Let's Hear It for Fido: zulily Uncovers How Much Millennials Love Their Fur Babies

SEATTLE, Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It's hard to resist wagging tails, panting tongues and those puppy dog eyes. In advance of National Love Your Pet Day on February 20, zulily, the online retailer obsessed with bringing special finds to its customers every day, surveyed millennial pet owners¹ to find out just how much they loved their furry little friends. The research found millennial pet parents are more passionate than ever about their pets and are redefining what it means to be a pet owner. Not only do they see their pets as extensions of themselves, but they care for them as members of their family, showering them with gifts and often finding it hard to be apart for even short periods of time.

"Pets truly make every day special for their owners, so it's no surprise to us that millennial pet parents are showing love back with their dedication, attention and purchases," said Kerry Gibson-Morris, Vice President of Merchandising at zulily. "For millennials, their dog or cat isn't just a pet – it's a starter child, and our research shows that in 2018 they want their pet to play an even bigger part of their life – whether its providing approval of their significant other, taking their pet to work or surprising their pet with gifts on a monthly basis. From Fido-inspired wall art to pet pouch hoodies, we're seeing the vast extent of their love reflected through our customer's purchases as this generation of owners is actively looking to surprise their pets by going way beyond the typical leashes and collars."

Treating Pets like Family…or Better

• 42 percent of coupled-up millennial pet owners admit that if given the choice, they would rather snuggle with their pet(s) than their romantic partner.
• Almost half (45 percent) admit that if they started dating someone new, their pet's approval would matter more than their family's (opposable) thumbs up.
• Over a third (39 percent) of millennial parents admit that after being apart from each other for a while, their children are more excited to see their pet(s) than their mom or dad.

Pet Separation Anxiety is Real 

• Most (65 percent) millennial pet owners would be more stressed out being separated from their pet for a week than their cell phones (35 percent).
• 84 percent say that they frequently worry about their pet(s) when they're apart for short stints, such as when running errands.
• 71 percent of millennial pet owners would take a pay cut if it meant they could bring their pet(s) to work with them every day – and, more than 1 in 5 (21 percent) would sacrifice a whopping 20 percent or more of their pay to make every day "bring your pet to work day."
• 44 percent even confess to having "fibbed" about their pet(s) specifically to stay home from work.

Proud Owners Love to Pamper Pets (and Themselves)

• Lucky dog! More than half (51 percent) of millennial pet owners buy gifts for their pet(s) once a month or more, and do so four times per month, on average.
• 83 percent are showing their pride by purchasing cat or dog related merchandise, from clothing and wall art to mugs and welcome mats to show they are a proud pet parent.

In honor of National Love Your Pet Day, zulily will feature a week-long sales event from February 19 through February 25 for pet lovers to find something special for their four-legged or even winged companion. This curated assortment of fun and unique merchandise for pets and their owners includes wearable pet apparel for owners like pet pouch hoodies and slings as well as pet selfie accessories and of course chic clothing for pets of all kind.

To continue the celebration zulily is also announcing its first-ever contest to find zulily's next pet model to star in an upcoming campaign. To enter, upload a picture of your adorable pet using the hashtag #zulilypetweekcontest to Facebook or Instagram beginning on February 19 through February 25. The five pet finalists will be announced on March 3 and fans will be encouraged to vote for their favorite. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to zulily's headquarters in Seattle for a personalized pet photo shoot.

To learn more about the #zulilypetweekcontest contest, visit zulily.com and zulily's social pages: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About zulily, llc
zulily (http://www.zulily.com) is a retailer obsessed with bringing customers special finds at incredible prices every day. zulily features an ever-changing, always delightful collection of clothing, home décor, toys, gifts and more –– for the whole family. Unique products from up-and-coming brands are featured alongside favorites from top brands, giving customers something new to discover each morning. zulily was launched in 2010 and is headquartered in Seattle with offices in Ohio, Nevada and Pennsylvania. zulily has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation (NASDAQ: QVCA) since October 2015.

¹Methodology
The zulily Pets Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 500 nationally representative U.S. Millennial pet owners, between January 22 and January 25, 2018, using an email invitation and an online survey. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

CONTACT: zulily, llc
Andrea Conrad, (206)-724-0500 x4805 or [email protected]

SOURCE zulily, llc

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