CitizenShipper expands pet protection program and solidifies place as safest pet transportation provider.
$1K
default coverage per transport
3 tiers
$1K, $2.5K, and $5K options
2.5+ yrs
and counting with the program
The story
Protection as a differentiator.
CitizenShipper has been a leader in pet transportation since 2008. CEO Richard Obousy has always viewed protection as a differentiating factor — and after two and a half years running their Pet Protection Program with Tint, that conviction has proven out in every measurable way.
The program offers $1,000 of coverage for any pet owner transporting through CitizenShipper's verified transporters. In January 2024, the team expanded with two add-on tiers — $2,500 and $5,000 per transport — giving customers the flexibility to choose the coverage that matches their peace of mind. "We expanded our program with Tint, launching two new upgrade options in January. This addition to our program has proven to us just how important peace of mind is in the eyes of our customers."
"The suite of protection solutions we offer have come together over time to make CitizenShipper what it is today, the leading pet transportation marketplace in the country."
Richard Obousy
CEO & Founder, CitizenShipper
The discovery
Don't change the price. Change the presentation.
When the expanded add-on program first launched, sales were slow. Most teams would have immediately adjusted pricing or coverage. The CitizenShipper team took a different approach: they started with the customer experience.
Through meticulous UI/UX testing — changing placement, language, and what was pre-selected — they significantly improved program performance without touching the price or the coverage itself.
This one insight rippled across the entire platform, transforming how the company thinks about every customer touchpoint. "The presentation impacts the way customers make their decisions and this one example rippled into other areas of the platform and how we evaluate the user experience."
"We changed the placement, some of the language, and what was pre-selected. This diligence took us from one sale in two weeks to now a growing and healthy program."
Richard Obousy
CEO & Founder, CitizenShipper
The moat
Drivers seek you out.
The impact of the Pet Protection Program extends beyond pet owners. CitizenShipper stands apart from the competition in more ways than one — they've always had a strong commitment to the health and well-being of the pets they transport. Their protection programs allow their entire team to feel they are concretely living up to their values.
Drivers who work across multiple platforms now actively choose to route jobs through CitizenShipper specifically because the protection program is in place. One driver even wrote to the team asking to put a job through CitizenShipper to ensure the coverage was included. That kind of loyalty doesn't come from price alone. It comes from building something that people genuinely trust.
"It was a huge compliment for us and is indicative of how popular this program is with the drivers as well. They seek us out. They want to use CitizenShipper, in part, because of this protection we've built with Tint."
Richard Obousy
CEO & Founder, CitizenShipper
Bottom line growth
The numbers tell the story.
While the Pet Protection Program is a big hit with both sides of CitizenShipper's two-sided marketplace, it is also driving significant bottom-line growth. "It's important for us to track key performance indicators for all of the upgrades we do. We're a very data-driven company. We make decisions based on what the data is telling us."
Pet Protection Program revenue
Revenue is generated per transaction for the add-on protection options. The team tracks the number of times a customer is presented with an additional protection offer — each checkout experience represents an opportunity for conversion and revenue. By vigilantly tracking both, the team can measure the growth of the program over time.
Loss ratio helps define ultimate success
For each program, measuring the loss ratio helps determine overall success. A healthy loss ratio — like CitizenShipper's — indicates that the program is generating revenue while also providing a compelling benefit to those it was built to protect. If a loss ratio is too high, the program loses money. Too low, and the protection isn't delivering real value.
Looking ahead
Embedded protection as a long-term growth strategy.
Obousy and his team started their journey with embedded protection over two years ago, and they are continually looking for ways to leverage protection as a growth tool. By expanding their program in early 2024, they demonstrated the power that protection and peace of mind play in their business. When asked if he would recommend Tint to someone else looking to start a program, he replied immediately.
"I wouldn't hesitate for a second."
Richard Obousy
CEO & Founder, CitizenShipper
Ready to make protection your competitive advantage?