How It Works: Chewy Autoship

Got a pet? Of course you do. (And if you don’t, or you’re preparing to get one, check out the New Pet Owners Guide to learn about keeping them healthy, safe, and affordable.)

Know about Chewy? No?! You’re in for a treat. You’ve probably heard about Chewy, at least–pet or no–and that rumor was likely about their legendary customer service. Yeah, that stuff’s all true.

But what’s even more impressive is the foundation that customer service rests on. Chewy isn’t just committed to being kind to its customers. It’s also committed to giving them bona Fido–I mean bona FIDE–good deals.

Part of that offering is the Chewy Autoship program. This scheduling service allows you to conveniently access, order, and adjust all your favorite pet necessities and accessories for less.

Leash up, because we’re about to dive into all the particulars of Chewy, the Chewy Autoship program, and why you should be signing up for the service (as well as how to cancel autoship on Chewy if need be).

What Is Chewy?

Chewy is an online retailer for everything related to pets. Whether your chosen companion is a horse, gecko, or dog, Chewy’s got the goods. There’s even a category of products dedicated exclusively to bees, for crying out loud.

Chewy does have its own brands, like Frisco, but it’s primarily a marketplace for other companies and their wares. This means that you can shop your favorite brands for essentials you’re already familiar with and need.

Popular names like Blue Buffalo, Mazuri, and Hill’s Science Diet are all at your fingertips. If you do end up trying something new, however, Chewy’s robust program for returns ensures your satisfaction every time. Seriously.

And if your pet has medical needs, Chewy’s pharmacy has you covered there too. The offerings are limited to dogs, cats, and horses, but within those categories there’s a wide array of products. From simple flea-and-tick treatments to insulin and antibiotics, the Chewy pharmacy cuts out the hassle in keeping your pets healthy.

What Is Chewy Autoship?

Chewy Autoship is a program that allows consumers to schedule regular deliveries of pet supplies. You can think of it like a subscription–except that there are no strings attached.

Pets don’t ever stop needing to eat, drink, be groomed, or be spoiled. A program like Chewy Autoship minimizes the effort and annoyance of keeping up with their daily or weekly product needs while also providing flexibility for adjusting around any changes in their demands.

The program is a significant highlight for the Chewy platform, since as of now, there are no secondary membership options with Chewy that allow for discounts or deals.

Promos are run on occasion, like specific sales on seasonal products, but the Autoship program is the best ongoing discount for ordering from an online pet retailer.

(Image source)

How Does Chewy Autoship Work?

Chewy Autoship is simple to initiate and even simpler to adjust as needed. Let’s break down how the whole thing works.

Signing Up for Chewy Autoship

As with everything online, you’ll need to set up an account with Chewy first. On the login page, you’ll select the “Create Account” button underneath “I’m a New Customer.”

It doesn’t cost anything but your time and a little info to set up an account, and you have to make one if you order anything from Chewy anyway. You’ll need to enter your name, email address, and a password to get going.

Pretty painless! And once you’re in, it’s smooth sailing from there. Products available for Autoship will have a “Start Autoship” button underneath “Add to Cart.” You won’t have to set up your delivery info until you’re ready to check out.

Delivery frequency ranges from weekly to every eight months. Yep! That’s a huge range of options, and it’s designed to suit all kinds of needs, from pharmaceutical to enrichment.

If this is your first time signing up, you’ll also be shown how much you’ll save on your first order. The discount is 35% off with a maximum of $20 savings, so if you can, order big so you can also save big.

Adjusting an Order with Chewy Autoship

You can make changes to your Chewy Autoship orders with the Manage Autoship page. Changes can happen up to 48 hours before your next scheduled order, which is pretty darn generous. Prior to that window, you can do just about whatever you want to your scheduled delivery.

If you want to delay your order, you just need to select “Skip Shipment.” This is an especially useful tool for those who aren’t sure how often they need to reorder something like a bag of food or treats.

