Why iHerb can sell at a lower price (including delivery) and 5 supplements that are cheaper at iHerb than at retail

One of the quiet giants in the world of vitamins and supplements, iHerb, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.^th Anniversary with estimated sales of over $185 million per year. It is an international brand with a strong brand presence based on word of mouth and generous trial and return policies.

Here is a brief timeline of iHerb and its rise from a Yahoo-listed online retailer of single products to an international nutritional supplements conglomerate:

– 1996: Started as an e-commerce store on Yahoo with one product: St. John’s Wort

– 1999: Construction of a state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled fulfillment center in Pasadena, California

– 2005: Launch of independent e-commerce site iHerb.com with customer review feature

– 2008: Real-time expiration dates added to site

– 2014: The iHerbs mobile app is available for download

– 2018: The iTested program begins with testing for purity, ingredients and labeling

– 2019: The first international distribution center opens in Incheon, Korea

As of the end of 2020, iHerb has over 30,000 products in its e-commerce store and boasts over 4.5 million customer reviews. Its openness to experimentation and constant innovation has allowed the team to stay ahead of the competition over the years.

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How iHerb beats its competitors on price

iHerb differentiates itself by offering rock-bottom prices on its supplements without compromising on the quality of its supplements. This is achieved through exclusive partnerships with brands with which iHerb has long-standing relationships.

According to iHerb’s Chief Business Officer Steve Cho, about 200 of the company’s products are private labels or so-called iHerb exclusives. The vast majority of the 30,000 products are based on partnerships.

As iHerb expanded its operations globally, the company was able to ship goods to countries like Singapore at a lower cost and in larger quantities through its distribution center in Korea. This allowed them to achieve economies of scale, and a side effect of their marketing strategy was to keep prices as low as possible while offering customers free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

Traditionally, the markup on supplements can be quite high, so iHerb can afford small postage losses. Additionally, supplements tend to be lightweight, have less weight fluctuation than other types of products sold in e-commerce stores, and are easy to ship, which can make free postage an obvious marketing tactic.

In Singapore, shipping is free on orders over S$52.95, encouraging customers to spend more on vitamins and supplements to enjoy free delivery.

The story continues

Read also: Why can Decathlon sell its products cheaper than its competitors in Singapore?

What makes iHerb different can also be a hindrance

Just like friendships, we tend to stay loyal to brands we trust. With a long-term vision to build a sustainable business, iHerb offers customers lower prices based on established product lines.

Research has shown that consumers are influenced by several factors when purchasing supplements: these include curing an illness, preventing chronic diseases, achieving “peace of mind”, supplementing a poor diet, saving money on medical care and achieving cosmetic results. Singaporeans who have tried established supplement brands are likely to remain loyal to them if they see positive effects and may consider it risky to switch to another, lesser-known or “foreign” brand.

Compared to local retailers like Guardian or Watsons, iHerb may seem “riskier” than mainstream brands that have long built a strong reputation in Singapore. Even though iHerb sells cheaper products, you may want to opt for local retailers, especially if you don’t want to buy in bulk or prefer the security and familiarity of local retailers.

5 nutritional supplements that are cheaper at iHerb than in retail stores

#1 Ddrops — Baby, Liquid Vitamin D3, 400 IU, 90 Drops, 0.08 fl oz (2.5 ml)

Baby DDrops Liquid Vitamin D3 is for babies who need vitamin D for healthy growth and development during infancy and childhood, especially for normal bone growth and muscle strength.

Price at iHerb: S$21.58, 90 drops for 90 days

Age group: Infants and babies

#2 Nature Plus — Chewable multivitamin and mineral supplement for children, natural grape flavor, 180 animals

This chewable multivitamin helps to compensate for nutritional deficiencies that can occur in children. In addition to being gluten-free, it is also vegetarian, hypoallergenic and made from whole food concentrates.

Price at iHerb: S$25.89 for 180 tablets

Age group: Children

#3 Energy-C — Vitamin C, Multivitamin Drink Mix, Orange, 30 Packets, 9.2 oz (260.1 g)

1000 mg vitamin C sachets that give your health a much-needed boost and strengthen your immune system. With NSF Non-GMO certification, these supplements can be used on the go to maintain healthy vitamin intake for busy office workers.

Price at iHerb: S$17.54 for 30 packets

Age group: Adults

#4 Bausch & Lomb — Vitamin and mineral supplement for the eyes, lutein and antioxidants, 60 tablets

Lutein is one of the most powerful antioxidants that protects your body from unstable molecules called free radicals that cause damage and degradation. Lutein is found in high concentrations in the macula of the human eye. Taking lutein can help you improve your eye health. This is especially important for those who stare at screens all day (which is most of us).

Price at iHerb: S$15.06 for 60 tablets

Age group: Adults

#5 Nordic Naturals — Ultimate Omega, Lemon, 1,280 mg, 180 softgels

If there’s one type of fat you should be consuming regularly (especially if you’re 50 or older), it’s omega-3. This fatty acid helps lower your blood fat levels, which reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke, and protects against rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. This fatty acid is abundant in fish like salmon, but supplements like this one can help keep your omega-3 levels steady.

Price at iHerb: S$80.99 for 180 softgels

Age group: Seniors

Compare iHerb’s prices with other local retailers

Unlike local retailers, the above 5 products are sold at a discounted price on iHerb. You can see the price differences in the table.

There is a catch, however. Even though the prices at iHerb seem cheaper compared to local brands, you can still look for deals at retailers like Watsons, Guardian and Unity. They often have 3 for 2 deals where you can mix and match supplements however you like.

Source: Guardian

For bargain-hungry Singaporeans, there may not yet be a best deal

Singaporeans can be price sensitive when it comes to discounts and price differences. On iHerb, you can find a wide range of supplements to suit every need. Competition in the supplements space is getting tougher, which means that as a consumer, you benefit from competitive pricing and increasing convenience. If you are looking for a no-frills supplements e-commerce platform where you can buy supplements from a very specific brand or at low prices, you can turn to iHerb for more information.

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