PetSmart LLC

In-store background music isn’t just for the enjoyment of customers and associates anymore.   PetSmart has selected Mood Media to take the audio experience to a whole new level with customized music designed to appeal not only to shoppers but also their four-legged friends.  

GNC Holdings on Thursday replaced its chief executive and suspended its earnings guidance. It also reported disappointing second quarter results.     The company has appointed former PetSmart chief executive Robert F. Moran as interim CEO, effective immediately. Moran, a director of GNC, replaces Michael G. Archbold, who has also resigned from the GNC board.  

The largest specialty pet supplies retailer in North America is launching a digital initiative to become more customer-focused — and data-driven.    PetSmart has selected Cognizant’s customer data foundation initiative to utilize master and analytics-driven demographic, behavioral, interactional and transactional data to create custom profiles of pets and "pet parents" who visit PetSmart at its stores, online and through its mobile app.  

The surge in health-conscious retailers is evident wherever one shops. In the space of a few years, the likes of Lululemon, Fresh Market, and Orangetheory Fitness have proliferated in shopping centers. But Whole Foods, arguably a chief driver of the trend, has transformed its own business as well as that of centers.  

PetSmart is ensuring that it has the right back-end infrastructure to support front-end omnichannel commerce.  

The nation’s largest specialty pet supplies retailer is upping its store growth this year.   PetSmart said it expects to open approximately 80 net new stores in fiscal 2016, up from 50 locations in fiscal 2015.     PetSmart is on its way to meeting its goal, having opened 12 net new stores in the United States and Canada during the quarter ended May 1, 2016. The new locations average over 12,000 sq. ft., and include service offerings such as grooming and pet training.  

For Pet Supplies Plus, it’s all about convenience and service. The third-largest specialty player in a fast-growing business that has proven resilient even in hard times, the privately held retailer has found a sweet spot amid bigger box competitors with its friendly neighborhood-store positioning.