater to the rising demand for pet care brands, Zigly was built with a lot of affection for animals and a profound grasp of pet parenting. The purpose of the brand is to enhance the joy of pet parents and it wants to ensure healthy and happy pets in every house. 

The pet care brand delivers this by making good pet care accessible and affordable without compromising on quality. It hopes to fill the expanding gap in the market for expert services and high-quality goods for pets. 

“We are building a one-stop shop for all pet care requirements which is based on our capability to deliver distinctive experiences and products for various pets. With an ambition to eventually create a pet-care ecosystem for the industry, we will also serve as a training platform for independent caregivers and provide opportunities for pet care specialists to retain a sustainable source of income," stated Ambarish Sikarwar, Business Head, Zigly.

Retail and Marketing Strategy

Zigly is a pet-first brand and so its strategies are defined keeping that as a principle. The brand believes that retail and marketing go hand-in-hand. 

“Our retail strategy is focused on creating a unique and memorable pet care experience for our customers, while our marketing strategy is focused on driving awareness, and traffic to our stores, and creating a strong brand that is recognizable and trusted by our customers. We believe that our combination of a great product, exceptional customer service, and a focus on creating a unique pet care experience will help us achieve our goal of becoming the go-to brand for all things pets. To that end, we are constantly testing and tweaking our retail and marketing strategy to ensure that we are always providing the best possible experience for our customers, especially the furry friends,” he asserted.

Zigly, the first tech-enabled omnichannel pet care platform in India, is dedicated to ensuring that pets are healthy and happy. To accomplish its goals, it provides pet parents a tech-enabled ecosystem where they can select the best from a wide range of pet care options, including pet food, nutritional supplements, treats, grooming tools, health care items, accessories, and toys, clothing options, and much more. 

Zigly's in-house services, which are all offered under one roof, include grooming, spa, salon, vet consultation, pathology, vaccination, and pet treatments. In addition to goods and services, a play area has been constructed for the benefit of animals.

“The idea behind being an omnichannel brand is to give a fully-integrated pet care experience. Physical stores are to establish the first point of contact by giving in-person services and building trust in Zigly’s offerings. And since pets only require grooming and vet services over a period of time, other product-related needs can be taken care of via online or app delivery once we have established the trust in our offering. Thereby, we are engaging customers via different channels with Zigly for all kinds of pet needs,” he explained. 

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Many pet care brands are entering the market and Zigly is putting its best foot forward to stay ahead of the curve.

“First of all, we are providing a 360-degree range of products and services through our multiple channels. We are increasing our product portfolio to cater to several needs of pets. Our groomers are certified experts plus we also function as a training platform for independent carers. Our team at Zigly is coached to take care of hyper pets and other demanding situations. Since we are in the business of care, it is of utmost importance to us to offer superior customer service and ensure that we are available to answer and resolve any pet issues that arise. We differentiate ourselves by providing a quality of services that leads to customer satisfaction and retention,” he asserted.

Innovation: Taking the Experience One Notch Higher

Zigly experience center offers a one-stop solution for everything related to pet and pet care from products and grooming, to consultation. 

“We are building effective, scalable solutions to address the needs of pets. Our one-of-a-kind clothing line has been curated to add that fun, playful bond between pet and pet parents. In terms of our products, we are working on new offerings and services. Zigly’s services at home, online consultation, and app are some of its curated innovations to ensure a seamless pet care experience,” he said.  

“In order to offer the best possible care for your pets, we are constantly innovating, evolving our product offerings, and improving our products. We have a team of dedicated researchers who are always on the lookout for new and better ways to care for pets. In addition, we offer a wide range of customization options for our products, so that pet owners can find the perfect solution for their needs,” he further added. 

Apart from this, Zigly also provides online tele consultations via mobile and video mode. One can readily seek online veterinary consultations from licensed doctors in an emergency. 

“We are currently in the testing phase of our mobile app. The app is designed to further smoothen things down for our customers to enable an easy, enriching user experience. We are championing a mix of tech-enabled physical service offering through our ‘Zigly at Home’ grooming services. Through technology, Zigly is expanding its availability and accessibility to ensure a great experience for pet and pet parents,” he shared.

Future Plans 

Currently, Zigly has five experience centers in Delhi-NCR and has recently forayed into Gurugram. So far, the experience centers serve as the first touchpoint for Zigly’s services and products. The physical stores enable fun and caring experience for pets and pet parents alike. This has resulted in customer retention and trust in Zigly as a brand with customers engaging with us via online and other platforms as well. 

Going ahead, the brand is planning to expand diagnostic services for pets. It believes that there is a great opportunity for growth in the new pet categories as the pet care industry is a relatively unexplored area and is still evolving. 

“We are confident that eventually, our ecosystem will be able to provide a lifetime experience to pet and pet parents at each stage of pet well-being,” he asserted.

“Our aggressive expansion plans call for us to reach the top 10 cities within the first two years, as they are home to roughly 50 percent of all pets. Within the next three years, we aspire to be in the top 3. We have decided to open 15-16 new stores in the next 12-13 months. In the next five years, we plan to open 150 stores and are looking at revenues close to Rs 500 crore. Over the years we are eager to build a reputation for quality and care among the local pet owners and the locations we serve,” he further added.