Account PlanFall 2013

Stephen BochniaDavid Girtman

Jessica HarrisonKimberly KlamonKemper Morton

Ning SunKarolina Tarczynska

© 2013

Table of ContentsPreface 3

Methodologies 4

Online Survey 5

In-Depth Interviews 7

Focus Group Interviews 9

Conclusions 12

Next Steps 13

Strategy 14

Definition of Problem 15

Analysis of Consumer Perceptions & Attitudes Towards Nutrishop 16

Definition of Overall Strategy 18

Media Considerations and Tactics 19

Creative Platform 21

Appendices 23

Appendix A: Verbatims 24

Appendix B: Online Survey 31

Appendix C: In-Depth Interviews & Focus Group Questions 39

2

PrefaceThe Fall 2013 Account Planning class at Florida State University has been challenged

by Professor William Smith to conduct a comprehensive account plan for the local Nu-

trishop in Tallahassee, Florida. This particular account plan was created by a team of

seven graduate students who conducted extensive market research to establish an

understanding of local Tallahassee residents’ perspective of Nutrishop, establish its

local competitors, and develop methods to improve business to Nutrishop. The re-

search methods used to conduct our data included an online questionnaire, in-depth

interviews, and two focus groups. The following account plan provides detailed re-

sults, strategies, and techniques to help position Nutrishop as the top nutrition shop

in Tallahassee.

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MethodologiesOnline Survey

In-Depth Interviews

Focus Group Interviews

Conclusions

Next Steps

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Online SurveyOur team created an online survey based on our Q&A session with Nutrishop owner

Alex Alzahalka, in-depth interviews, and discussions within our group. This online

questionnaire was designed to quickly gain a snapshot of the existing landscape be-

fore embarking on in-depth account planning research. The survey was constructed

through Google Drive, consisting of 45 questions in a combination of multiple-choice

and expository responses, a full copy of which is located in Appendix A.

These questions were designed first to gain a base knowledge of respondents’

thoughts and feelings about fitness, nutrition, and supplementation, and then probed

deeper into factors that motivated their purchases and patronage therein. The final

section was limited to those who indicated they had visited Nutrishop and asked

questions about the store’s prices, selection, and employees (among other things).

That survey was then sent out to people in the greater Tallahassee area, with 50 re-

spondents evenly split between males and females.

A majority of respondents (n=38) fell into the 18-34 age group, closely fitting Mr.

Alzahalka’s ideal customer demographic of 18-26 year olds. A plurality of those sur-

veyed (n=19) reported yearly salaries between $25,000 and $49,000, with 11 respon-

dents, mostly college-aged, reporting lower.

Key FindingsMedia:• Three-quarters of respondents (n=43) reported spending more than an hour a day

browsing the internet.

• The next largest media category was social media with 64% of respondents (n=32)

spending more than an hour a day on services such as Facebook and Twitter.

Watching T.V. was close behind, with 56% of respondents reporting spending

more than an hour a day in front of the tube.

• Reading the newspaper and listening to radio were the least popular media

among our respondents, with 75% of those surveyed spending less than an hour a

day on them.

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Exercise:• 88% of those surveyed described themselves as “moderately active,” and 94% be-

lieved that regular exercise was at least “moderately important.”

• 50% reported exercising between three and five times per week, and 64% re-

ported having a gym membership

Supplements:• 54% take supplements (38% take protein, and 40% take vitamins).

• Most popular locations for purchasing supplements were Publix (8%) and online

(18%).

• Among the qualities they look for in a supplement:‣ 42% deemed price somewhat important or very important.‣ 54% were concerned with supplement quality, ranking it somewhat or very im-

portant.‣ Convenience and friend’s recommendation were next in importance, with 44%

and 42% considering them at least somewhat important, respectively.

• 30% reported preferring to purchase supplements in-store, compared to 22% who

prefer online

Nutrishop:• 66% of respondents had never heard of Nutrishop

• Another 32% had heard of Nutrishop, but had never purchased any products‣ Word of mouth was the most apparent method of spreading the word about

Nutrishop according to 14% of respondents

• Only three respondents (6%) had ever been in Nutrishop

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In-Depth InterviewsThrough a collection of 60 in-depth interviews, our group was able to gain greater in-

sight to the habits and opinions of the target audience. These interviews involved a

range of people spanning college students, recent graduates, young professionals,

and older adults. They were conducted face-to-face in various settings such as local

gyms, cafes, and individuals’ homes. Each interview was unique but followed a similar

questionnaire to that of the online survey. The questions posed dealt mostly with per-

sonal exercise habits, supplement usage, knowledge about various supplements, and

the perceptions held of the supplement industry in general. All interviews ended by

focusing on Nutrishop and its perceived competition.

