Core Viewpoint - The pet economy, with a market size of 300 billion and a gross margin of up to 50%, appears lucrative but is proving challenging for large companies to profit from [6]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The pet food sector is the most popular category, with domestic brands achieving gross margins of 40%-50%, and some products, like high-end cat food, reaching a gross margin of 44.7% [8]. - Despite the high gross margins, many companies in the pet industry, such as Zhongchong Co. and Petty Co., report low net profit margins, with Zhongchong's gross margin at 28.16% and net margin at only 9.33% for 2024 [9]. - The high gross margins in the pet economy are often offset by significant marketing and operational costs, leading to a situation where companies struggle to convert revenue into profit [11][12]. Group 2: Challenges Faced by Large Companies - Large companies entering the pet market, like Hema, have faced significant losses, with Hema's Pet Fresh store losing over 20,000 yuan per month and closing after just nine months [6][9]. - The reliance on KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) for marketing has led to increased sales expenses, which can consume a large portion of revenue, making it difficult for companies to achieve profitability [12][16]. - The pet economy is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation, with many successful businesses being small, owner-operated shops rather than large chains [20][24]. Group 3: Emotional Value vs. Cost - The perceived high margins in the pet economy are often attributed to the emotional value pet owners place on their pets, but this emotional value comes with significant costs, particularly in marketing and service delivery [11][14]. - Services like pet grooming and veterinary care can be profitable, but they require skilled personnel, making it difficult for large companies to scale effectively [20][23]. Group 4: Comparison with Other Industries - The challenges faced by the pet economy are similar to those in other high-margin industries like beauty and medical aesthetics, where the profitability often lies with individual practitioners rather than large companies [18][19]. - The pet industry, like the beauty industry, is heavily reliant on personal relationships and trust, which complicates efforts to scale operations [22][24].