Packaged Facts estimates that the Internet is the fastest growing sales venue for pet products in the United States, with sales expected to surpass $1 billion by 2012. More marketers and retailers are using the medium, and pet owners are more likely to shop via the Internet and rely on it for information. This is especially good news for "info-centric" health products, which are already heavily represented on the Internet, reflecting the grass-roots origins of many such products as well as the ability of the Internet to communicate product benefits with detailed information. The Internet is also important because it hosts a virtual community of pet devotees who exchange pet product ideas and product tips through Web sites, chat groups, blogs, and e-mail.