Key Findings• 75% of subjects were active to some degree, exercising an average of 2-3 days

per week.

• Health was viewed as meaning to have an overall healthy diet with some exercise

included.

• According to all supplement takers, supplements are viewed as boosters to per-

formance and are not required for health.

• Of those taking supplements who also workout, 33% were found to do so for spe-

cific needs such as runners taking vitamins and amino acids exclusively for athletic

performance, and lifters taking protein for muscle gain.

• The remaining 67% of those who both take supplements and workout, do so to

enhance their workouts.

• Among all supplement takers, vitamins are the most commonly taken supplement

closely followed by protein.

• Understanding product ingredients is important, but can be confusing and intimi-

dating. 80% of respondents found supplement information to be overwhelming.

• All respondents would like to know more about their products and which are best

to take.

• There is a general skepticism of the supplement product market and that nutrition

stores in general are viewed as scams.

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• Quality is generally the most important factor when making product purchases,

though depending on the user, price and convenience can also be just as impor-

tant.

• Word-of-mouth or friend recommendations were another important factor in mak-

ing purchases.

• Competitors mentioned: GNC, Publix, Wal-Mart, CVS, Target, Complete Nutrition,

Vitamin Shoppe, Dr. Vita, Bodybuilding.com, Amazon.com.

• GNC was found to be the main competitor, with Publix as second most men-

tioned.

• Percentage discounts and Buy-One-Get-One promotions were the most popular

incentives. Free giveaways were the least attractive promotions unanimously.

• 90% of those interviewed did not know of Nutrishop. Of the remaining 10% who

knew of Nutrishop, only half had ever visited.

• For those who are familiar with the location, the parking lot is a concern.

• Online shopping and purchasing at grocery stores were the preferred way of buy-

ing supplements.

• Word of mouth is biggest promotional tool. Among athletic supplement takers,

70% are influenced by their peers when making purchase decisions.

• To attract customers, these methods were readily accepted by those interviewed:

price matching, fitness/product challenge, discounts/loyalty program, and non-

biased onsite expert available for information and health analysis.

• Long-distance runners and athletes interviewed agreed there are not enough

products for them at nutrition stores.

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Focus Group InterviewsOur team conducted a focus group on October 23, 2013 to get better understanding

of our target audience’s opinions and views, and to see their reactions to possible

strategies. We did another on October 29, 2013 with similar questions to confirm the

findings. The first focus group was comprised of five persons from cross section of so-

ciety, three females and two males, ranging from 24 to 32 years of age. The second

group consisted of nine persons, with five females and four males aging from 23 to

28.

The question begins with inquiries about their daily health habits and preferences. It

was designed to see what nutrition supplement is in their life. Then, we discussed

their perception and experience of nutrition stores, their knowledge and interest in

this aspect, and probed into the factors contributing to their final choices, such as

quality, price and taste. Based on these general ideas and attitudes, questions then

specially addressed our brand Nutrishop. However, it was not deeply probed since

little of them had purchasing experience there.

The discussions were quite open with an attempt to gain the insight of each individ-

ual. They validated results that we got from in-depth interviews, and helped us inter-

pret these results. Key findings are as follows:

Key FindingsBrand image• Public awareness is the most important problem of Nutrishop. When talking about

nutritional supplements stores, Nutrishop did not appear in participants’ minds as

what GNC does. Actually, only three of the fourteen participants have ever heard

of it, and none of them have purchasing experience there, or know the price

matching policy of Nutrishop.

• There is not a clear image of the brand in their mind. To those who have heard of

it, Nutrishop is just a new shop, that is always empty.

• It is suggested that the slogan of the store is not inviting. Participants felt that it is

another world that they do not belong to.

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• Competitors are GNC and Vitamin Shoppe, followed by Publix, Wal-Mart, Amazon

and other supermarkets. GNC got seven of votes, and its consumers are loyal.

Usage• Even though trust is limited in the industry, most participants take or did take at

least one kind of product of nutrition supplements, mainly because they believe

they cannot reach their goals barely by exercise or balanced diet.

• The main drive of supplement usage is good looking and energetic.

• Top three supplements are multi-vitamin, protein and fish oil, which are essential

and easy to understand.

• Average amount of money spent on supplements per month is $45.

Factors• The most important factor contributing to supplement choice is quality. Price is

important too, but it was ranked at the top by only one participant.

• Participants want to be natural. They are afraid of harmful chemicals, especially

those non-FDA approved products.

• Friends’ recommendation ranked in second place of importance, because it is first-

hand knowledge based on experience, that can be trusted. But two participants

pointed out that functions of nutritional supplements are so ideographic that ex-

perience of others cannot be directly applied to themselves.