Conversely, you can also leap ahead of your scheduled delivery date by selecting “Order Now.” Maybe Fido ate more than you anticipated in a month, and you need food stat–no problem! Chewy won’t penalize you for buying more.

And you can always adjust the frequency. You’re not locked into what you chose at checkout, so there’s no pressure to know immediately and perfectly how much you’re going to need and when. Just look for “Change” in the Frequency section of the Manage Autoship page.

Canceling Chewy Autoship

But maybe you want to cancel Chewy Autoship entirely on a product. Head to the Manage Autoship page, and look for the “Cancel This Autoship” button.

That’s it! Make sure you decide to cancel up to 48 hours before your next scheduled order. Chewy sends reminders three days before scheduled orders begin processing and shipment, so they have your back there.

There are no fees or penalties associated with canceling a Chewy Autoship order, and it doesn’t impact any of your future orders through Chewy. Don’t need it? Don’t buy it!

Why Use Chewy Autoship?

The flexibility of scheduling with Chewy Autoship described above is reason enough to give it your time and attention, but Chewy goes a step further with benefits like discounts, access to vets, and more.

Chewy Autoship Discount

Your first Autoship order gets 35% off (up to $20 of savings). The big blast of savings is a great way to get your attention, but what will get you hooked is the continual savings after that.

With Chewy Autoship, you get 5% off select brands for every Autoship order. It’s a seemingly small slice, but when you’re talking about something you order weekly–or even monthly–the savings add up.

This is especially true of products that cost a pretty penny. Any discount is a good discount on what you have to continually buy, and Chewy’s 5% perk is well worth taking advantage of.

Chewy Autoship Connect with a Vet

On top of recurring savings, Chewy Autoship customers gain access to their Connect with a Vet program for free. Connect with a Vet is precisely what it sounds like–a service that allows pet parents to speak directly with licensed veterinarians.

Talk to a vet either online or through your phone, and either through instant chat or a video call. If you don’t have Chewy Autoship set up, the instant chat will cost you around $15, and the live video will cost you around $20.

It should be noted that these veterinarians can’t prescribe medication or treat conditions. They can, however, help diagnose the urgency of a situation and advise you on how to react.

Video appointments can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance, but same-day appointments are also usually available. They’re roughly 20 minutes long, and you’ll be able to see and speak directly with your assigned veterinarian.

Chewy Autoship Customer Service

Chewy has made waves in the world of online pet retailers not only with its Autoship program but its masterful customer service. The tip of the iceberg is their 24/7 availability, which is not an exaggeration–they really are available 24/7.

You can email them or choose to chat live with a representative, who will then address your concerns. These representatives are also available 365 days a year, and they’re real folks–no frustrating bots here.

But their excellent availability doesn’t completely cover why Chewy has impressed and touched so many pet owners over the years. Rather, it’s their tender concern and generosity with their consumers, especially when pets pass away.

For instance, one customer contacted Chewy to return an unopened bag of dog food after the dog died. Chewy’s response? To send a full refund, then have flowers delivered with a signed gift note. As for the bag of food, they only asked that the client donate it to a shelter.

This is just one of countless anecdotes from happy Chewy clients that were blown away by the unexpected care that Chewy representatives showed toward them.

(Image source)

Chewy Autoship Returns

Returning something with Chewy is also a piece of cake, thanks to their excellent customer service extending even beyond their communication and care.

Their return policy is the following: “If you’re not 100% unconditionally satisfied with your pet supplies, you can return them within 365 days of purchase.”

This doesn’t apply to prescription medications, but it does apply to…everything else. All you need to do is send them a message via their Message Us page.

For those with fishy, scaly, or fluffy family members, knowing you can return something is an enormous relief. You never know when Fido or Bessy will refuse a treat or a meal, and sometimes experimentation with different foods is needed for allergies.

Pet Freebies

For the best kind of deals on pet goods–the deals where you get stuff for free–check out the Top Pet Freebies for Your Companion article. Chewy makes the list, of course, with a “buy two, get one free” offer on accessories and toys.