Everywhere we look, there are discussions about leading healthier lives, and a big part of that conversation is about supplements and vitamins.
These powders and capsules promise to fill the gaps in our diets, boost our energy, and keep us feeling at our best.
So, think about it: What if you could combine the power of dropshipping with the demand for supplements and vitamins?
Should you do it?
Well, that's exactly what we're going to discuss!
Ready? Let's go!
The global supplements and vitamins market
If you've ever walked into a health store or browsed online marketplaces, you've likely been overwhelmed by all the different supplements and vitamins on sale.
And there's a reason for that. The demand for dietary supplements and vitamins is massive and only growing!
In 2020, the North American dietary supplements market was valued at around $50 billion.
And guess what? Predictions suggest a steady growth rate of 5.5% from 2021 to 2028.
So, if you're wondering if there's a market in North America for these products, well, there's a lot of potential!
Statista shows even higher growth rates. They estimate the US dietary supplement market to reach $56.7 billion by 2024, which is almost double the market size of 2016 ($31.7 billion).
Another interesting insight is that vitamins are the most popular among all dietary supplements. In 2020, they were responsible for a substantial 31.3% of the total revenue share!
To give you a little more perspective on how rapidly this industry has grown, consider this: In 1994, there were around 4,000 products in the dietary supplement sector.
Forward to 2017, and this number increased to 90,000!
And here's a final fun fact: Surveys have found that over half of US adults include some form of dietary supplement in their routine.
So, whether it's to boost energy, fill nutritional gaps, or enhance overall health, a significant portion of the population uses these products.
In summary, the global supplements and vitamins market is thriving!
But, like any business, there are pros and cons.
So, let's discuss those next!
Pros of dropshipping supplements or vitamins
If you're considering dropshipping supplements or vitamins, it's essential to know the advantages you'll have:
Note: If you're curious about the pros and cons of dropshipping in general, check out this article!
1. Recurring customer base
One of the standout advantages of selling supplements and vitamins is that they're consumed regularly and need replenishing.
They aren't one-time purchases, like a piece of jewelry or a book.
So, when your customers find a product that works for them, they're likely to return month after month, providing a consistent revenue stream.
You could even think about implementing a (discounted) subscription model to promote recurring purchases!
Tip: You can find our list of the best Shopify themes for subscription models here!
2. Quickly jump onto new trends
With the health industry continuously changing, new products and trends regularly appear.
And if you're dropshipping, you can quickly jump onto these new trends.
Is there a sudden surge in the popularity of a particular vitamin or a newfound superfood? If so, you can add it to your product catalog almost immediately.
And you can even easily switch your offers based on different seasons of the year. For example, you might focus on selling Vitamin D in winter or immune boosters during flu season!
3. Less regulatory concerns
While selling health products often comes with regulatory requirements, you don't have to handle the products directly when dropshipping.
Instead, you're relying on your dropshipping supplier, who, ideally, should already be adhering to the regulatory standards, their responsibility of correctly storing the items, and ensuring they're within their expiration dates.
4. Education opportunities
Supplements and vitamins offer a unique opportunity to provide value beyond the product itself.
Picking this as your dropshipping niche gives you plenty of opportunities for content marketing.
You can write blog posts about the benefits of specific supplements or even create videos on health tips. This not only drives free traffic but also positions you as a trusted authority in the space.
5. Possibility to bundle products
Unlike many other niches, supplements and vitamins lend themselves beautifully to bundling.
Whether it's a 'Winter Wellness' pack with Vitamin C, Zinc, and Echinacea or a 'Fitness Starter' bundle with protein powder and multivitamins, the possibilities to upsell and cross-sell are immense!
Cons of dropshipping supplements or vitamins
Supplements and vitamins aren't just any products; they're related to health and personal consumption, which makes it crucial to proceed with precision and care.
Here are some of the challenges you might face when selling them:
1. Quality control and consistency
In the supplements and vitamins niche, trust is essential.
When customers purchase supplements or vitamins, they expect consistency in quality.
And since you're not manufacturing or even seeing the products first-hand, maintaining consistent product quality can be a challenge.
Your reputation is in the hands of your suppliers, and one bad batch of products or a few unhappy customers can damage your brand's reputation significantly!
2. Compliance and liability
Supplements and vitamins are often subject to strict regulations that vary by country.
Mislabeling or selling products with unapproved ingredients can result in hefty fines or legal issues.
The same goes for when a customer experiences health issues due to your product. They might hold you responsible, even if the fault lies with your supplier.
3. Difficulty in proving authenticity
With more consumers becoming more conscious about what they buy, selling organic, non-GMO, and allergen-free supplements is becoming increasingly important.
But if you can find these items from your suppliers, it can still be hard for you to guarantee the authenticity of these claims.
Without directly being responsible for the products, it can be hard to reply to questions concerning sustainability, ethical sourcing, or cruelty-free testing.
4. Educating your customer
While education opportunities can provide an advantage for your business, they can also become a challenge.
In fact, sometimes, it may not just be an opportunity to educate your customers but a necessity.
Unlike more straightforward products, supplements and vitamins often require a bit of education for the customer to make an informed purchase.
So, writing the right product descriptions, usage guidelines, and potential benefits without expert knowledge can be challenging.
3 Best supplement & vitamin dropshipping suppliers
If you want to dropship supplements or vitamins, choosing the right dropshipping supplier is essential.
After extensive research, we've compiled a list of the top three suppliers you should consider.
Related article: The 8 Best Supplement Dropshipping Suppliers in 2024
1. Supliful
Imagine a world where you could create your own supplement brand without directly dealing with factories, inventory messes, or shipping headaches.
Sounds great, right? This is precisely where Supliful steps in!