• Importance of convenience is controversial. Some participants listed it as the least

important factor. But they still partly depend on it to decide the vendor of sup-

plements according to their responses to other questions. It is understandable be-

cause the insignificance of convenience is restricted by situation. They will not care

about convenience if they are pretty sure about the high quality of the product,

which is implied in our description. But it will not always happen in the real world.

Information• Participants are overwhelmed by so much information in this field. Almost all of

them think they know little about nutritional supplements.

• Participants want more information about nutritional supplements. They don’t

want to be experts, but they need to make sure that what they are taking or going

to take is safe and right. They will not take anything that they cannot pronounce

the words on label.

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• Participants have little trust in salespersons. Most of them feel like they are being

sold to products that they don’t really need by salesmen. They doubt online re-

view, too, saying these might be written by employees of the companies or some-

one who cannot provide responsible judgment.

• Research reports published by public organizations are the most wanted and

trusted resource, followed by face to face interpretation of ingredients, because

people believe that they can judge whether salesmen are lying.

• Participants want to get information from someone who is knowledgeable, willing

to help and can provide direct response and personal advices with no personal in-

terest. In this way, trainers in gyms or pharmacists in Walgreen or CVS are better

than sales in special nutrition stores.

Promotion• Word of mouth is the most effective way to get participants to try some new prod-

ucts.

• Discounts, BOGOs and loyalty programs are most enticing for participants to go

to Nutrishop. A loyalty program would include membership, reward program and

keeping personal records.

• Free samples were suggested by some participants because they would not buy

new products until they knew it could bring positive effects. Other respondents

believed the true effects of supplements would not show up during such a short

period of trial.

• Other suggestions include in-store consultants, advertising in gyms and free T-

shirts.

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Conclusions• Nutrishop needs to create more brand awareness.

• Nutritishop does not have a strong social media presence.

• Individuals do not know there is a Nutrishop in Tallahassee or what products it of-

fers.

• The awareness of Nutrishop’s location needs to be improved.

• Patrons have mixed reviews on nutritional supplements; there are those who do

not believe in nutritional supplements while others are dedicated, habitual users.

• People have a lack of trust and knowledge in the supplement industry and do not

trust the claimed efficacy of products.

• Information sessions and third-party experts clarifying which supplements are

available, their ingredients, and how they affect the body will help build customer

relationships.

• Individuals do not know about price matching, reward programs, or special prod-

uct ordering.

• Most consumers place high importance on product quality and price. Obstacles:• Low brand awareness and exposure in the Tallahassee area

• Fighting for a competitive advantage among competitors including pharmacies,

grocery stores, online, and superstores

• There is a negative perception of nutrition store employees as purely salesmen

• People see nutrition shops as intimidating, manly, and unwelcoming

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Next Steps Based on our in-depth research, a deficiency of brand awareness, a disconnect with

the Tallahassee community, a lack of competitive advantage, and a lack of consistent

marketing strategy is keeping Nutrishop from reaching the student, athlete, and

bodybuilding demographics. Next, we will address the strategies necessary to im-

prove Nutrishop awareness and ROI.

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StrategyDefinition of Problem

Analysis of Consumer Perceptions& Attitudes Towards Nutrishop

Definition of Overall Strategy

Media Considerations & Tactics

Creative Platform

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StrategyDefinition of Problem

Analysis of Consumer Perceptions& Attitudes Towards Nutrishop

Definition of Overall Strategy

Media Considerations & Tactics

Creative Platform

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Definition of ProblemNutrishop of Tallahassee is a vitamin and nutrition store located on the corner of W.

Tennessee Street and Call Street, near the Florida State University's main campus.

However, many students and citizens of Tallahassee are unaware of the presence of

Nutrishop. Nutrishop lacks communication with potential customers in Tallahassee

noted by a limited presence in radio, television, newspapers, and social media.

Store merchandise including t-shirts, bottles, and towels have gone largely unnoticed

within the community and Nutrishop remains a secondary option to competing stores

such as GNC and Vitamin Shoppe. Nutrishop also faces severe competition from

stores like Publix, Wal-mart, and CVS. These stores as well as online shopping are the

most popular methods for purchasing nutritional supplements in Tallahassee. Many

shoppers desire to obtain nutritional information from online sources because a large

majority do not trust the recommendations of salespeople.

Additionally, a majority of those that do not use supplements have little trust in the

supplement industry and believe they receive sufficient nutrition from their food diet.

While quality and selection appear to be very important factors for choosing a store,

price is the overriding reason for where and how much shoppers buy. Nutrishop's

price matching and free product promotions are mostly unknown in Tallahassee be-

cause of a lack of awareness.

With these obstacles in mind, Nutrishop of Tallahassee must develop effective mar-

keting communications to increase awareness of the store. Nutrishop features several

strong selling points such as its location and price matching policy that can be suc-

cessful with a stronger presence in the city of Tallahassee and on Florida State Univer-

sity's campus.

