by Matt Weik
What are supplement retailers willing to do to stay in business? Will they evolve or will they die? With the “Stay At Home” order that many Americans have been under, most people cannot and will not go outside where others gather. That being said, supplement retailers are able to stay open to help provide consumers with the ability to purchase things like a multivitamin, vitamin C, greens powder, immunity boosters, CBD, protein powder, pre-workouts, you name it.
Now granted, gyms all over are closed for the time being and people must get in a workout at home if they wish to exercise. But it’s what supplement retailers are doing that is impressing me. The real story will be this though… Will they continue to use these strategies after the coronavirus is no longer spreading and people are out shopping again? Let’s discuss what I’m seeing.
Supplement Retailers Aren’t Going Away
I’ve been closely paying attention to what supplement retailers around me as well as in other countries and locations are doing during these tough times. Sadly, many supplement retailers have closed their doors for the time being as they are afraid of getting the coronavirus themselves. However, many are taking this time to add value and convenience to their customers. How so? In several ways actually.
Deliveries
Don’t feel like going out in fear of getting the coronavirus? Many supplement retailers are making deliveries. Assuming it’s not a one-man shop, they have their employees jumping in their cars and making deliveries to a given area or “x” number of miles from where they are located.
This is a great idea. People can place an order over the phone, provide their credit card information for payment, and then have their order dropped off at their doorstep without ever needing to leave their home. Another nice thing about this is that people are still able to support their local small businesses rather than going online and ordering from retailers like Amazon or Tiger Fitness.
Pick-Up
Need to get out of the house? Some supplement retailers are allowing for pick-up orders. You can either order online for pick-up, pull up to the store and tell them what you need, or simply call in an order and then drive to your local supplement retailer to grab your supplements. You can stay in your car without getting out and supplement retailers will walk out to your vehicle and hand-deliver the goodies to you. This is quick and convenient and allows you to break through your cabin fever before heading home to stare out the window at the empty streets.
Online Ordering
Some supplement retailers only have a brick and mortar location – a physical location without any e-commerce. One of the supplement retailers who took advantage of this time and opportunity was Popeye’s Supplements in Canada. They have 140 locations throughout Canada and while they had an online store, they decided to create another. Due to the coronavirus, other brick and mortar supplement retailers quickly built a website as well so they could take online orders.
Personally, this capability is one that most supplement retailers should have already had but probably never moved forward on. Those with a website can not only help serve their community through their online store, but they can also ship orders out to others across various states as well to bring in even more revenue.
In-Store Shopping
While not exactly the best option, since supplement retailers can stay open during this time, customers have the ability to actually walk into the stores if they wish. This allows customers to browse around the store, ask the clerk questions, and see everything the supplement retailer has to offer.
Clearly, from a health standpoint, this isn’t the best option as someone with the coronavirus could walk into the store, touch products, and then you (yourself) could then fall ill and contract the virus. Personally, I would recommend one of the other three options before considering this one, but to each his or her own depending on your risk tolerance.
Evolve or Die – It’s That Simple
I hate to say it, but businesses like supplement retailers need to evolve or they will die. If you think the government is going to save you, just wait and see how that works out for you. If you need money NOW to keep your doors open and no bail-out checks are being deposited, you need to figure out what you can do to keep your doors open and the lights on.
Those who make it through this tough time should be proud and excited for the future because this can open up a whole new way for them to conduct business once things return back to normal. And I hate to say it, but those who do not make it, you waited too long to act. Take the “L” on the chin and you’re just going to need to figure out what to do from here now that you lost your business.
Regardless of the option listed above, it would still be a wise idea to wipe everything down when you get home to make sure IF the virus was on the product, it has been eliminated. And when you’re done with that, go wash your hands thoroughly.
