Last Updated on 08/26/2020 by GS Staff
I have a big dog who eats a lot of food! While his health and wellbeing are top priority, my budget is also important. I shopped around for the best price on his particular food and was surprised by what I found.
My dog, a growing, 70 pound, one-year-old Old English Sheepdog, seems to thrive on Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food. Because he eats 3 cups a day, I buy a 34-pound bag about once a month.
This article will help you find the best price for Purina Pro Plan at the major retailers. You may be surprised at what store has the best price.
Chewy and Amazon
To make life easy, I had been ordering his food online at Chewy.com. They have great prices, but they require you to spend at least $49 to qualify for free shipping – even with their auto-ship program. To avoid shipping, I was adding on treats and toys every month, which was not really necessary, and was putting a strain on my budget.
Amazon was the next option I went with – they have a good price for first-time subscribers, but the savings are reduced on subsequent deliveries. Their prices fluctuate all the time, too, which makes it hard to determine if you’re really getting a good deal.
Chewy.com price is $46.46 or $44.14 with Autoship. They charge $4.95 for shipping, making their best price $49.09 or $1.44/pound.
Amazon’s price is currently the same as Chewy’s at $46.46 or $44.14 through their Subscribe & Save program. They do not charge for shipping monthly and you do not need a prime membership to use this service. Their current, best price is $1.30/pound. Remember that this price will likely fluctuate from one month to the next, though.
The Pet Stores
I decided to stop ordering online and start going to an actual store. In my area, there are several pet stores. I looked into prices at each one:
- PetSmart – Their price is $46.49 for a 34-pound bag. If you sign up for their free Treats reward program, you will earn 371 loyalty points (8 points for every dollar spent) with your purchase. Every 1,000 points being redeemed gets you a $2.50 discount. So, while their price is slightly higher than the online stores at $1.37/pound, you will save money in the long run if you are loyal to this retailer.
- Petco – Their price is $46.46 for a 34-pound bag. They offer a subscription delivery service with a 35% discount on your first order and 5% off after that. Shipping is free. With a 5% discount, the price would be $44.14 or $1.30/pound, which is in line with Amazon’s pricing, but even cheaper considering you will get your first bag for $30.20 or $0.89/pound! However, if you decide you want to support your local store like I do, you will be paying a premium at $1.37/pound. Like PetSmart though, Petco has a rewards program. If you sign up for their free Pals Rewards program, you will earn 47 loyalty points (1 point for every dollar spent) with your purchase. Every 100 points being redeemed gets you a $5 discount. So, again, being loyal to this retailer will save you money over time.
- Pet Supplies Plus – Their price is $45.58 for members of their free Pet Supplies Plus Preferred Pet Club, which equates to $1.34/pound, which is the cheapest in-store price I found. I have to admit, I rarely ever shop here because I always thought they were more expensive than other retailers, but clearly I was wrong! This company has a second reward program called Neighbor Rewards, which gives you freebies for buying certain brands, Purina being one of them. Their website doesn’t clearly state how much you need to purchase to get a freebie, or what the freebie actually is though.
General Merchandise Stores (Walmart)
Next, I looked at General Merchandise stores to see what kind of prices they are offering. I found that Walmart is the only general retailer near me that sells this brand of dog food. Their price is $46.46 for a 34-pound bag, which is in line with Chewy, Amazon, and Petco, and equates to $1.37/pound. Walmart carries this product in-store and also offers free, 2-day shipping.
Final Thoughts
So here’s the bottom line, with no discounts, subscriptions, or rewards program considered:
- Pet Supplies Plus: $45.58
- (TIE) Petco: $46.46, Walmart: $46.46, Amazon: $46.46
- PetSmart: $46.49
- Chewy: $49.09
When no cost subscriptions are considered, Amazon wins out with a price of $44.14.
Before I looked at pricing, I thought that I would find dramatically different pricing among these retailers, but it turns out that these companies are all pretty competitive. I planned to go to Pet Supplies Plus due to their low pricing, but they are out of stock in my area. I am not sure if this will be a common problem with them or not, so for now, I am going to shop at PetSmart, which is the closest store to my house and has a good rewards program.
**Note: Prices can change at any time. Visit each store for their latest prices.**