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Analysis of Consumer Perceptions & Attitudes Towards NutrishopAs a generation, college students believe in a healthy lifestyle. Half of our survey par-

ticipants stated that they exercise three to five times a week. Eighty-eight percent de-

scribe themselves as moderately active. Fifty-four percent of our participants do take

supplements. Participants regard healthy as having a balance in life; meaning that

they find exercise and eating healthy equally important. A focus group participant ex-

plains healthy as “everything in moderation.”

Consumers generally have negative perceptions towards supplements and the indus-

try. There is a very low level of trust towards supplements due to the lack of commu-

nication and information between the industry and the consumer. When consumers

work out extensively, they see supplements as a necessary evil. Consumers wish they

could achieve their goals by being natural, but believe that it is just impossible.

When asked to rank features consumers look for in supplements, quality was listed as

most important. Price was ranked second-- participants expect to send an average of

$66 on supplements in the next month. Due to this price concern, the group was

highly motivated by financial offers and discounts such as a loyalty program.

Consumers have a very low level of trust in the nutrition industry which stems from a

lack of knowledge. Even consumers who take supplements, are not fully informed of

the ingredients and/or the side effects. A very exclusive number of consumers are

able to read a label and pronounce the ingredients, let alone know what they are or

understand how they work. Consumers wish they had an unbiased, trustworthy,

knowledgeable source to explain what the supplements contain and how they work,

particularly to make sure they are safe. Many participants worried about the long term

affect a supplement can have on their body. Consumers have a perception that em-

ployees at supplement stores are simply salespeople.

After conducting 51 online surveys, 60 in depth interviews, and two focus groups con-

taining 14 participants in total, six were unable to recall Nutrishop as a supplement

store in Tallahassee. There is a low level of awareness about Nutrishop. When asked

to name supplement stores in Tallahassee, popular answers included GNC or Vitamin

Shoppe. Due to convenience, students also stated Walmart, Publix, Walgreens and

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CVS, as well as internet vendors. Online shopping has a clear advantage partially be-

cause they can review products from a wide range of sources. Overall, consumers

stated that they do not feel that free merchandise will persuade them to enter the

store.

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Definition of Overall StrategyOur team has discovered two areas of improvement for Nutrishop of Tallahassee to

focus its work efforts. The first area is creating brand awareness. Nutrishop is a nation-

ally recognized chain, but in Tallahassee it lacks brand recognition and is dominated

by other nutrition supplement superstores such as GNC and BodyBuilding.com. In

order to help Nutrishop connect with the Tallahassee community, we suggest a social

media renovation. The second area of improvement is building trust with customers.

In our research we discovered many of the participants did not trust the reputation of

nutrition industry, are questionable of product ingredients, and feel pressured by store

representatives trying to sell products.

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Media Considerations and Tactics• Social media- Make each post uniquely tailored to the specific social media plat-

form. We recommend limiting automatic cross-posting from one social media ac-

count to another.‣ Facebook- Solely promote the store’s local Facebook page (instead of pointing

to the corporate page). Include links to other social media verticals. Create

check-in deals for a percentage-off discount.‣ Twitter- Stay interactive with followers and replies, keeping potential and cur-

rent customers engaged. Set milestones for followers and engagement.

Retweet fitness- and nutrition-related content from major users that is relevant

to your followers. Follow and retweet accounts like @Fitness, @TeamNutrition,

and @Nutrition_gov‣ Instagram- Post relevant and engaging photos and video promoting the store

and its products.‣ YouTube- Post informative webinars and demos once or twice a month de-

signed to educate customers on the ingredients and recommended usage of a

product.

• Email- Utilize Nutrishop’s existing customer email database in conjunction with

Nutrishop corporate to deliver information about upcoming promotions and store

events directly to customers.

• Public relations- Hire a man and a woman in their mid-late twenties to be the face

of Nutrishop around Tallahassee. Avoid hiring the “bodybuilder” type, and instead

go for more of an everyman and everywoman. Make sure their role is that of a

brand representative, not a salesman. Be on the lookout for events on FSU,

FAMU, and TCC campuses at which Nutrishop would benefit from having a pres-

ence. Establish a relationship with editors at the Tallahassee Democrat, FSView,

and The Famuan in order to get articles about Nutrishop in both papers. Contact

talk radio stations in Tallahassee to give interview segments about fitness and nu-

trition.

• Product of the month- Start a “product of the month” series, where every month

a product from the store is highlighted. Customers can learn about how the prod-

uct works, when to take it, its ingredients, its benefits, and its potential side ef-

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fects, all of which combine to create trust in the store. Each product should be

highlighted across all social media verticals.

