While it is possible for people to receive all the necessary nutrients that the body needs by consuming various healthy foods, the process requires a lot of time and effort. You need to plan what you eat, prepare them with the utmost care, and monitor your nutritional intake against standard daily requirements.
Apart from being taxing and time-consuming, the ordeal requires in-depth knowledge of food and nutritional benefits. Why go through such a demanding ordeal when you can simply purchase dietary supplements and take them regularly?
Statistics show that more than 8 million Australians buy supplements in various forms to ensure that they consume all needed nutrients to keep them healthy. You can also try this hassle-free route to overall wellbeing. Just keep the following pointers in mind so that you will only buy from a reputable online supplement store:
Scrutinize the Company Website
Take the time to inspect the business website to ensure that the store you are considering is legitimate. For starters, visit the homepage to know more about the company. Note grammar or spelling mistakes or overly generalized statements that do not make much sense. Reputable companies, like Supersmart, maintain websites that are professionally created.
Secondly, double-check if the site provides contact information. A reliable store has a business address, telephone numbers, and email address where customers can reach them anytime. If there are no contact details posted on the site or its social media pages, better move to the next supplement shop on your list.
Lastly, browse the website content to check the product offerings and deals. Keep in mind that scammers commonly use outrageously low prices to entice consumers into buying counterfeit or defective products.
Check Consumer-Based Reviews and Alerts
Instead of reading testimonials on the company page, you should look at customer feedback posted on credible review sources. Do not just read a couple of reviews on one site, but try to browse several review sites and the comment pages on the company’s social media pages.
Consider it a red flag if you see similar reviews in various platforms by different reviewers since there is a chance that the reviews came from a single source. Find reviews written at different periods and those containing information that is different from promotional materials.
You can also check the alerts page of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to get safety-related information about specific products being offered by the online store. Note that the TGA maintains a database of historic recalls of dietary supplements and other valuable information on such products.
Look for the Terms and Conditions
While you may be used to skipping lengthy terms and conditions, you must be cautious when dealing with online shops. Read each section and pay attention to returns and exchange policy and privacy guidelines.
A trustworthy store will provide an easy-to-understand returns policy. Keep in mind that more than making a quick buck, credible businesses are highly-concerned about their reputation and standing in the industry. As such, they will have no qualms exchanging defective products.
Moreover, make sure to review the privacy policy so that you would know how the company intends to use your personal information. This section will also give you an idea of the online store’s data safety and security measures.
Australia’s vitamin and dietary supplement industry is valued at nearly $3 billion, which means numerous businesses offer such products. Note, however, that not all of them provide high-quality items. As such, it is best to be cautious and take the time to find a trustworthy online supplement store so that you do not put your health at risk.