Buyer’s guide: supplement labels, shipping and returns

Before ordering, match the product listing to the package you want: ingredient, format and container size. Read a legible label, then check the order terms. If the label image is missing or too small to read, request one through the contact page.

Compare labels on the same basis

The FDA’s consumer label information explains the Supplement Facts panel and Other Ingredients list. Read both. A front-label amount needs context: check whether it refers to the container or to one labeled serving.

• Copy the serving size and amount per serving, keeping the printed units.
• Check the ingredient names and their stated sources. Read the full list for sweeteners, flavorings and materials used in capsules or gummies.
• Read allergen statements and package warnings. Ask about any unclear declaration before ordering.
• Check servings per container when comparing different package sizes. Divide the container price by that figure for cost per labeled serving.

The FDA’s nutrition labeling guide explains that % Daily Value relates an amount in a serving to an established reference value. Some ingredients have no established Daily Value. A proprietary blend may state a total blend weight without disclosing each component’s amount; that total cannot tell you an individual component’s quantity.

For fiber ingredients, use the fiber comparison alongside the package label. The health and supplement guides provide further reading about ingredients.

Read testing claims carefully

If a listing mentions a test or quality seal, ask for the supporting information for that product. Check which product or batch the document identifies, what was measured and who issued it. The NIH consumer guide explains that quality seals do not guarantee safety or effectiveness. A seal alone does not answer a personal suitability question.

Check shipping before ordering

Read the shipping policy for the destination and delivery information relevant to your order. Check any shipping charge and delivery estimate shown during ordering. If the information is absent or conflicts with the listing, ask through the contact page before proceeding.

• Confirm whether the destination is covered.
• Distinguish time before dispatch from time in transit.
• Ask how tracking or a delayed delivery would be handled.

Read refund and return conditions

Check the refund and returns policy before opening or returning a package. Look for the request deadline, the condition an item must be in and any exclusions. Ask who pays return postage and how to request return instructions if those details are unclear.

For other order conditions, read the terms and conditions. Save the order confirmation and the terms you relied on so that an order question can refer to the same information.

Ask a specific product or order question

Use the contact page with the listing link and package size. For an existing order, include the order reference and explain the issue. For example: “The label image does not show the Other Ingredients list. Can you provide a readable image for this package?”

Keep compound education separate from purchases

The compound guide is a reading resource. A profile or regulatory description is not a product listing, a purchase recommendation or evidence that a compound is available from this catalog. Do not use an educational profile as a route to buy prescription-only, investigational or unapproved compounds.

FDA does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before sale, as explained in its consumer questions and answers. A catalog entry or supplement label does not establish personal suitability. Discuss that question with a healthcare professional.