1. Market Research

Conducting thorough market research is essential when starting a supplement subscription business. Here’s how you can approach it:

Search on Google

One of the easiest ways to perform market research is to simply do a Google search to see what other companies offer. You might find that some sorts of supplements dominate the market, while others are nowhere to be seen.

You’ll need to do further research to understand why this is. For example, if none of your competitors sell vegan supplements, is this a gap in the market or does it mean there is no demand?

Use AI

AI tools like ChatGPT are great for market research. It enables you to search thousands of websites and instantly generate qualitative and quantitative insights from them.

This saves you time and helps make your research broader and more detailed.

However, getting AI to give you the information you need can be tricky. This can be solved by using the correct prompts. Prompts are simply the instructions you provide the AI.

Here are some examples of prompts that you can use for supplements market research:

🤖 What are the key demographics of consumers interested in [specific supplement]?

🤖 Who are the main competitors in the [specific supplement] subscription market, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

🤖 What factors do consumers consider most important when choosing a supplement subscription service?

🤖 What are the current trends in the supplement subscription industry?

🤖 What are the potential opportunities and threats in the [specific supplement] subscription market?

It’s worth noting that AI makes mistakes, so you should take steps to verify the information it gives you. For example, you can do this in ChatGPT by clicking and reading the links that it provides with responses.

Survey customers

If you already have customers, consider sending out a survey to find out what supplements they would be interested in. If your business is brand new, then consider how you can speak to potential customers. For example, ask your local gym if you can interview some of its members.

Utilize Google Trends

This free tool allows you to analyze the popularity of specific search terms over time. For instance, searches for “ashwagandha” have seen significant growth, indicating rising consumer interest in this supplement. ​

Source

Analyze competitor traffic with Ahrefs

By examining which supplement websites receive the most organic traffic, you can identify successful players in the market. For example, Vitamin Shoppe has a strong online presence and gets over half a million monthly visitors.

You can see this when you type the website’s URL into Ahrefs:

Hire a market research company

Hiring a market research company, provides in-depth supplement industry reports that go beyond surface-level trends. This makes it easier to get reliable data to plan your business.

These market research reports provide data on:

• Consumer behavior
• Competitor analysis
• Market size and growth potential
• Changing demand
• Emerging products that could disrupt the market
• Regulatory and compliance updates
• Pricing and profitability benchmarks
• Distribution and sales channel insights

A good example of a supplements market research company is Mintel. While businesses like this give you valuable, in-depth information, they can also be expensive.

Using these market research techniques, you should be able to identify market opportunities. The next stage involves choosing a niche that capitalizes on them.

3. Develop Ideal Customer Profiles

An ideal customer profile (ICP) describes the type of person most likely to subscribe to your supplement business. It helps you target the right audience, refine your messaging, and optimize marketing strategies to attract loyal, long-term customers.

Without a clear ICP, marketing efforts can be too broad, leading to wasted ad spend and lower conversion rates. By understanding who your customers are, what they need, and how they make decisions, you can create personalized experiences that increase engagement and retention.

What an ideal customer profile should consist of

A strong ICP includes specific details about your target audience:

• Income: Disposable income influences pricing strategy. Are they budget-conscious or willing to pay a premium for high-quality supplements?
• Demographics: Age, gender, location, and education level all impact purchasing behavior.
• Interests: Do they prioritize fitness, holistic health, or convenience?
• How they make decisions: Are they research-driven, influenced by reviews, or motivated by expert recommendations?
• Pain points and needs: What problems do they need solutions for (e.g., low energy, gut health, stress management)?
• Goals and motivations: Are they seeking long-term wellness, weight loss, or performance enhancement?
• Channels and technology they use: Do they discover products through Instagram, YouTube, blogs, or email marketing?
• Brands they like: Which supplement brands, lifestyle influencers, or fitness communities do they engage with?

It’s important to note that most businesses have multiple customer profiles, often with several for each product.

