DTC880: Zesty Paws Brand Breakdown

Good morning,

This brand breakdown is for the pet lovers. 🐶🐱

Founded in 2014 by entrepreneur A.J. Patel, Zesty Paws launched in Orlando, Florida, with a mission to deliver pet supplements that offer real health benefits in tail-wagging flavors. 

What started with Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil and Mobility Bites™ quickly expanded into a powerhouse brand. 

Their Amazon presence reflects that maturity. 

They clearly know the channel, but even high-performing brands have room to optimize, especially as competition heats up and more shoppers demand seamless, education-driven journeys.

Let’s break down what’s working and what could be leveled up.

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:

🐾 Zesty Paws Amazon Strategy
Inside the pet brand’s online presence.

🚨 Daily Tariff Update
U.S. Brazil trade tensions heighten. 

You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Metta Mats, Cactapaws, and Fire Safety Stick. 👋

🐾 Zesty Paws Optimization Tips 

We asked the Pilothouse team to dive into Zesty Paws Amazon strategy. 

This is what they found: 

1️⃣ Hero Images

Zesty Paws nails the basics. 

Their signature orange packaging dominates the thumbnail, with crisp resolution and prominent callouts like chew count per jar and supplement function.

💡 Pilothouse Tip:

✅ Maximize Click-Through with Visual Storytelling: While Zesty Paws images are visually distinct, there’s still room to push the envelope. 

Zesty Paws can go beyond the basics by testing:

• Hero images with chews visually presented (e.g. floating or stacked in front)
• Key ingredients subtly included to build trust and transparency
• Enlarged or stylized callouts of USPs like “Vet-Formulated” or “12M+ Sold”
• Playful product angles that reflect Zesty’s fun brand tone
  

Even minor image tests can yield measurable CTR gains, and on Amazon, those gains compound fast.

2️⃣ Supporting Images

Zesty Paws uses a “Try the Whole Product Line” image on many listings—a smart tactic. 

But too often, the cross-promotion is limited to variations of the same product.

In the Allergy & Immune line, there are even duplicate carousel images, which wastes valuable real estate.

On the plus side, “Consistency is Key” messaging is a strong move. 

It sets expectations, builds trust, and can reduce poor reviews from customers expecting instant results.

💡 Pilothouse Tip:

✅ Cross-sell: Instead of only showing variants (e.g. different flavors), test showcasing complementary SKUs (like a multivitamin or calming supplement) on the allergy product page to expand cross-selling and make it educational.

Some further tweaks:

• Add a visual guide that helps customers choose the right formula based on dog size, age, or issue.
  
• Make the “What’s Inside” image pop with Zesty’s color palette, larger benefit-driven copy, and fun iconography that matches brand tone.

Every image should either educate, differentiate, or convert.

3️⃣ A+ Content 

Zesty Paws’ A+ content is bold and premium.  

There’s a lot to like here. There’s a captivating video, a detailed FAQ, and glowing customer reviews. 

The brand also promotes its subscribe and save offer at the bottom to boost LTV.

However, their comparison table, while useful, again focuses on intra-line comparisons within Allergy products.

💡 Pilothouse Tip: 

✅ Prime for the Bundle Purchase: Zesty Paws may have determined that focusing on this specific line was the right play, but would still love to see complementary products promoted somewhere in A+.

Tactics to increase AOV:

• Integrate a “Build Your Pet’s Stack” section featuring complementary SKUs (e.g. Allergy + Hip & Joint + Skin & Coat) to increase basket size. 
• Explain the full-body benefits of using multiple supplements as a regimen—not just as a remedy.
• Consider lifestyle charts like “Daily Routine for Optimal Health” to encourage repeat purchase behavior.

4️⃣ Amazon Store

The storefront is clean and includes a quiz on the homepage. A smart move to guide customers to the right products. 

But supporting pages feel underbuilt, especially for TOFU (top-of-funnel) traffic.

💡 Pilothouse Tip

✅ Build a sales funnel: Right now, Zesty Paws' Amazon store is set up for product selection, not education. That’s a missed opportunity.

Add pages that answer real customer questions:

• “Which supplement is right for my dog?”
• “When should I start supplementing?”
• “Can I give my dog multiple supplements at once?”
  

Also, test content that explains how different products work together to form a complete health plan. 

Right now, a shopper looking for one solution might never know about the broader lineup.

Educational content isn’t just helpful, it’s a powerful conversion lever.

Conclusion

Zesty Paws is clearly a category leader in the pet space, but with scale comes the need to optimize for colder traffic and higher-funnel shoppers. 

These customers need more explanation, more storytelling, and more hand-holding to convert.

By leaning further into cross-sell visuals, educational imagery, and strategic content across A+ and the Amazon Store, Zesty Paws can continue to win in a competitive space while lifting AOV, improving CTR, and driving long-term loyalty.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

Whether it’s a minor tweak or a major shift, we’ll keep you posted on the latest tariff changes—so you’re always in the know. 

August 14, 2025 update:

• U.S. Producer Prices Surge Linked to Tariffs
  
  • U.S. wholesale prices (PPI) rose 0.9% in July largely driven by the recent inflow of tariffs.
    
  • Although businesses are currently absorbing the costs, the impact may soon reach consumers.

• Brazil Unveils $5.5B Aid Package for Exporters
  
  • In response to U.S. tariffs, Brazil unveiled a $5.5 billion relief package for exporters affected by U.S. tariff measures.
    
  • President Trump hiked Brazil's tariff to 50% earlier this month. The move had a significant impact on industries such as coffee, textiles, footwear, and fruit. 

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• 💗 Mira’s Femtech Playbook: Why Community Should Precede Paid 
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• 🔢 TWBERP 45: 7 Post-Click Metrics to Benchmark your Funnel
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.

Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content.