Program Details
| Commission | 4.8% (Cost Per Sale) |
| Cookie Duration | 30 days |
| Network | FlexOffers |
| Payment Methods | PayPal, Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer, Check |
| Min. Payout | $25 |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly, Net 60 |
| Category | Pet Supplies & Retail |
| Countries | US, Canada |
| Website | www.petsmart.com |
PetSmart is North America’s largest specialty pet retailer, with over 1,650 stores across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The company sells pet food, supplies, accessories, and live pets, and runs in-store services including grooming, training, and veterinary care at select locations. PetSmart serves millions of pet owners both in-store and through petsmart.com, making it a household name in the pet supplies space.
The PetSmart affiliate program is available through FlexOffers and pays 4.8% commission on qualifying product sales with a 30-day cookie. It’s a solid option for pet content creators targeting US and Canadian audiences, though the commission rate trails some specialist pet retailers and non-product services like grooming and vet visits don’t earn commissions.
PetSmart Affiliate Program Commission Structure
PetSmart pays a flat 4.8% commission on eligible product sales generated through your affiliate links. This applies to physical products across PetSmart’s full catalog – pet food, toys, bedding, grooming supplies, health products, aquariums, and accessories for all pet types.
Several categories are excluded from commissions entirely. Gift cards, in-store grooming appointments, dog training classes, and veterinary services do not earn affiliate commissions – only physical product purchases completed on petsmart.com qualify. This is a meaningful exclusion given that services represent a growing share of PetSmart’s revenue.
| Category | Commission Rate |
|---|---|
| Pet food & treats | 4.8% |
| Toys & accessories | 4.8% |
| Grooming supplies | 4.8% |
| Bedding & habitat | 4.8% |
| Health & wellness products | 4.8% |
| Live pets & aquatics | 4.8% |
| Gift cards | 0% (excluded) |
| In-store grooming services | 0% (excluded) |
| Training classes | 0% (excluded) |
| Veterinary services | 0% (excluded) |
Cookie Duration and Tracking
PetSmart’s affiliate program uses a 30-day cookie window. A visitor who clicks your affiliate link has a full 30 days to complete a qualifying purchase on petsmart.com before your tracking expires – one of the more generous windows in the pet retail niche.
By comparison, Petco’s cookie lasts only 7 days and Chewy’s is 15 days. For pet content creators, the 30-day window is helpful because shoppers frequently research products across multiple sessions before buying, particularly for higher-ticket items like aquarium setups, pet crates, or premium food subscriptions.
All tracking and reporting is handled through FlexOffers. The FlexOffers dashboard gives you access to click and conversion data, creative assets (banners and text links), and monthly reporting. PetSmart provides a range of banner sizes and regularly updated seasonal promotions through the network.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Strong brand recognition – PetSmart’s 1,650+ store presence means high consumer trust and brand familiarity that supports online conversions
- 30-day cookie is longer than both Chewy (15 days) and Petco (7 days)
- Broad product range covers all pet types and categories, giving content creators many angles to work with
- Year-round buying cycle – pet food, treats, and supplies are purchased on repeat, not just seasonally
- No minimum traffic requirement to apply
- Free to join; program is managed via FlexOffers which also offers access to hundreds of other programs
Cons:
- 4.8% commission is below average for the pet niche – PetFlow pays up to 10% and some specialist retailers offer 8%
- Net 60 payment terms mean you wait up to two months after earning a commission to receive payment
- Gift cards, grooming, training, and vet services are excluded – limiting earnings on PetSmart’s growing services business
- Restricted to US and Canada publishers only
- Manual approval process can take several business days, and your website must be pet-focused to qualify
How to Join the PetSmart Affiliate Program
PetSmart’s affiliate program runs entirely through FlexOffers. You need a FlexOffers publisher account before you can apply to PetSmart specifically. The process takes around 5-10 minutes and requires a live website or app with original pet-focused content.
- Sign up for a FlexOffers publisher account. Go to FlexOffers.com and complete the publisher registration. You’ll need your website URL, traffic source details, and information about how you plan to promote programs.
- Wait for FlexOffers approval. FlexOffers reviews new publisher applications, typically within 1-2 business days. Make sure your website is live and has real content before applying.
- Search for PetSmart within the FlexOffers marketplace. Once approved as a publisher, log in and search for “PetSmart” in the advertiser directory. You’ll find both the standard PetSmart program and the PetSmart Preferred program.
- Apply to the PetSmart affiliate program. Submit your application. PetSmart conducts a separate manual review of your website to confirm it meets their brand guidelines and content requirements.
- Receive approval and access your links. Approval typically takes a few business days. Once approved, you can generate affiliate links, access banners, and begin tracking performance from the FlexOffers dashboard.
Your content must be pet-related and comply with PetSmart’s brand guidelines and FTC disclosure requirements. Coupon, cashback, and loyalty sites may face additional scrutiny. PetSmart operates in the US and Canada only – publishers based outside these countries are not eligible.
Who Should Promote PetSmart?
