Chewy said come back when you’re bigger. We took a different route

The Chewy door was closed. We found another way in and scaled fast on the other side.

Marketplace Analysis & Strategy

Operations & Logistics

Marketplace Performance Management

Chewy

LAUNCH TO USD $90K+/MO

4 months

Dec 2025 → Apr 2026

PREP WORK

6 months

Before first order shipped

AD EFFICIENCY (MAR 2026)

3.1x ROAS

ACOS 33%, TACOS 19%

CATALOGUE SCOPE

Hundreds

Of SKUs across categories

SIX MONTHS OF WORK. ZERO REVENUE. FULL TRUST.

Chewy is the largest online pet retailer in the US, and getting in isn't straightforward. Dog Friendly Co's early wholesale conversation with Chewy ended with a clear message: come back when you're bigger. Our job was to find the route in that didn't require the size Chewy was looking for, then build the foundation to prove the brand belonged there. That route was dropshipping. Lower commitment from Chewy, lower margin for the brand, but a real foothold on the platform and the chance to demonstrate what the brand could do.

We worked with Dog Friendly Co for six months before the first order shipped, adding hundreds of SKUs across multiple Chewy addition forms, managing electronic data interchange (EDI) integration, coordinating and testing domestic US fulfilment logistics while navigating Chewy's vendor onboarding requirements for the first time.

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THE GROUNDWORK

Catalogue submission

Hundreds of SKUs across separate Chewy addition forms (leashes, collars, harnesses, beds, toys, apparel), each with their own data requirements, image specs, and category rules. Submitted, reviewed, and corrected across multiple rounds.

Fulfilment logistics

Coordinated Chewy’s vendor label requirements and daily order flow process with the domestic US third-party logistics partner (3PL). Manual order uploads in the early weeks while EDI was being configured.

EDI integration

DSCO/ DScopify set up for automated order sync between Chewy and the 3PL. Shopify inventory synced to prevent overselling across channels. Inventory sync issues identified and resolved post-launch.

Full ad suite

Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Display live from launch. Campaign structure built by product group from day one.

THE GROWTH DRIVERS

Harness

Top-performing product group

Rating improved from 3.5 to 4.0 stars in a single month (April 2026), through active content improvement on Chewy’s Pawsability review programme.

TACOS

Held at 19% through March

Total advertising cost of sales (TACOS) holding steady as the account matures, with organic and paid mix improving despite strong sales growth.

Leash Splitter

Consistently strong ROAS

High proportion of new-to-brand customers each month, demonstrating strong category visibility and appeal to new shoppers.

THE PATH TO WHOLESALE

Chewy's Managed Network is their wholesale tier: better margin, deeper catalogue placement, and a stronger partnership with the platform. It requires hitting review thresholds, maintaining content quality, and demonstrating consistent sales velocity. That is the Q2 2026 focus: Pawsability review improvement across priority product groups, catalogue gap closure, and continued EDI optimisation to move from dropshipping to wholesale.

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Chewy told Dog Friendly Co to come back when they were bigger. We found a different route in: dropshipping. Then we spent six months building the infrastructure to make it work, and four months proving the brand belonged on the platform, scaling to USD $90k+ in a single month.

Dropshipping was never the end goal. It was the proof point. Managed Network qualification was the next step: the wholesale relationship Chewy originally turned down which we’ve achieved in 5 months.

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“Working with Zack and the team was a seamless experience. They took full ownership of the entire setup process, coordinated every moving part with minimal direction from our side, and handled what was a complex launch with incredible efficiency. Highly recommend for any brand looking for a partner that genuinely takes initiative and delivers.”

‍Sandra Abade, Co-Founder, Dog Friendly Co.

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Dog Friendly Co.

Ready To Scale?

We're ready when you are.

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