• Income: $50,000–$90,000 per year (middle to upper-middle class)
• Demographics: 32-year-old woman, lives in an urban area (e.g., Los Angeles, New York, London)
• Interests: Vegan lifestyle, sustainable living, holistic health, yoga, and fitness
• How she makes decisions: Relies on peer reviews, influencer recommendations, and scientific backing before purchasing
• Pain points and needs: Struggles to get enough B12, iron, and omega-3s from her diet and wants clean, plant-based supplements
• Goals and motivations: Wants to maintain high energy levels, prevent deficiencies, and support a sustainable, ethical lifestyle
• Channels and technology she uses: Follows wellness influencers on Instagram and TikTok, listens to health podcasts, reads blogs, and prefers subscription services for convenience
• Brands she likes: Ritual, Future Kind, Garden of Life, and small, eco-conscious brands

Based on Emily’s profile, you might target Instagram and TikTok ads with influencer collaborations and ensure your brand emphasizes sustainability, transparency, and science-backed benefits.

5. Product Testing: Ensuring Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Before launching your supplement subscription business, it’s important to get a prototype of your supplement and test it thoroughly.

Supplier testing

Reputable GMP-certified manufacturers should already conduct in-house testing for:

• Purity: Verifying ingredients match the label.
• Potency: Ensuring the correct dosage of active ingredients.
• Contaminants: Screening for heavy metals, bacteria, and other harmful substances.

Consumer testing

Even if your supplier tests the product, running your own trials can help identify customer preferences. Consider:

• Taste and texture: Some supplements (like plant-based proteins) may have a chalky or bitter taste.
• Swallowability: Are capsules too large or difficult to take?
• Effectiveness and tolerability: Does the product deliver expected results without unwanted side effects?

You can test products in-house, through focus groups, or by offering sample packs before committing to full-scale production.

By combining supplier testing for safety with customer trials for usability, you ensure your supplement is both high quality and enjoyable to take—boosting satisfaction and retention.

7. Choose A Business Model

When launching your own supplement business, one of the most important decisions is how you’ll sell your products. Your business model affects everything from customer relationships to revenue stability.

At a high level, you have two main choices:

1. Sell through a middleman: Think Amazon, or via retail stores.
2. Sell direct-to-consumer (D2C): Via your own website, brick and mortar store or at markets.

You also need to decide between one-off sales and subscriptions, both of which impact customer retention and profitability.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each:

Selling through a middleman

Many supplement brands sell via retail stores like Walmart, online marketplaces like Amazon, or third-party distributors.

✅ Pros:

• Instant access to a large customer base
• Built-in trust (customers already buy from these platforms)
• Less responsibility for fulfillment and logistics (if using Amazon FBA or retail partnerships)

❌ Cons:

• High competition: Your product sits alongside many others
• Lower profit margins: Platforms take a cut of each sale
• No direct customer relationship: You don’t own the customer data, making repeat sales harder

Retail and marketplace selling is transactional—customers buy once, and you must continually fight for new sales. If you’re looking for long-term customer retention and brand loyalty, a D2C model is often the better choice.

Selling direct-to-consumer (D2C)

A D2C business model means selling directly through your own website rather than relying on third-party retailers. This approach gives you full control over branding, pricing, and customer relationships.

✅ Pros:

• Higher profit margins: No marketplace fees
• Own your customer data: Build long-term relationships
• Full brand control: Create a unique experience, from supplement packaging to messaging
• Scalable subscription model: Recurring revenue means predictable growth

❌ Cons:

• Requires marketing investment: You need to drive traffic to your site
• Logistics management: You handle shipping and fulfillment

D2C selling is particularly powerful for supplement brands, as customers often reorder the same products. Instead of relying on one-time purchases, you can build customer loyalty and maximize lifetime value.

One-time sales vs. subscription models

Another key decision is whether to sell one-off products or offer a subscription service.

One-time sales:

• Easier for customers to try your product
• Less predictable revenue – you must constantly acquire new customers
• Works well for impulse purchases or trending products

Subscription model:

• Customers pay monthly, providing consistent, recurring revenue
• Reduces reliance on constant marketing spend to acquire new customers
• Builds long-term customer relationships

You also have more options within the subscriptions category: will you provide supplements individually or as part of a curated box?