• Sponsorships- These are a way to connect with customers outside the store.

There are monthly 5k races, CrossFit competitions, community sports teams, and

Greek life events to sponsor which will help build community relationships and

create opportunities to network with local organizations.

• Education- Create in-store product displays that describe the products and ex-

plain their ingredients. Encourage specific meal plans based on the customer’s

goals. Implement a two-week return policy for store credit if a product is not

meeting the customer’s needs.

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Creative PlatformWhen students go off to college, they either start gaining the “freshman 15”, or they

hit the gym and practice a healthy lifestyle. Parents are no longer living in close quar-

ters to cook wholesome meals for their kids and observe their diets. There are over

70,000 college students in Tallahassee. Students need a place to buy supplements

and vitamins to complement macaroni and cheese dinners. They need a place they

can trust, feel comfortable walking into, and leave feeling confident. Our account

plan serves to help develop the Nutrishop brand through an integrated marketing

communication campaign to distinguish itself as a quality nutrition and supplement

supplier in Tallahassee, specifically among college students.

The ChallengeTo increase awareness of and trust in Nutrishop of Tallahassee for health-conscious

college students in the 18-24 year old target market.

What the community thinks“I didn’t know Nutrishop existed. I haven’t been there. I’m not familiar with the Nu-

trishop chain. The slogan is intimidating. I don’t trust the supplement business and I

don’t really know much about it. There’s so much information out there I don’t know

where to start or what to look for. People who work in nutrition shops are just sales-

people who want my money, and they don’t care about my personal goals and re-

sults. I don’t want to put unnatural products into my body but it seems like that’s the

only way to achieve my goals. How will I know if what I buy is going to work? I want

to know exactly what I’m putting into myself. I’d rather buy supplements from Publix,

Walmart, or online since it’s convenient. I am more familiar with and more likely to

shop at nutrition store chains like GNC or Vitamin Shoppe.”

What we want them to thinkNutrishop employees have intimate knowledge of what products they are selling, and

they can suggest what is good for my personal lifestyle and goals. They really en-

gage with their customers on social media and keep people in the loop as to what is

going on in the store with promotions and new products. I feel comfortable when I

walk in a store. The workers care more about my well-being than what and how much

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I buy. Their prices are competitive with their price matching, so I can afford it. I feel

like I have a better, more personal relationship with people there than others like Vi-

tamin Shoppe and GNC. I can buy something and leave knowing the products aren’t

harmful to me because they educated me on the product.

Compelling Idea• Unparalleled product knowledge- the employees undergo rigorous training, and

the customer will understand everything about what's in a product before buying

it

• Will beat any competitor's price- either from a physical location or online

• Student discounts and loyalty programs- rewarding a customer's trust and patron-

age

• Invested in every customer's overall health and success

ToneBe informative- actively listen and solve problems for the customer. Be conversa-tional- speak the customer's language. Be invested- make the customer's goals your

priority. Be approachable- put the customer at ease. Be energetic- provide an up-

beat, motivational atmosphere.

Resulting Idea• Position Nutrishop of Tallahassee as a welcoming, knowledgeable place to help

you achieve your health and fitness goals.

• Define Nutrishop’s competitive advantage as offering the best prices via price

matching, loyalty programs, and student discounts in order to establish a loyal cus-

tomer base.

• Connect with consumers through social media, email, and local sponsorships.

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AppendicesAppendix A: Verbatims

Appendix B: Online Survey

Appendix C: In-Depth andFocus Group Questions

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Appendix A: VerbatimsAge Group 18-24• Why do you take nutritional supplements?

• Because my mom insists that I don't get any vitamins in my diet...

• I take an iron supplement when I remember because I am a vegetarian and not sure if I

am getting enough nutritional iron, particularly to support my triathlon training. It also

contains B12 which vegetarians are sometimes deficient in.

• I take supplements because I've noticed that as a busy, frugal college student I tend to

not eat complete balanced meals. I might just eat chicken nuggets for dinner and no

vegetables or fruit.

• For improved health and to supplement my diet so that gym hours go to their full po-

tential.

• I have a Vitamin D and Vitamin C deficiency, so I use vitamins to supplement that.

• Creatine, weight gainer

• Added nutrition.

• What made you choose these supplements?• Wanting to make sure that my diet isn't lacking in any vitamins/promote bone health

because I don't consume a lot of dairy products

• Vegetarian source of iron.

• To make up for foods I am not eating.

• Doctor's recommendations, friend's recommendations

• Price

• Online reviews

• Better performance.

• Why do you prefer to buy products online/in store?

• I don't usually think ahead to buy online, although it would probably be cheaper

• No shipping costs.

• I like the convenience of browsing all my options in front of me and then being able to

have the one I choose immediately.

