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How to Buy Cheap Nutritional Supplements on the Internet
How to Buy Cheap Nutritional Supplements on the Internet
In today’s economy it seems everyone is looking for ways to save money, and buying your nutritional supplements on-line is one way to do just that. Purchasing supplements through the web can be a convenient and cheap alternative to high-priced specialty stores, but only if you have the right approach. Without the right method, you may face a daunting variety of options, insecurity about the quality of your purchase, and concerns about scams or dangerous transactions.
The following sections focus on the correct approach to on-line shopping for nutritional supplements. These sections will teach you discover what you need to purchase, navigate through the web search process, and help you choose the best possible deal. With the right tools, you can save time and money buying quality products through the web.
Doing Your Homework
Shopping on-line is a different experience from shopping in a store. When you shop in an actual store, you can walk in, browse the aisles, and find a helpful staff member to answer any questions you have. When you shop on-line, however, you need to have a really good idea of what you want to buy before you begin. This may mean a bit of research to get started, but will save a lot of time when shopping for the best product.
If you are searching for a specific herbal supplement, be sure to understand which parts of the plant are useful. Different species and even different parts of a plant may have different properties. Some manufactures will include all parts of a plant even if only the root is useful, making the product cheaper to produce, but much less effective. If you are looking for a particular vitamin or mineral, it is a good idea to understand what form has the best absorption rate. For example, is a calcium pill better than a calcium chew? Do you need a slow-release iron formula?
It is also vital to understand dosing information and possible side effects or interactions with medications or other supplements. If you take prescription medications, a quick call to your pharmacist or doctor can provide a lot of information.
When doing your research, be sure you consult reputable sources. There are many great sources of information on-line, but it is best to check the references for the information you find. One very good reputable source for supplement information is the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, which can be accessed for free at: naturaldatabaseconsumer.therapeuticresearch.com. Another great free source of information is the National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements at dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov.
Once you have researched the products you need, you should be able to answer the following questions for each of them.
- What is the formal name of the supplement?
- What is the recommended dosage amount?
- What form is the most useful?
Writing the answers to these questions down in a detailed shopping list will save time and help you find the very best deal available.
Searching the Internet for Cheap Nutrional Supplements
After you have your shopping list ready, it is time to search for a great deal. Using a search engine with general terms can be a little daunting. A Google search for the term “Calcium supplements” yields over one million results.
A better approach is to focus on shopping websites that let you compare products, like shopping.com or amazon.com. Ebay.com is another good website for finding great deals, particularly if you shop in bulk. Another method of finding good deals is to search a national chain pharmacy. These are often overlooked because people believe the prices will be the same as at your local store, but many stores will have on-line only clearance sales to clear out warehouse inventory.
If you have done your homework and know exactly what you are searching for, a search engine may be of some help. Enter as much information as you have about the supplement you are looking for as this will narrow the results. A search of Google Shopping of the term “500mg calcium supplement vitamin D caplets” gives only 500 results.
Comparing Nutritional Supplement Prices on the Internet: Do the Math
After finding several different results that meet your needs, it is time to compare prices. Different packaging, different quantities, and different potency make it difficult to compare two products directly, and you will need to calculate the true price per volume. This is easier than it sounds; just find the following information for each product:
- Total Price: This is the list price, plus shipping and tax.
- Total Amount: This is the number of servings on the label, multiplied by the amount per serving
- True Price: This is the Total Price divided by Total Amount
Compare the calculated true price for each product to find the best deal. Below is an example calculation:
Example: You find a product offering 150 caplets, each are 250 mg. The price is $3.50 plus $2.50 shipping. Another product offers 2000 caplets, each at 100 mg. The price is $15.00 plus $6.00 shipping.
Product 1
1. Total Price: $3.5 + $2.50 = $6.00
2. Total Amount : 150 caplets X 250 mg each = 37,500 mg or 37.5 g
3. True Price: $6.00 / 37.5 g = $0.16 per gram
The same calculation for Product 2 results in a true price of $0.10 per gram.
Doing these calculations may take you back to 8th grade math, but it is well worth it. You can see from above that product 2 costs significantly less than product 1, and over time the savings really add up.
This approach to buying cheap nutritional supplements on the Internet at first may seem a bit complex, but with some practice can become second nature. Researching your needs thoroughly will speed up the shopping process. Comparison shopping websites show a variety of products to choose from. Calculating the true value of a product will ensure you get the best deal available. Following these steps can help you save money and turn you into a savvy supplement shopper.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 10:09 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.