How The Vitamin Shoppe is Helping People Stay Healthy During the Coronavirus Crisis

Brought to you by WBR Insights

It still seems such a short time ago when the more cynical among us were still writing the coronavirus crisis off as another public health scare which wouldn’t come to anything. But just a short time later, the world has practically ground to a halt.

Most countries now have some form of lockdown measures in place where people are not allowed to leave their homes except for essential reasons, such as shopping for food or seeking medical help. The rules are stricter in some countries than in others, but the important thing is that the practice is working and the infection rate in those countries is beginning to slow and health services aren’t becoming overwhelmed.

Naturally, with people spending so much time indoors and unable to see friends and family, both mental and physical health is a major concern right now. This is leading many brands to step up and provide products and information which can help keep people in good shape during the crisis.

The Vitamin Shoppe

As a major provider of supplements and other health products, The Vitamin Shoppe has always had a firm focus on keeping its customers fit and well. Now, in the time of the coronavirus, that mission has taken on even greater importance for the brand.

“As we carefully traverse the current public health challenges of COVID-19, I want to assure you — on behalf of every Health Enthusiast at The Vitamin Shoppe — that we are committed to supporting our customers, colleagues, and communities during this unprecedented time,” said The Vitamin Shoppe CEO, Sharon Leite. “We believe deeply in our mission of providing trusted wellness products and expertise, especially during this extraordinary time of need, and are dedicated to helping you navigate this new and fast-moving reality.”

When the pandemic was still in its infancy and the seriousness of it was only beginning to become apparent, panic buying of certain products became widespread and people were concerned they wouldn’t be able to get certain staples necessary for a healthy diet. Thankfully, The Vitamin Shoppe had plans in place to make sure its customers could access its products throughout the crisis.

The Vitamin Shoppe’s physical locations have remained open during the pandemic, but it understands that not all its customers will be comfortable with browsing the store themselves and will rightly be concerned about social distancing. This is where the brand’s online presence comes into play. It enables customers to continue ordering their favorite products and have them delivered to their homes.

On top of this, The Vitamin Shoppe has an auto-delivery subscription service which not only helps customers make sure they receive regular deliveries of essential supplements, but also saves them 10% compared to buying them as one-off purchases.

For those customers who can get out and about, The Vitamin Shoppe is offering a curbside pickup option. Customers place their order online and arrange a collection time. When they pull up outside the store, an associate brings out their order and, to maintain social distancing, will even load it in the customer's trunk for them — the customer need not even get out of their vehicle.

“In all of our business decisions, our number one priority is to provide a safe and stable workplace for our teams, while enabling us to continue serving our loyal customers as much as the present situation allows,” continued Leite. We are following recommended sanitation guidelines from the CDC and World Health Organization, including delivering additional cleaning supplies to our stores and distribution centers, and coaching our teams on preventative measures such as regular disinfecting of store surfaces, frequent hand washing, and use of hand sanitizer when necessary.”

COVID-19 Self Care

The Vitamin Shoppe is also finding other ways to support its customers and engage with its audience during this difficult time.

Members of The Vitamin Shoppe’s Healthy Rewards program can book a free virtual consultation with a qualified nutritionist and receive invaluable advice on how to make sure they’re getting the most of their Vitamin Shoppe products and getting all the nutrients they need to stay happy and healthy. The Vitamin Shoppe is also providing free daily at-home workouts via its Instagram account to help its audience keep fit while staying in.

Final Thoughts

People and companies are coming together like never before to support one another during this crisis and we can only hope this kind of attitude persists once the danger has finally passed. If the Vitamin Shoppe is any example, it’s clear that this crisis could forever change the way brands engage their customer.

You can hear The Vitamin Shoppe’s Chief Operating Officer, Andy Laudato speak at eTail Boston 2020, being held at The Sheraton, Boston.

Please download the agenda today for more information and insights.