• Generally cheaper products, less hassling from sales people

• I like to have them when I need them. I don't like to wait.

• I prefer to look at what I'm buying before it buy it. I rarely buy anything online.

• I hate waiting for things to ship

• Read the labels and get all the information.

• Please describe your attitude towards nutritional supplements.

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• As far as I know, either excessive, unnecessary, or actually harmful. Never needed to

take them, and never intend to.

• Slightly positive. Most are probably unnecessary with a healthful diet, but on the whole I

think they can't hurt if taken properly.

• I generally think it's much better to get the appropriate nutrients through diet and that

people shouldn't use supplements in place of trying to eat a balanced diet.

• sometimes useful but expensive

• Neutral.

• I think they are beneficial in moderation. If you are getting enough vitamins and proteins

from your diet you probably don't need supplements. I wouldn't take more than maybe

2 different supplements a day.

• They are for meatheads.

• Most of the time your diet should supply you with the proper nutrients to function, so

why take supplements unless you have a deficiency?

• It really depends on the person's goals and current lifestyle. I personally advocate the

use of whey protein powder for anyone who feels that they lack the essential protein

count for their fitness regiment. I have tried a pre-workout supplement a few times in

the past as an experiment. Although I did feel an adrenaline rush shortly after taking the

supplement, it did not feel natural to me and the increased heart rate personally turned

me off from continuing to use it. I'm sure other people would be satisfied with it, so I'm

sure it varies from person to person.

• I don't know much about supplements beyond whey protein and pre-workout supple-

ments.

• They are an important part of my diet

• I think they can be very beneficial. Especially in the society we live in, where we don't

always eat the right foods.

• Personally, I would never use them.

• Nutritional supplements can be healthy and helpful especially for those who participate

in rigorous physical activity. However, I find some athletes use nutritional supplements

excessively. It is also important to be informed on what you are taking because nutri-

tional supplements may not always be as healthy as they seem.

• I don't care for them. Too much to think about, not enough money.

• They are fine for people who need them. If i knew I needed something then I would be

all for it. Many people go too crazy over supplements that they don't need or could eas-

ily be replaced by a healthy diet.

• If you can afford them, they're a plus; never a must.

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• Positive

• Why don’t you take nutritional supplements?• no

• I always forget to take it after I buy one

• I do not know enough about nutritional supplements in order to actually take them. I

prefer a nutritional meal rather than nutritional products.

• Don't need them. I dont think they're necessary to be healthy.

• I am not knowledgeable enough to decide what supplements are best for me. Also,

most of them seem too good to be true, so I'm a bit skeptical.

• I used to take whey protein powder, but I wanted to stop to go for the "all natural"

route because of financial and personal reasons. As a typical graduate student, I'm fru-

gal when it comes to managing a budget. Plus, I want to feel more accomplished when I

meet my fitness goals without the help of any supplements. It was another way for me

to set tougher goals to better motivate myself mentally and physically.

• I believe eating good, fresh food is better for you.

• Because I eat a nutritionally balanced meal for all I know.

Age Group 25-34• Why do you take nutritional supplements?

• to stay healthy

• For physical fitness and overall well being.

• To supplement my diet.

• To supplement my diet

• Increase performance in athletic endeavors

• Get added vitamins/nutrients. Also take probiotic

• To increase fitness performance and supplement dietary needs

• Overall health

• To gain results in a shorter amount of time than without the supplements

• To help boost my metabolism

• Boost performance and results

• What made you choose these supplements?• For the exact reason their name implies.

• Price/flavor

• Personal Preference, goals.

• high quality/advertising

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• Reviews, word of mouth

• digestion

• Proven safety and performance

• Brand

• Suggestions from my trainer

• Did research on the product

• Based off my knowledge of the effects from a professional standpoint.

• Why do you prefer to buy products online/in store?• If i have questions I want them answered

• Its easy and I can do research at my own pace.

• Instant gratification.

• Convenience

• Whatever is most convenient and effective.

• easy of use, compare prices

• Easier to compare products and usually better prices

• Able to read reviews

• I feel like I'm able to have better interaction with people knowledgeable on the topic.

• I can research the product on my own time and don't have to worry about trying to be

sold something I do not want.

• Personally able to see quantity, more information. Not just looking at an image on a

screen.

• Please describe your attitude towards nutritional supplements.• Unsure. I think some are hogwash and don't help, and some have actually been found

to be dangerous. Its not part of my lifestyle so I tend to stay away from it.

• i think some people use too many and it's overkill, if you're young and healthy and exer-

cise you really don't need to take a handful of pills a day. a couple vitamins here and

there are good for you though

• I generally think they are a help for anyone wanting to take them. However, you still

need to exercise for it to be worth spending money on them. Supplements don't work

by themselves.