Supliful is a dropshipping supplier for white label supplements.
Simply put, it’s a platform that allows people - whether you’re an influencer, a passionate entrepreneur, or just someone exploring ecommerce - to introduce and sell supplements under your brand name.
Yep, you read that right! Your very own brand, without starting from scratch.
What’s super cool about Supliful is that they offer a wide range of products, from vitamins to proteins, and even some fun stuff like personalized coffee.
And one of the biggest benefits of Supliful is that they have a Shopify app:
Plus, they ensure these products don't just have catchy labels but are genuinely high-quality and safe.
Supliful has three main pricing plans: Free, Starter, and Creator.
- The Free plan is excellent to try out Supliful. You can start building your brand with no upfront costs!
- The Starter plan ($49 per month) gets you everything in the Free plan, coupled with up to 15% discounts on products and some other advantages.
- The Creator plan ($349 per month) is for established brands or influencers. Apart from inheriting all features from the Starter plan, you get a dedicated account manager.
Learn more: Supliful Review: Everything They Don’t Tell You! (2024)
2. OK Capsule
OK Capsule is another dropshipping supplier specializing in supplements and vitamins.
This company was founded by a doctor who wanted to bring quality, transparency, and effectiveness back to the supplement industry.
They wanted to end the 'one-bottle-fits-all' approach and prevent forcing consumers to choose from endless numbers of bottles with little understanding of which brands could be trusted or which supplements might yield results.
In our view, the most unique thing about OK Capsule is its product packaging.
They offer these eco-friendly 'packs' customized according to your brand:
That's right, you can create unique vitamin packs (both in contents and dosage) tailored to the needs of your target audience.
You can even customize the packaging with your customer's names, like saying, 'Here is your Weight Management Pack, Alex':
OK Capsule has a state-of-the-art facility in Nevada equipped with all the necessary technology to create private label personalized supplements, and they carefully screen and test ingredients to ensure quality, transparency, and ethical harvesting.
Last but not least, they offer a Shopify app or an API connection you can use to connect your store.
Sounds amazing, right?
But here come the not-so-amazing things.
OK Capsule has some partnership requirements that make it difficult for beginners to get in:
- You must place at least 4,000 orders per year.
- You must place a deposit to start.
- You can only ship to the continental US.
If you (plan to) meet these requirements, you can get started with OK Capsule here!
3. Private Label Supplements
Private Label Supplements is a supplier of all kinds of supplements.
They have everything from antioxidants to nutritional oils, skincare, and sports nutrition.
And as you can see on their homepage above, they now have a dropshipping service!
This dropshipping service is called HoneyComm:
HoneyComm offers 100+ US-made products in over 15 categories that follow the required FDA Registration and GMP Certification:
Plus, it integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and GrooveKart.
Unfortunately, HoneyComm isn't so price-competitive as Supliful, with the cheapest plan starting at $147 per month plus a $397 one-time set-up fee if you pay monthly:
5 Tips for dropshipping supplements or vitamins
Starting a dropshipping store, especially in the supplements and vitamins sector, can be exciting. However, to increase your chances of success, it's important to have a well-thought-out strategy.
So, here are some of our tips!
1. Thoroughly research suppliers and prioritize product quality
When you dive into the world of supplements, quality is crucial.
After all, you're dealing with products that people ingest.
So, dive into the track record and reviews of the suppliers you may want to work with. Remember, your brand's reputation is tied to the quality of the products you offer.
In 2017, the FDA inspected 656 dietary supplement production facilities and found violations in more than half of them, with the most common violation being the failure to establish 'purity, strength, or composition of their final product'.
As a bonus tip, if you're worried about the potential risks of the products, you can consider getting business insurance.
For example, Supliful has partnered with an insurance company called Founder Shield, which can provide you with product liability or content creator insurance!
2. Provide detailed product information
When it comes to consumables, customers want clarity.
The more they know, the more confident they'll feel about their purchase.
So, write detailed product descriptions, list out ingredients, and detail usage guidelines. It might sound basic, but this detail-oriented approach can set you apart from competitors.
3. Stay informed on health trends
The health industry is dynamic. Superfoods, health routines, and supplements trend in and out.
Staying updated allows you to adjust your offerings and offer what's currently in high demand!
4. Focus on transparency and building trust
The supplement market is filled with ambiguous claims.
That gives you the opportunity to differentiate your brand by being transparent.
So, clearly state the source of your ingredients, provide certifications if available, and be open about manufacturing practices.
Buyers love it when a brand is authentic and honest!
5. Offer sample packs
Deciding to purchase a new supplement or vitamin can be a significant step for many people.
So, why not make it easy for them?
If you can offer sample packs, they can test the products before committing to a full purchase.
It will show that you have confidence in your product, plus improve your customer experience!
Summary
Before we go to the conclusion, we've created a quick summary of this article for you, so you can easily remember it:
- The supplements and vitamins market has grown considerably in the last few years, and there are no signs of it stopping.
- The advantages of dropshipping supplements or vitamins include a recurring customer base, the ability to quickly jump onto new trends, and the possibility to bundle products.
- However, there are a few challenges, like maintaining high quality, dealing with liability, and having to educate your customers.
- Three top dropshipping suppliers in this niche are Supliful, OK Capsule, and Private Label Supplements.
- Don't forget about our tips, such as thoroughly researching suppliers, providing detailed product information, keeping track of health trends, and prioritizing transparency.
Conclusion
And there you have it!
All in all, starting a dropshipping business with supplements and vitamins has a lot of potential.
But, like any business, it's crucial to have a genuine desire to add value to your customers.
So, apply our tips and try to set yourself apart from the competition!
Good luck with your dropshipping store!
Want to learn more about dropshipping?
Ready to move your dropshipping store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
