Supplements That Sell Themselves
Supplement subscriptions represent the nexus of two burgeoning trends in 2022: increased demand for dietary supplements, and the convenience of e-commerce subscriptions with auto-replenishment. Subscriptions save people from having to research new products and shop for them in stores, creating a more seamless customer experience, among many other benefits.
Subscriptions Are Good For Business
Many companies have embraced a subscription-based business model. In any industry, subscriptions add a layer of convenience so customers don’t have to remember to place another order before their last one runs out. From pet products to makeup, to food and beverages, consumers are opting to have both consumable and soft goods delivered to their doorsteps on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.
Subscription models make it much easier to predict how much revenue your business will receive each month. Since your customers are paying repeatedly, you know when they are going to make a payment and for how much. You can plan your inventory accordingly, without the risk of overproducing, running out, or having to back-order a popular product. Predictability is key to keeping inventory costs at bay, especially in light of global supply chain disruptions. Another benefit of a subscription model is the reduced customer acquisition costs and increased customer lifetime value.
Subscriptions Are Good For Consumers
Over half of all U.S. consumers report taking a vitamin or supplement, and that percentage goes up to 80% for adults over age 55. From Vitamin D (as many as 42% of Americans are deficient in this key vitamin), to zinc (which many consumers took in hopes of avoiding COVID-19 and/or recovering faster if they did catch the virus), to fish oil and hundreds of other dietary supplements, vitamins, and blends, Americans are embracing the potential benefits of supplements for everything from hair loss to improved cognitive function.
However, many people find it challenging to remember to take vitamins and refill them when they run out. Vitamin subscriptions are a great way to help consumers get into the habit of taking supplements every day. The convenience and consistency of receiving the vitamins or supplements at their doorstep takes the guesswork and stress out of the routine. No more running to the pharmacy or a big box store when a vitamin runs out, only to find that your favorite brand is out of stock or has gone up in price. With automatic replenishment on a monthly basis (or any desired frequency), supplements subscriptions are both a convenience and a cost savings for consumers.
Supplement Subscriptions Are Easy To Fulfill With Auto-Ship
Let’s assume you have decided to offer monthly subscriptions of your nutritional supplement. Now comes the part where you figure out the logistics: your inventory, storage, expiration dates, mailing costs..? What about returns?
Fortunately, a 3PL partner that is experienced in both supplements fulfillment and subscription boxes can answer all these questions and more. The storage and shipping of products on a subscription basis is commonly referred to as “Auto-Ship” or “Continuity” fulfillment. In some cases, continuity programs may involve repeat shipments of the same item. In other cases, it may involve shipping a series of different items.
When fulfilling vitamins or dietary supplements, fulfillment looks a little different than the usual pick and pack services for other types of products. Since supplements have expiration dates, it is extremely important to partner with the right 3PL to fulfill your subscriptions or continuity orders. The 3PL service you choose must be well versed in the unique aspects of the supplement industry, as well as offer the best fulfillment solutions for your company.
When a 3PL service handles your subscription fulfillment, you are covered every step of the way. At ShipWizard, our subscription box fulfillment expertise spans a variety of industries. Additionally, our warehouse is FDA-registered. By simply sending your inventory to our FDA-registered warehouse, your continuity orders go into the system and are fulfilled at the prescribed frequency.
“What’s good for the customer is often good for business.” In the case of auto-fill supplements subscriptions, this is actually true. If you are ready to start offering auto-ship subscriptions for your supplements product, contact us to get started today.
