Winning in natural retail by delivering as promised

A way to win and maintain satisfied customers is to deliver what was promised. That delivery “completes” the contract that was made with the customer prior to the purchase.

Consider a product that promises to be low-priced and to taste great. If the price was as promised, but the taste was horrible, is that likely to earn any repeat business? If a product, as many natural and organic ones are, is higher priced than its counterparts in the conventional market, the other parts of its brand promise (taste, health benefits) must be met for customers to feel like they received a good value.

As a natural products retailer you have some, but limited, control over pricing and no control over the health benefits of the products that you sell. You also have no control over the taste of them, but that is an easy thing for a consumer to evaluate. What is hard to evaluate is the health benefits or outcomes of consuming a natural product. Some brands are offering unique ways to demonstrate the effects of taking their products, and calling these out to your shoppers can be a great help for you to cultivate loyalty and repeat sales.

Here are a couple of examples:

Kyolic will give you an abundant supply of garlic capsules to give to your shoppers. They also have a great supply of clinical test literature outlining some of the health and wellness research done on their product. How many shoppers may be fearful enough of garlic breath or heartburn that, even though they know of the potential health benefits from taking garlic, won’t do it? Those capsules can show them how small, how swallow-able, and how odor-free garlic can be!

Good Belly does a unique program to demonstrate the effects of its product with its “12 Day Belly Reboot.” The company is so confident that its product will have a noticeable effect in just 12 days that it has a dedicated website for consumers to track their gut health. The site has information about the active ingredients in the product written in non-technical language. Good Belly also gives coupons and offers a money-back guarantee. What a cool way to get your shoppers to take a product that helps their wellness at a foundational level – especially during cold and flu season.

Have you ever bought your child some vitamins only to find out that your children hated the taste and refused to take them once you got home? (Welcome to parenthood!) Children’s vitamins in our industry are full of quality ingredients at appropriate levels for growing bodies and minds. If, however, they need to be chewed, the taste test may trump all of the wisdom of the formulators. Thankfully, most brands will gladly send you bottles of children’s vitamins (or any chewables) so that people can try before they buy. After all, the product’s benefits are only realized after the product is taken!

The way to earn happy customers is via quality products that produce results. I am convinced that most of what we, as an industry, carry are great, well-research and well-formulated products, but with difficulties in proving that they work. Some brands, like those that I mentioned in this post, are being creative to connect with shoppers and grow loyalty. (There are many others doing the same thing, as well, but space prohibited me from highlighting more of them.)

Take advantage of tools and programs that will help your shoppers see the value promise fulfilled.