• Positive. They are great to supplement areas of my diet that I'm not getting sufficient

nutrients.

• neutral, not a bad thing

• Positive

• I think protein is essential therefore important.

• feel good about them

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• Impartial

• Skeptical. Not sure which ones will actually benefit my body.

• Needs to prove safety and performance since there isn't regulatory oversight.

• Hard to distinguish facts from opinions sometimes.

• Might work for some people but not for me.

• I'm fine with them as long as they don't make you a crazy person.

• Positive attitude if the product has been researched and has shown positive results long

and short term with negative affects.

• Neutral to favorable

• Recommend them highly.

• Why don’t you take nutritional supplements?• I'm not trying to be super muscular or trying to compete at a high athletic level.

• i don't think i need to take nutritional supplements

• I find it difficult to figure out which supplements are actually beneficial and not the cur-

rent fad.

• I feel they are ineffective and laden heavily with caffeine. Also, their statements are not

FDA approved. Most nutruients can be obtained with a healthy diet.

• Because I don't want to.

• Lack of research. Too many variables.

Age Group 35-44• Why do you take nutritional supplements?

• To make up the nutrition that might lose relatively easily at my age.

• recovery, gaps in nutrition

• BCAA

• for better recovery

• What made you choose these supplements?• The instructions on the supplements.

The medical professionals' reviews

The customers' recommendation or reviews

The brand

• advertisements/ word of mouth

• I do my own research from peer reviewed, long term published research. I have access

to all Medical and Sports Journals from FSU Medical School. So I read a lot.

• research

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• Why do you prefer to buy products online/in store?• I have a full time job, so it is convenient for me to purchase the nutritional products on-

line.

• "most in store advice sucks online i can read and research at my leisure. then choose

what i want"

• More options and cheaper

• convenience, price.

• Please describe your attitude towards nutritional supplements.• See previous answer - they aren't real... I'd rather eat healthy and natural

• I do not depend on the nutritional supplements and still take in vegetable, fruits, nuts

and other foods. I attempt to use the nutritional supplements to make up the potential

loss of the necessary nutrition at my age.

• I think they are fine and great for some people, but I just don't feel like I need them.

• definitely a place for a lot of them, still some are snake oil

• I don;t take them if I don't absolutely have to. I try to get everything from food. Only

tale supplements for very important essentials.

• most are crap. Some are effective.

• I personally think they are not needed for myself. I do see the benefit for others.

• I believe that if you eat a well balanced meal you do not need a lot of the supplements

that are out there. However, some are definitely needed to boost you up when needed.

• Im fine with it.. again.. I don't like to swallow a pill

• Why don’t you take nutritional supplements?• I prefer to be healthy without 'fake' things

• I take a multi-vitaimin and try to eat healthy and I feel like that is enough

• I started but then stopped.

• I do off and on. I see a nutritionist when I am in training for a race but I tend to not take

all the supplements when I am not training.

• Haven't really thought about what would be the best thing to take, and I cant stand tak-

ing any type of pill... unless it is chewable

Age Group 45-54• Why do you take nutritional supplements?

• Recovery and to build strength.

• What made you choose these supplements?• Optimal health, stay young, lose weight

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• Crossfit Community advertising

• Why do you prefer to buy products online/in store?• It's just easier for me and also, I'm impatient.

• No shipping costs, quicker access.

• Please describe your attitude towards nutritional supplements.• I don't care about them, and don't buy them

• I try to keep them somewhat natural. I hate artificial sweeteners in them.

• Why don’t you take nutritional supplements?• I don't need any - I just eat food

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Appendix B: Online Survey Questions

Name: ________________________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________________

1.) Age

o Under 18

o 18-24

o 25-34

o 35-44

o 45-54

o 55-64

o 65 or Above

2.) Gender

o Male

o Female

3.) Marital Status

o Single

o Married

o Widowed

o Divorced

o Separated

4.) Ethnicity

o Caucasian

o Black/African American

o Hispanic, Latino, Spanish

o American Indian

o Asian

o Other _______________________

5.) In what part of Tallahassee do you live?

____________________________

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6.) What best describes your level of education?

o High school graduate or equivalent

o Trade or Vocational degree

o Associate degree

o Bachelor's degree

o Graduate or professional degree

o Prefer not to answer

If in college, what major?