Best fits: Pet care bloggers writing product reviews, best-of lists, and breed-specific guides are the strongest match. PetSmart’s wide catalog means you can create content around dog food comparisons, cat toy roundups, aquarium starter kits, small animal cages, and more – all pointing to a single retailer. Deal-focused sites and coupon creators also perform well given PetSmart’s frequent promotional activity.
YouTube and social media creators focused on pet care tutorials, unboxing videos, and “what I feed my dog” content can embed affiliate links in descriptions or bio pages. The PetSmart brand converts well because viewers already recognize it from their local stores, which lowers the barrier to clicking through and buying online.
Weaker fits: International publishers outside the US and Canada cannot participate. General lifestyle bloggers without a dedicated pet audience will find conversion rates disappointing compared to niche pet sites. Publishers whose audiences primarily use subscription auto-ship services (like Chewy’s Autoship) may also see lower conversion rates, since those customers rarely switch to one-off purchases at PetSmart.
How PetSmart Compares to Alternatives
| Program | Commission | Cookie | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| PetSmart | 4.8% | 30 days | FlexOffers |
| Chewy | 4% | 15 days | Impact |
| Petco | 2-10% | 7 days | Impact |
| PetFlow | 4-10% | 45 days | ShareASale |
PetSmart leads on cookie duration among the major pet retailers. Its 30-day window beats Chewy’s 15 days and Petco’s 7 days by a significant margin, which matters for content that drives research-phase traffic rather than immediate purchase intent. The 4.8% commission rate is competitive against Chewy (4%) but trails PetFlow’s upper end of 10%.
PetFlow offers the longest cookie (45 days) and highest potential commission ceiling, making it worth testing if your audience skews toward consumable pet food purchases – PetFlow specializes in pet food delivery. For broader pet supply content covering toys, habitat, and health products, PetSmart’s catalog depth and brand recognition give it an edge over more specialized retailers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What commission rate does the PetSmart affiliate program pay?
PetSmart pays 4.8% commission on qualifying product sales made through petsmart.com. This rate applies to most physical products in their catalog, but gift cards, in-store grooming appointments, training classes, and veterinary services are excluded from commissions.
How long is the PetSmart affiliate cookie window?
The PetSmart affiliate program uses a 30-day cookie. If a visitor clicks your affiliate link and then purchases within 30 days on petsmart.com, you earn the commission. This is one of the longer cookie windows in the pet retail niche, longer than both Chewy (15 days) and Petco (7 days).
Which affiliate network runs the PetSmart program?
PetSmart’s affiliate program is managed through FlexOffers. You need to create a FlexOffers publisher account first, and then apply to the PetSmart program specifically within the FlexOffers marketplace. FlexOffers handles all tracking, reporting, link generation, and payment.
How long does PetSmart affiliate program approval take?
There are two stages: FlexOffers reviews your publisher application first (usually 1-2 business days), and then PetSmart conducts a separate review of your website (typically a few more business days). Having a live, active pet-focused website with original content speeds up the process and improves your approval chances significantly.
When and how do PetSmart affiliates get paid?
Payment is handled by FlexOffers on a monthly Net 60 schedule – commissions earned in a given month are paid approximately 60 days later. FlexOffers supports PayPal, bank transfer, wire transfer, and check. The minimum payout threshold is $25, and FlexOffers may charge a small transfer fee depending on your chosen payment method.
What content types convert best for PetSmart affiliate links?
Product comparison articles, best-of pet supply roundups, and breed-specific gear guides tend to perform well because PetSmart shoppers are active researchers before buying. Content that targets purchase-ready queries – “best dog food for large breeds,” “cat litter comparison,” “aquarium starter kit” – captures high-intent traffic that converts at strong rates. Deal and coupon content also works well given PetSmart’s frequent promotions.
Can international affiliates join the PetSmart program?
No – the PetSmart affiliate program is restricted to publishers based in the US and Canada only. PetSmart operates stores and ships products only within these two countries, so international traffic and publishers are not eligible to participate in the program.
How does PetSmart compare to Chewy for affiliate marketers?
PetSmart pays slightly higher commissions (4.8% vs. Chewy’s 4%) and offers a longer cookie (30 days vs. 15 days). Chewy is often cited as having stronger conversion rates because of its popular Autoship subscription model, which creates a loyal returning customer base. Running both programs in parallel is a common strategy – PetSmart for product and in-store pickup content, Chewy for subscription food and auto-delivery content.
Final Verdict
PetSmart’s affiliate program offers a fair deal for US and Canadian pet content creators – the 30-day cookie outperforms most pet retail competitors, the brand converts well thanks to its physical store presence, and the catalog covers virtually every pet supply category. At 4.8% commission, it’s not the highest-paying program in the niche, but it’s a reliable baseline.
The main drawbacks are the Net 60 payment cycle (a long wait), the exclusion of services from commissions, and the geographic restriction to North America only. Publishers outside the US and Canada have no path to joining.
For pet bloggers and creators targeting US audiences, PetSmart is worth adding to your affiliate stack – particularly alongside Chewy and PetFlow to maximize coverage. Sign up for a FlexOffers publisher account and apply to PetSmart from the advertiser directory to get started.
