Amazon considers offering veterinary telehealth as it looks to compete with Walmart
Publishing timestamp: 2023-10-24 09:04:35
Summary
Amazon is considering offering veterinary telehealth services to compete with Walmart, which already offers free access to pet telehealth for Walmart+ subscribers. The U.S. pet market is expected to grow to $200 billion by the end of the decade, with pet health driving that growth. Amazon has not heavily invested in pet health yet, but it is a dominant player in pet food and supplies. The company could partner with existing pet telehealth startups or build its own practice. The move comes as the pet market becomes more competitive, with retailers like Chewy, Walmart, and Petco expanding into pet health. However, there are concerns about the risks of telehealth for pets, and there are regulatory challenges to expanding pet telehealth. Amazon has spent money on lobbying efforts related to telemedicine and digital health oversight.
Sentiment: NEUTRAL
Tickers: WMT, AMZN, CHWY, WOOF,
Keywords: health care industry, amazon.com inc, veterinary medicine, petco health and wellness company inc, retail industry, breaking news: business, chewy inc, business news, business, walmart inc,