customer service - Page 1 | WholeFoods Magazine

Merchandising Insights

Looking Back, and Forward: 2025 - 2026

What better way to understand what happened in natural during 2025 and what will happen in 2026 than to ask those on the front lines? Independents covering the four corners of the country weigh in. Good news abounds!

January 16, 2026

Jay Jacobowitz, President & Founder, Retail Insights

Independent retailers reflect on 2025 to predict what the new year has in store for the industry.

2024 Retailer of the Year: Cambridge Naturals

Celebrating 50 years of service to the community.

September 3, 2024

Maggie Jaqua, Content Director

Celebrating 50 years of wellness, community, and growth at Cambridge Naturals.

Fast, Free Delivery: What does it really cost?

September 23, 2019

Scott Steinford

Much is made of an e-tailer’s ability to out-serve traditional retailers. Recent programs such as expanded scope of inventory and delivery services at Amazon would seem to be increasing this advantage, but perhaps it depends on the direction you look. There was a time when Domino’s Pizza offered a “30...

Deep Missouri Roots Serve Retailer of the Year MaMa Jean’s

June 27, 2018

Sebastian Krawiec

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When people care about their health, they will make the effort. That is something Susie Farbin learned while working for her mother at Jean’s Health Ways in Ava, MO, for 14 years. A prominent natural product retailer, customers were taking long treks from Springfield and other cities to shop for...

Vitamin Shoppe Receives StellaService Elite Overall Award

April 27, 2018

WholeFoods Magazine Staff

Secaucus, N.J. - For the third year in a row, The Vitamin Shoppe has received the 2018 StellaService Elite Overall Award – a top honor reserved for the best-of-the-best performers across multiple service channels. StellaService's Elite Awards recognize retailers annually for best-in-class customer service across phone, email, chat, shipping and...

How Independent Natural Retailers Can Grow Sales in a Hyper-Competitive Market

December 21, 2017

Daniel Lohman

How can small retailers remain competitive and grow in a hyper-competitive market? This is a question I get asked a lot. This is a question that needs to also include the brands these retailers sell. Most small brands owe their very existence and their start to the small retailer that...

Natur-Tyme Helps a Customer

May 11, 2017

WholeFoods Magazine Staff

Check out this hilarious video from Natur-Tyme. Natural products retailers really know what they're talking about and customers know it! [vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/38FHTZkF6jU"][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

Tired of Smartphone Shoppers? Hit the Reset Button! Naming Contest – Win $100!

March 28, 2017

Jay Jacobowitz, President & Founder, Retail Insights

Here’s a universal: a shopper walks into an independent natural products retail store and asks for health information, which the nutritionist willingly provides in a 20-minute conversation. As the conversation wraps up, said shopper pops open a price-comparison app on his or her smartphone to check prices elsewhere. How rude!...

GNC Fourth Quarter Losses Mount

February 22, 2017

WholeFoods Magazine Staff

Pittsburgh, PA — GNC's fourth quarter results show that the company is performing well below expectations. Regardless of the losses GNC took in the fourth quarter, the leadership of GNC believes that its enhanced customer service model as well as its consistent pricing system will assist in improving the financial...

For the Love of Retailing

July 19, 2016

Kaylynn Chiarello-Ebner

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I was recently shopping at one of my favorite independent natural products stores, and the manager told me an incredible story that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. While the situation I’m about to relay may seem all too familiar, I believe we can all learn from the retailer’s...