Ecommerce / news
iHerb Survey Finds 54% of Online Supplement Shoppers Worry About Counterfeits
A new iHerb survey conducted with YouGov found that 54% of online supplement buyers are concerned about counterfeit products, prompting brands and retailers to tighten their vetting criteria in a fast-growing wellness market.
The survey of 2,796 U.S. adults was fielded from September 17 to September 21 and released this month by iHerb, the California-based online retailer of health supplements. Just over half of respondents said they are worried about fake products entering the supplement supply chain as marketplace sales of vitamins and wellness goods climb.
The concern extends beyond supplements. Roughly 74% of consumers say they have bought counterfeit goods at some point, either knowingly or unknowingly, according to a survey by Michigan State University's A-CAPP Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection. Counterfeit vitamins and dietary supplements are described as eroding shopper confidence and forcing retailers and brands to strengthen the standards they apply to sellers.
iHerb was founded in 1996 as an online seller of health supplements and now carries thousands of products spanning wellness, beauty and grocery. Chief revenue officer Hyeyoung Moon said the company had tracked counterfeit supplement problems through its international customers, having found early cross-border traction in Asia, where knockoff supplements are more widespread.
Moon said U.S. shoppers have largely been insulated from counterfeit goods in the past, but the growth of online marketplaces has lowered barriers for sellers. The findings point to a trust challenge for the wellness sector as demand for supplements and health products continues to rise online.