Trust Transparency Center has tracked and reported on Amazon’s Dietary Supplement programs and platforms for the past three years with the intention of arming independent retailers with strategies to effectively compete against this gargantuan operation. Over time there have been many changes in the structure of the service, not many...
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why start this article in WholeFoods Magazine with a shout out to the recent Independent Bookstore Day, August 29th? There are several initiatives and ideas that independent bookstores have benefited from in the past, as well as new emerging trends from the booksellers, that deserve attention by independent health store...
Twenty-one days after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the United States, the WholeFoods Magazine staff posted an article titled Impact of Coronavirus on Supplement Industry “Very, Very Serious.” Little did we know how prophetic the message would become. On the date the article was posted, February 11, 2020,...
Now more than ever your customers typically know the value of dietary supplements—the most recent data from Nutrition Business Journal predicts that supplement sales will reach over 12% growth in 2020, climbing to $50 billion+. While online sales have grown, the “advantages” of online shopping may be more of a...
NOW recently made headlines by providing brand names of CoQ10 and SAM-e manufacturers that were found to be deficient in meeting label claims. A number of trade publications reported the story and iherb.com posted it on its website. Trust Transparency Center (TTC) has itself conducted tests on products containing coenzyme...
Since January 1, 2018, Trust Transparency Center and others have raised the concern that Amazon has continuously acted with less responsibility and accountability than it should to protect the dietary supplement consumer. A recent example underlines this point quite clearly. As a setup, let’s ask the question: How many times...
We know the value of consumer trust and we look for ways to build it. Consumers are looking for evidence and information. The marrying of these two concepts is what has evolved into the branded ingredient offering—the ‘Intel inside.’ Branded ingredients were a relatively new concept 20 odd years ago,...
Consumer interest in the ingredients found in products ranging from food to cosmetics continues to increase. Consumers are seeking more assurances and trust in the purchases they make, and there really is a hierarchy of decision-making criteria around the impact of label information provided on consumer purchase decisions. A Label...
A Greek philosopher noted that “The only constant in life is change.” Over two millennia later, a French writer said: “The more things change the more they stay the same.” Both statements reflect reality, especially in the world of retail. The world of commerce is changing rapidly, but the fundamental...
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy urged us to seek consumer protection by suggesting a Consumer Bill of Rights, and he was right, but no one could have anticipated the changes in the marketplace (in total and online) some 55 years later. Yet what was conceived in 1962 must also...