• Individual product subscriptions: Customers subscribe to specific supplements they use regularly, like a monthly bottle of vitamin D.
• Curated subscription boxes: A pre-selected mix of supplements, either themed (e.g., “stress relief bundle”) or tailored to customer needs. This encourages product discovery and long-term engagement.

Why a D2C subscription model is ideal for supplement businesses

Supplements are perfect for subscriptions because customers need to restock regularly. Instead of hoping they remember to reorder, a subscription model automates repeat purchases, increasing customer lifetime value (LTV) and ensuring steady, recurring revenue.

With a platform like Subbly, you can:

• Offer flexible subscription plans (monthly, quarterly, custom bundles)
• Automate billing, fulfillment, and customer management
• Build a loyal customer base with exclusive perks and discounts

By choosing a D2C subscription model, you’re setting your supplement business up for long-term success. You gain higher margins, stronger customer relationships, and a predictable revenue stream, allowing you to scale efficiently.

9. Choose an eCommerce Platform

If you’re selling directly to consumers, you’ll need an eCommerce platform to manage your online store. This platform will handle product listings, payments, customer accounts, and subscriptions, making it one of the most important tools for your business.

Most mainstream platforms are built for one-time purchases. Shopify, for example, does not have built-in subscription tools, so users must:

• Install multiple plugins to enable recurring billing.
• Manually set up and manage subscription workflows.
• Deal with compatibility issues between different apps.

These workarounds can be clunky, unreliable, and time-consuming, making it harder to scale a subscription-based supplement business.

What to look for in an ecommerce platform

Not all eCommerce platforms are created equal, especially if you’re selling subscriptions. Here are the key features to consider when choosing one for your supplement business:

Subscription management: Choose a platform with built-in subscription tools if you plan to offer subscriptions. Avoid platforms that require multiple third-party plugins—as mentioned above, they can cause technical issues and higher costs.

Flexible payment options: Your platform should support recurring billing for subscriptions while also allowing one-time purchases. It should integrate with major payment processors like Stripe and PayPal for seamless transactions.

Customizable checkout experience: A smooth checkout process helps reduce cart abandonment. Look for:

• A mobile-friendly checkout that works across devices.
• The ability to offer discounts and promotions.
• Options to let customers easily modify or pause subscriptions.

Website customization and branding: Your platform should allow you to customize your store to reflect your brand. Look for:

• Drag-and-drop design tools or easy integration with website builders.
• The ability to add educational content (e.g., blog posts about supplement benefits).
• A user-friendly experience that builds trust and boosts conversions.

Automation and customer retention tools: A good platform will help you keep customers engaged with:

• Automated subscription renewal reminders.
• Email and SMS notifications for order updates.
• Tools for upselling and cross-selling additional supplements.

Analytics and business insights: Tracking customer behavior, subscription retention, and sales trends helps you optimize your business. Look for built-in reporting tools or integrations with platforms like Google Analytics.

Example of a supplements website: VL-1

Here’s a website for a supplement provider created using Subbly. The company, VL-1, isn’t real—we made it to show what Subbly can do.

As you can see, it provides users with a range of options, allowing them to choose what products they want, how often they want them and how long they want to subscribe for.

The whole page looks professional and operates seamlessly from the vendor’s perspective.

11. Create a Brand

Creating a strong brand helps your supplement business stand out and build customer trust. Here are the key steps:

• Create core principles: Develop a unique name, mission, and identity that resonates with your target audience. For example, Goli Nutrition’s mission is to make health simple and accessible for all—this is reflected in its range of cider vinegar gummies and its slogan “Taste the apple. Not the Vinegar”.

• Register your trademark: Protect your brand by trademarking your name and logo to prevent competitors from copying it.
• Design packaging: Your packaging should be attractive, functional, and compliant with regulations.
• Make it visually appealing: Use high-quality graphics and clear labeling to make your product look professional and trustworthy.
• Meet FDA label requirements: As previously mentioned, in the U.S., supplement labels must include:
  • Supplement Facts panel with ingredients and dosages.
  • Proper health disclaimers and allergen warnings.
  • Manufacturer’s contact information.