Friday, June 8, 2012

Vendor Evaluations: Service


No matter who you order your supplements through, I would suggest working with others. Not only will you save on shipping, some vendors give discounts for orders over a certain dollar amount, some have free shipping over a certain dollar amount too. Working with others saves you from buying more than you actually need to meet minimums as well as helps to keep you in check. If you have to ask yourself "should I be buying this?" you can always bounce the idea off of whoever you are placing the order with. Just be careful to not cross that line between getting helpful feedback and getting defensive because you feel judged, the latter will only lead to bad choices. We're all in this together, and no one's perfect. What works for you may not work for someone else, just because someone else doesn't do what you do doesn't make it wrong, but it might be intersting to listen to his/her suggestions or personal experience.
Vendor: Netrition
Product Availability: huge selection, stock almost always available
Shipping Rates: $4.95 flat rate
Product Cost: average to good, orders over $200 receive discount
Customer Service: Excellent
Comments: Very easy to order from and they almost always have what I need. If they do not have exactly what I am looking for they either can generally get it (takes a little time) or they have a more than adequate substitute. I have never had a problem ordering from them. The TriState Weight Loss Support Group (WV) will occassionally work together to place large orders with them to save money (shipping and $200+ discount rate). 
Vendor: VitaCost
Product Availability: Availability is pretty good, they do not carry some brands, such as NOW, but what they do carry, they stock pretty well.
Shipping Rates: orders over $49, free shipping
Product Cost: The prices fluctuate, but are generally reasonable
Customer Service: Fantastic, orders ship quickly
Comments: My only complaint is I can't plan ahead with them since their prices fluctuate. But sometimes it works out in my favor. They have their own brand of supplements which so far seem to be on par with the name brand ones and the prices are great. Currently they are having a buy one get one half off on their brand of supplements. They carry the ferrous fumarate iron as well as chewable calcium citrate, both are worth checking into.
Vendor: Supplement Warehouse
Product Availability: They have almost everything, if they are out of something you can't even put it in your cart, a good thing in my book
Shipping Rates: shipping is by weight, the more you buy the more worth it the shipping becomes, definietely a vendor you want to have your friends combine with you.
Product Cost: Product cost is the least expensive on-line, they will beat competitor prices by 5% if you enter the website and cost. 
Customer Service: started out great, started having trouble with them after my 3rd order
Comments: They have the lowest prices on products, hands down, however they also have the higest shipping costs. They have the widest variety of products almost always in stock. The best way to look at it is, if they and another vendor have what you need, fill your cart on both pages, estimate shipping costs with SW (add flat rate to other site) and see who comes out less, place your order there. Transit time for me was generally 2-3 days, did not always ship same day or even the next...
Vendor: Lucky Vitamin
Product Availability: hit or miss, check the fine print on the product page for availability
Shipping Rates: $5.95 flat rate on orders under $100, free shipping on orders over $100
Product Cost: product costs is mostly great, between Netrition and SW
Customer Service: very good
Comments: I was spoiled by other sites and was used to everything being in stock. A few items were back ordered for me. On the plus side, they ship as it becomes available (my 1 order ended up being 4 shipments) the downside was I placed my order 5/4/12 and received the last item for it 6/7/12. I would order from them again, but be sure to check out availability. There was a small error on my order which they rectified as soon as I brought it to their attention, so they are easy to work with.



Vendor: Nashua Nutrition
Product Availability: limited products, but everything is in stock
Shipping Rates: $99+ is free shipping
Product Cost: average to very good
Customer Service: fantastic, shipped same day
Comments: This site has several bariatric vitamins (Celebrate, Bariatric Fusion, Bariatric Advantage) protein powders, meal replacements, weight loss system plans (such as focus 28), samples, Kay's Naturals and a variety of good stuff in general (looking forward to their amaretto hot chocolate this fall). They have a variety of protein powder samples at $1.95 each. They match BA and BF pricing and beat CV by a few pennies, two day transit to me. It's pretty awesome to find all this one place. They also send you 2 free samples with your order to try out.
Vendor: Celebrate Vitamins
Product Availability: specialty items, generally in stock, only ran into them being out of something once
Shipping Rates: orders over $100 are free shipping
Product Cost: great price for bariatric specific chewables
Customer Service: fantastic, love these people
Comments: Awesome company, they send samples upon request (even if you are in existing customer and want to try something new they put out, just ask them!) Last order I placed over the phone because they said I could create my own multivitamin variety pack if I called it in (2- strawberry pineapple, 1- mandarin!!) I got confirmation emailed before I hung up the phone and my product was delivered next day (on a Saturday, how cool is that?)
Vendor: Vitamin Shoppe
Product Availability: huge selection, especially if you are willing to go with their brand
Shipping Rates: orders over $25 ship free
Product Cost: average to high, lower prices on their brand
Customer Service: great, ships same day, 1-2 day transit
Comments: can order online or shop in the store, their product line is great, other brands they carry tend to be higher in price, but can be totally worth it. Check them out if you need something quick.
Vendor: VitaLady
Product Availability: pretty good, if they are out of something they say they have they refund or substitute
Shipping Rates: by weight, ships from WA state
Product Cost: average to good
Customer Service: great
Comments: They have their own line of items, as well as doing protein powder samples ($1.99-$2.99 on average). I had a good experience with them but will probably stick to a vendor closer to home (5 day trasit time from WA state to me)
Vendor: Focus 28
Product Availability: excellent products in their line, never a backorder (in my experience)
Shipping Rates: $1.00-$48.99 $7.95, $149.00+ free shipping (changes)
Product Cost: 7 items per box, boxes range from $10.99 to $10.99
Customer Service: great
Comments: very easy to order from though their shipping cost policy seems to fluctuate. Their product (in my opinion) is tastier and less expensive than MediFast. Try to Mango Peach cold drinks or the flavored hot chocolate, so delcicious
Thinking of ordering from someone new? Let me know and I'll let you know if I've ordered from them before and what their service is like :)

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