Starting a supplement company?

**Dedicated37** · 05-08-2010 09:40 PM

I have always wanted to start up a supplement company. I have a great name for it that I have been thinking about. I really don't know how I would go about starting up a supplement company thought. Does anyone have more information in regards to this industry and how one would get into it?

**jrod31** · 05-08-2010 10:22 PM

what type of supplrments? do you trained or know about nutrition....they have several well known sites that are cheap..

**Dedicated37** · 05-08-2010 10:24 PM

Sports nutrition supplements. I am not educated in nutrition to the extent where I could formulate a product. I am a businessmen/ marketer.

What are these well known sites?

Thanks

**jrod31** · 05-09-2010 12:07 AM

the have several website like bodybuilding. com they sell supplements at good prices.... i know a guy that trained at the gym i goto and he sells alot of products like proteins...etc. ive seen him grow .... now people call him and refer him for supplements... he also started to hit other gyms....i also have a friend that started a supplement online store and he was always competing with other sites in prices... so i compared the both and the guy at the gym makes more profit and more business.... so i think that online might be more competitive ...... am not saying it cannot be done either....

**Dedicated37** · 06-10-2010 06:17 PM

I find the online supplement store business is very hard to get into because it is so competitive. Bodybuilding.com has the best prices / shipping by far because they have the member base to do so.

**JKansas** · 06-10-2010 07:46 PM

I have no personal experience on the business side but I have been on the consumer side. In my opinion a lot of consumers think GNC is overpriced are generally understaffed. If you want to start a storefront make sure you're not so near someone that you price yourself out of business. I know there are cheaper alternatives online, but i go to a local supplement store. He offeres sincere advice and genuinely wants to help me as a customer. It would take some time to build a customer base unless you can afford a large marketing campaign. Even then word of mouth and customer service are going to keep people coming to you and not going online.

i would also think it would be a good idea to meet local gym owners/trainers and spread your cards/names/coupons/other matierals. I think it would be a very cost effective way to build a customer base.

Also, since you have a good name, make sure you spread it every chance you get! Seek out larger 5k benefit and cancer society runs and pay to have your logo added to the shirt. Unlike donating (which can be capped) it become a fully deductible marketing expense. It goes to a good cause and get's your name and logo to your target customers. win win!

**JerseyMVP** · 06-11-2010 01:36 AM

Hey,

I recently got the same idea. I have already filed my business license with the state and signed up with some supplement distributors. I am just trying to get a site together. Maybe we could partner up?

I can't PM on here yet I don't think but my email is john.jennings at ymail.com

Good luck!

**rogercbryan** · 12-30-2010 03:38 PM

Oy... you all are a few years to late on this one. There is so much regulation on this industry now. You had so many crooks enter into this in the early 2000's that they ruined it for everyone else. The liability insurance alone makes the barrier to entry near impossible for a small start-up.

The only option in all this is drop shipping for a major supplier. In this case though the competition is so strong and the margins so thin that you'll need to be an SEO Guru to get a site ranking to make money. You won't do it with PPC.