Core Insights - The pet economy, with a market size of 300 billion and gross margins reaching 50%, appears to be a lucrative business, but the reality is more complex and challenging for large companies [1][4]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - Major players like Hema have entered the pet market with high expectations, but have faced significant losses, exemplified by Pet Fresh's closure of 18 stores after just 9 months, with an average monthly loss exceeding 200,000 RMB per store [2][6]. - Despite the high gross margins in pet food, with domestic brands achieving 40%-50% margins, the actual profitability for many companies is low, with some reporting negative net margins [5][6]. Group 2: Cost Structure - The high gross margins in the pet industry are offset by substantial marketing and operational costs, particularly in advertising through KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), which can consume a significant portion of revenue [8][10]. - Companies like Zhongchong and Peidi have shown that even leading firms struggle with profitability, with Zhongchong's gross margin at 28.16% and net margin at only 9.33% [6][9]. Group 3: Business Model Challenges - The pet economy is characterized by a reliance on personal relationships and trust between pet owners and service providers, making it difficult for large companies to replicate the success of smaller, independent operators [22][23]. - The expansion of large pet service providers often leads to operational inefficiencies and customer dissatisfaction, as seen with companies like Jichongjia, which faced closures after rapid expansion [22][24]. Group 4: Comparison with Other Industries - The challenges faced in the pet economy mirror those in other high-margin industries like beauty and medical services, where the core value often lies in individual expertise rather than scalable business models [14][20]. - The pet industry, much like the beauty and medical sectors, is fundamentally a "people-driven" business, where success is tied to individual skills and customer relationships rather than just operational efficiency [20][23].