For good reason, Independent Pharmacies are focused on increasing their supplement sales. Especially with the tailwinds of the pandemic, supplements are flying off the shelves across the country.
According to a 2019 survey, 86% of adults take vitamins or supplements.
The issue is not that the demand. The issue is the thousands of products, hundreds or brands, and both online and in-store options to buy these supplements.
So what can a Pharmacy do to ensure that their patients buy supplements from them?
Building Your Supplement Moat
“If you stock the right brand, customers will buy the products.”
"Patients will come to your Pharmacy for our products."
How many times have these statements got your hopes up only to be let down?
Yes, supplements merchandising strategies can help. Yes, placing your supplements the path of your foot traffic can help. And yes, good brands matter.
However, if you want to grow your supplement sales and keep the customers coming back monthly, you need to do to offer something unique.
Not a unique product, but a unique way to package the product.
The Supplement Competition Issue
What is working is soon to be copied.
As your supplement sales grow, neighboring businesses will notice. Regardless of the brand of supplements that you stock, doctor’s offices and other Pharmacies will eventually stock those same products and brands.
Very quickly, your supplements go from being “yours” to something that can be found frequently throughout your city.
White-labeling your own brand is not the solution. Asking your patients to only buy from you is not the solution.
Give them a reason have to come back to you.
How?
Packaging.
Adherence packaging
As this migration continues, Pharmacies with pouching capabilities can also add supplements with the medications (or in a pouch of their own).
If your Pharmacy offers this service
no choice
Pharmacies aren’t the first to offer supplements in pouches, but the adoption is still early.
Large companies like 1st Phorm have their Micro Factor Pack. Persona does individualized supplement pouch packaging direct to consumer.
This packaging is not just for looks. It increases repurchases.
As adherence increases, so does the need to restock. As adherence increases, so do the benefits of the supplements – which makes customers want them even more.
Late Adoption Is Paintful
Pouch packaging makes financial sense for prescriptions, but it is also a necessity if you want to take your supplemen sales to the next level.
Increase your supplement sales and increase your retention by offering a solution that grocery stores, doctor’s offices, and GNC’s can not.
