Blog · Vertical guide · Pets
How to sell pet products by subscription on Shopify
Pets eat every day and the bag runs out predictably. It is one of the strongest subscription verticals out there: guaranteed repeat purchase, calculable consumption and an owner who values, above all, never running out of food. Here is how to set it up on Shopify billing with Mercado Pago.
Published on September 16, 2026
If you sell pet food or products on Shopify, you have one of the best possible scenarios for subscriptions: nobody stops feeding their dog or cat. The repeat purchase is not in doubt; the only thing at stake is whether that purchase comes back to your store automatically or the owner ends up solving it somewhere else. With Reval you can bill those subscriptions with Mercado Pago, on your current Shopify store, with no Shopify Plus and no migration.
Why pets is one of the strongest verticals
Guaranteed repeat purchase
It is daily food for a loved one: it is not postponed or abandoned. Retention is naturally very high.
Predictable, calculable consumption
Food is consumed according to the pet's weight and portion. How long a bag lasts is almost a calculation, not an estimate.
Emotional bond
The owner prioritizes convenience and peace of mind over price. “Never running out” is worth more than a small price difference.
The vertical's superpower: the subscription is built around the pet
This is what makes this category unique. Instead of selling “a bag every now and then”, you build the subscription around the pet's profile: species, breed, age and weight. With that data you can recommend the product, the daily portion and calculate the exact frequency so food never runs out or piles up.
That turns a simple replenishment into a personalized service, which is both a better experience and higher retention. With Reval you can structure plans by product and build bundles (food + treats + hygiene) to cover everything for that pet.
What to offer by subscription
- Food (the core: kibble, wet food, specific diets).
- Cat litter (constant, predictable consumption).
- Treats and snacks (this is where variety and discovery come in).
- Supplements and hygiene (joint care, shampoo, etc.).
- Dewormers / periodic prevention: a perfect fit for a recurring reminder.
Frequency = bag size vs. daily portion
| Profile | Reference | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Small dog / cat | Bag lasts ~1-2 months | Monthly or every two months |
| Medium dog | Bag lasts ~3-4 weeks | Monthly |
| Large dog / multiple pets | Bag lasts ~2-3 weeks | Every two weeks or monthly |
The goal is for the next bag to arrive just before the previous one runs out. That “perfect timing” is the core promise of a pet subscription.
How much to discount
A 10% to 15% discount for subscribing works well, but in this vertical the discount matters less than convenience: not carrying the heavy bag, never running out of food, not having to remember. Sell that.
Reinforce it with scheduled shipping included and an occasional treat for the pet on certain cycles.
Retention: where subscribers drop off (and how to prevent it)
Food piled up
Let them skip or space out a delivery from the portal instead of cancelling.
The pet changed life stage or weight
Puppy to adult, adult to senior, or weight changes: the food and portion change. Let them switch products and adjust the portion without cancelling. Anticipating the life-stage transition is one of the best retention plays in the category.
Multiple pets
Make it easy to hold multiple subscriptions under one account (one per pet), each with its own profile.
Treat boredom
Here, variety is the answer: rotate treats or add new items as an add-on.
Declined charge
In LATAM, billing with Mercado Pago (a local acquirer) approves more than international processing. In pet food, a failed charge should never be the reason the food runs out.
The detail that defines everything in LATAM: billing
Shopify does not bill subscriptions with Mercado Pago natively, and neither do the global apps (Recharge, Skio). For a pet brand in LATAM, every declined charge can literally mean a pet goes without its food on time.
Reval bills subscriptions with Mercado Pago, with higher local approval, and every approved charge lands as a real order in Shopify.
How to get started
On your current Shopify store, with no Shopify Plus and no migration: you define the buy box with the pet's profile, the suggested portion and frequency, the bundles (food + treats + hygiene) and the self-service portal to adjust, change life stage or add pets without cancelling. With Reval, the team gets it running and helps you shape the offer.
A real case in repeat consumption
The Wellness Project, a supplement brand, added subscriptions to its Shopify store with Reval, billing with Mercado Pago. Another repeat-consumption vertical with the same logic as pet food: predictable replenishment and a customer who does not want to run out. In 7 days, 7% of its revenue was already recurring.
Read the full case studyFAQ
Pet product subscriptions on Shopify
Do you sell pet products and want subscriptions billed with Mercado Pago?
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