There’s no shortage of online shops and pet products in the world. While many offer collaborations and free SWAG for pet influencers, we have found that industry is ripe with high markups on low quality products. However, standout options exist, offering superior customer service and setting a higher standard in the industry. Is Pack Leashes a scam or a quality supplier? We took some time to investigate.
What is PackLeashes.com?
PackLeashes.com is an online store that sells a variety of products, including leashes, collars, harnesses, scrunchies, and other accessories. The store claims to offer durable products and unique designs, but many customers are skeptical about the legitimacy of the site based on the reviews, and their approach to marketing with chat bots.
A look at their active Instagram shows many dogs sporting their collars and accessories.
Pack Leashes Influencer Program
When we first talked to PackLeashes.com Instagram, their automated agent gave us a 20% discount offer, but we would be required to purchase a few of their products with shipping for a one-time influencer offer of 35% off. The entire communication was identical to our Scarf and Tail communication with their automated chatbot. There’s very little back and forth, but rather the chat bot responding to very specific questions that pushed you into the offer. Another user on Reddit had similar experiences.
Their affiliate program offers a straightforward commission structure: a 20% commission on each sale, excluding shipping and tax, with payments made via PayPal. However, information about this program is not readily available through their chat bot or main website pages. Users are quired to access the Affiliate section to sign up.
The promotional offer from the chatbot requires the influencer to purchase their own products. This leads to a strategy aimed at maximizing sales while also receiving promotion through popular social media channels.
The outreach comes from fake accounts and bots which do not drive brand confidence:
Hey so I received a DM on Instagram from a scout with 0 followers trying to get me to DM @packleashesadventures, so I did and they had me send pictures of my dog. They gave me a code for 35% off their gear and want me to make a purchase and send proof to get features on their IG, commission, 35% off all orders, and meals donated to shelters. Does anyone know if this is a scam??
Reddit UserMore reviews can be found at Scam Advisor which ranks their website as “Suspicious.”
Although they may mean well, it comes off as incredibly scammy when they reach out asking you to be an ambassador and they will share your dog’s photo on their feed. I was trying to increase followers on our new puppy page so I fell for it and bought the expensive collar/leash (which was part of the requirement) (that we didn’t need) and shared a photo of my pup wearing the collar and tagged them. Weeks went by, they never shared it, and the. I get another DM from them stating that they would prioritize my pup’s photo if we purchased another product. I should have known better but it makes me sick that they are doing this as a way to sell more product and thousands of people are being scammed like I was.
Scam Adviser ReviewerWhile many are suspicious of the brand based on their approach to marketing and anonymous nature, there are a few TikTokers that have received their product, and are promoting the company using their promo codes:
Meals Donated to Charity
Advertised across the website is their charitable contribution of donating meals to hungry dogs. Here at Celebrity Pets, we LOVE when companies and individuals take an extra initiative to support local shelters, charitable causes, and animal advocacy. Since PeakLeashes.com advertises their contribution as part of their company, of course, we had to look into it.
200,000 MEALS DONATED THANKS TO YOU
The website claims they’ve donated over 200,000 meals to dogs in need, thanking their customers for their support. They highlight partnerships with two charities: the Ark Valley Humane Society in Colorado and the Suncoast Humane Society in Florida, and feature a video showcasing their 2021 donations. While this sounds great and is a big plus for charity efforts, we couldn’t find proof of the ongoing donation of 200,000 meals. Usually, companies keep sharing updates about their charity work with photos or posts on social media. It’s unclear if their donation was a one-off event or if they’re still actively supporting these charities beyond what’s shown on their Community page.
Quality and Price Point of Products
No doubt about it, they are high. With leashes starting at $46.95 USD and as high as $119.95 USD, the average cost of their products is about double to triple the industry average for standard pet products. While the designs are unique, we found the actual quality of the products fairly average. Despite claims about sturdier products, we found the products wouldn’t hold for active adventure dogs since they could tear and rip fairly easily at the seems. While the products do look unique, we would say that’s their major selling point.
Who Runs Pack Leashes?
The company behind Pack leashes lists a Colorado address and notes itself to be a local company. The return address for products is listed at 8165 West 48th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. A quick Google Search will show the location to be their shipping location only without a physical store front. That’s fairly typical in today’s world.
Diving deeper into the business, we were able to determine the company is a Foreign Limited Liability Company based in Colorado:
Pack Leashes LLC (Entity #20201712577) is a Foreign Limited Liability Company in Wheat Ridge, Colorado registered with the Colorado Department of State (CDOS). The entity was formed on August 20, 2020 in the jurisdiction of Florida. The registered agent of the entity is Greg Burstein.
The term “Foreign” here is misleading. The term is used when a LLC is doing business across states and does not mean the business is owned by an offshore entity. We were able to find the founders of Pack Leashes who are two Denver Colorado residents, Greg Burstein and Will Jones.
Pack Leashes, unlike Scarf and Tail which pretends to be a North American company but isn’t, seems to be genuinely based in Colorado and run by two locals. Their marketing strategy, though, leaves a lot to be desired. It seems more focused on pushing sales to anyone and everyone rather than working collaboratively with popular channels. If you decide to work with them, be prepared for discounted products and maybe a bit of a shoutout on their channels.
Their influencer program is more aligned with a typical affiliate program which gives the publisher a 20% commission on sales. Typically influencers are paid per post or paid per campaign upon completion of the project. Their outreach comes from a “sketchy” source, which does not drive brand confidence.
Charitable contributions are most likely embellished. If PackLeashes.com does donate and support local charities, we encourage them to put more information about their contributions. The way the information around donations is currently setup, it’s obviously more of a marketing tool.
So, is PackLeashes.com a scam? Does not appear so. While there are many negatives to highlight, particularly around their marketing and communication, their business does appear to be owned by two Colorado entrepreneurs that ship the goods you purchased.
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