Chewy: As one of the fastest-growing e-commerce retailers of all time, Chewy is revolutionizing the pet industry by giving pet parents the service of a local pet store with the convenience of online shopping.
Chewy: As one of the fastest-growing e-commerce retailers of all time, Chewy is revolutionizing the pet industry by giving pet parents the service of a local pet store with the convenience of online shopping.
Location
Chewy’s growth has been nothing short of meteoric. Since its inception in 2011, the company has expanded into new markets, experienced an acquisition and gone public. And when a company sees growth along these lines, its brand awareness needs to scale along with it.
Chewy was well known among pet lovers — but, even as it became a household name, it was lesser known in the tech world as a company with exciting tech-first job opportunities. When expanding into Boston, Chewy focused on reaching and appealing to qualified technologists within the community.
“We wanted to be known, and we wanted to be known in the right places,” says Phil Reese, Chewy’s director of talent acquisition for technology. Reese strongly believes that branding is a must — and not just for the consumers of its products and services. “We wanted to develop a brand independent of the idea that only being a pet owner means you know Chewy.”
To achieve that objective, Chewy looked to Built In. “Having a partner that helps create and evangelize the brand is super important,” Reese says. “I don’t think a business can thrive long term without having a really good brand strategy.”
Without a doubt, Built In definitely puts us in the community and allows us to be seen externally as a tech company.”
In 2018, Chewy joined Built In to generate exactly that kind of employer brand awareness. The team hit the ground running, launching its company profile, publishing custom articles and participating in local events. The company relied on Built In’s counsel to guide the strategy.
“Without a doubt, Built In definitely puts us in the community and allows us to be seen externally as a tech company,” says Reese, who describes Built In as more than a job board — and as a multi-dimensional platform with robust content, company profiles and community engagement.
“Instead of, ‘Go here and apply for a job,’ Built In says, ‘Come here to learn about the company. And as you learn, take a look at the jobs,” he says, adding: “It’s not just about knowing who Chewy is, but knowing Chewy is in the same realm as other tech and e-comm companies in Boston.”
For Reese, the local focus sets Built In apart. “Other tools let you create content,” he says. “With Built In, the audience is targeted, and there’s a real understanding of the community and competitive landscape. I think that knowledge is very important.”
Reese credits Built In’s consultative approach to the partnership’s success. “Built In is customer-centric, but they’re thoughtful about what they commit to,” he says. “They want to understand our needs and provide a solution that adds value.”
From 2018 to 2020, the e-commerce giant has seen a significant increase in applicants year over year. Within its first year of partnership, Chewy received 165 applicants and one hire from Built In. In 2019, those numbers jumped to 1,336 applicants and seven hires. In Q4 of 2020, Chewy has welcomed 1,576 applicants and two hires from Built In to date.
“The consistency I’ve seen throughout the partnership gives me the confidence that Built In is the right partner for us.”
Qualified Applicants
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