Health supplement use has never been more popular than it is today. In fact, since the 1970s, there’s been a 40% increase in supplement use in adults 50 and older, and a 23% increase in adults younger than 50. In 2019, the supplement market was valued at $163 billion — and it’s forecasted to grow exponentially over the next few years.
As a supplement eCommerce retailer, this is great news for you. But who exactly is buying these supplements online? Where can you find them? And how can you get them to your site? Keep reading to learn about why people buy health supplements online, as well as the top three demographics of online supplement buyers.
Why do people buy health supplements online?
No matter who your audience is, the most common reason that people buy supplements online is because they’re experiencing some kind of pain, ache or health problem and they want to feel better. Other popular reasons that people buy/take supplements are to ensure that they get the recommended amount of vitamins, improve their energy levels, boost their immune system, improve any digestive issues and/or to lower their cholesterol.
In addition, a growing number of people are turning to health supplements because they don’t feel that they receive the right nutrients in their food alone. As a result, they try supplements in the forms of vitamins, minerals, botanicals and more. Many choose to buy them online because it’s quick, easy, convenient and doesn’t require a trip to the store.
What are the top three demographics of online health supplements buyers?
There’s a wide variety of people who buy health supplements online. According to our research, here are three of the top demographics:
1. Women 60+ in the United States
In a nationwide survey, 49% of adults in the US say that they take health supplements. This group is made up of mostly women (54%), although men are beginning to take more supplements as time goes on. In addition, results of the survey also show that supplement use increases with age. In the age group of 20 to 39, 34% of people took supplements. In the age group of 40 to 59, it was 50%. And in the age group of 60+, 67% say they buy/take supplements.
Where you can find this demographic elsewhere: When looking at where you can find this top demographic (women 60+) online, many are visiting dating sites, retirement living sites, travel sites, AARP’s website and Facebook. Advertising your online supplement store on any of these sites will definitely yield some valuable results.
2. People 60+ with health insurance
Of all Americans without health insurance, 31% say they buy their supplements online. However, of all Americans with health insurance, 53% say they buy their supplements online. That’s largely because more and more people are taking a personal, vested interest in their health and consider themselves to be digitally savvy. As a result, they’re looking for medications and supplements online vs. in a doctor’s office.
Where you can find this demographic elsewhere: For starters, this audience can be found on many different health insurance websites, such as Anthem, United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna and more. In addition, this audience frequently visits retirement websites and websites about aging. Advertising your eCommerce store in these places is a great idea.
3. People who report high levels of exercise
When people who rarely exercise were surveyed, 43% of them say they buy supplements online. However, when people who report high levels of exercise were surveyed, 56% of this group say they buy supplements online.
Where you can find this demographic elsewhere: Not surprisingly, this demographic is all over websites featuring topics such as gyms, health, fitness, weight loss and stress management. Getting a catchy banner ad and/or a short blog post about your supplement eCommerce store on any of these types of websites will inevitably increase the traffic to your site — and then increase your sales.
Conclusion
When you’re trying to acquire new customers, finding them where they are online is key. It’s the first step to getting them familiar with your eCommerce store before their interest is piqued and they land on your site’s beloved “Shop” page.
At InteractOne, we work closely with our clients to find these audiences and then increase the high-converting traffic to their own sites. To learn more about how we can help your company, contact us today.
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