_____________________________________________________

7.) What best describes your employment status? (Please check all that apply)

o Employed full-time

o Employed part-time

o Not employed

o Retired

o Student

o Homemaker

o Prefer not to answer

8.) Household income

o < $10,000

o $11,000 - $24,999

o $25,000 - $49,999

o $50,000 - $74,999

o $75,000 - $99,999

o $100,000 - $149,999

o >$150,000

9.) In a typical day, how much time do you spend doing each of the following:

None < 1 hour 1-2 hours 3-4 hours > 4 hours

Watching TV

Listening to the radio

Reading magazines

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None < 1 hour 1-2 hours 3-4 hours > 4 hours

Reading the newspaper

Browsing the Internet

Social Net-working online

10.) How physically healthy are you?

o Extremely healthy

o Very healthy

o Moderately healthy

o Slightly healthy

o Not at all healthy

11.) How important is exercise to you?

o Extremely important

o Very important

o Moderately important

o Slightly important

o Not at all important

12.) In a typical week, how many times do you exercise?

___________________

13.) What do you most often do for exercise? (Select all that apply)

o Lift weights

o Walk

o Run

o Hike

o Swim

o Dance

o Aerobics

o Pilates

o Play a team sport

o Other (please specify)

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__________________________

14.) Do you have a gym membership?

o Yes

o No

If Yes to the above question please indicate which gym you have a membership

_________________________________________

15.) Do you take nutritional supplements now?

o Yes

o No

Please describe why? or why not?

16.) If NO, please jump to Q24.

If Yes to the above question please select which supplement you take (Select all that apply)

o Protein

o Pre Workout

o Post Workout

o Weight Loss

o Repair/Recovery

o Muscle Optimizers

o Testosterone Boosters

o Weight Gain

o Vitamins

o Others

17.) Please list the vendors where you buy these supplement.

_________________________________________________

18.) Why do you choose them?

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19.) Below are a list of features that are part of choosing a nutrition supplement. If you were

looking to purchase supplements, how important would each feature be to you?

Not at Extremely

all Important Important

1 2 3 4 5Price ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Quality ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Brand Name ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Convenience ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Friend Recommendation

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

20.) How much do you spend in nutrition products in an average month?

__________________________

21.) Please indicate when you last purchased a nutrition product?

o 0-3 months ago

o 3-6 months ago

o 6-12 months ago

o 12-24 months ago

o 24+ months ago

22.) Please indicate the types of products you may be interested in purchasing or learning

more about

o Protein

o Pre Workout

o Post Workout

o Weight Loss

o Repair/Recovery

o Muscle Optimizers

o Testosterone Boosters

o Weight Gain

o Vitamins

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23.) Do you prefer to buy nutritional products online or in the store?

(Please explain why?)

24.) Please describe your attitude towards nutrition shops

25.) Have you heard/seen advertising for any nutrition shops in town?

o Yes

o No

26.) If YES to the previous question what kind of advertising have you seen? and for which

shops?

27.) Would promotions encourage you to go to Nutrishop in town?

o Yes

o No

28.) If Yes to the previous question, which promotions would be most effective for you? Rank

top three

o Free t-shirt

o Free shaker cup

o Percentage discount

o Bulk/bundle discounts

o Buy one product get the second product half off

o Free samples

o Loyalty program

29.) How familiar are you with the Nutrishop?

o I've never heard of them

o I've heard of them, but never buy their products

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o I buy their products occasionally

o I buy their products on a regular basis

30.) If you know about Nutrishop, how did you hear about it?

o Social Media

o Radio

o Print Ads

o Word of Mouth

o Other

__________________________________

31.) Have you been into the NutriShop?

o Yes

o No

(IF NO TO THIS QUESTION, YOU ARE DONE WITH THE SURVEY. THANK YOU)

32.) If Yes to the above question what products did you buy at the NutriShop?

o Protein

o Pre Workout

o Post Workout

o Weight Loss

o Repair/Recovery

o Muscle Optimizers

o Testosterone Boosters

o Weight Gain

o Vitamins

33.) Please indicate your overall perception of Nutrishop.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral AgreeStrongly Agree

The physical facilities at this store are visu-ally appealing

The store's layout makes it easy to find what I need

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Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral AgreeStrongly Agree

The store provides its services at the time it promises to do so

The store gives cus-tomers individual at-tention

The store willingly handles returns and exchanges

Employees are able to handle customer complaints directly and immediately

The store has plenty of convenient parking

The store has operat-ing hours convenient to all their customers

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Appendix C: In-Depth Interviews & Focus Group QuestionsFocus Group Questions

1. I would like to begin by going around the table and asking each of you to tell us a lit-

tle about yourself, where you work, what you're in school for, and where you're from.

I’ll start- My name’s dave, etc

2. What do you do in your free time?

3. Would you consider yourself an active person?

● How important is exercise to you?

● in a typical week how often do you exercise?

4. When you think about “good health” what comes to mind?

5. What does the word "nutrition" mean to you?

6. When I say sports nutrition and weight loss superstore what comes to mind?

7. How much do you trust the supplement industry? Effective? Snake oil? Somewhere in

between?

8. What motivates you to stay healthy? Please explain

9. Is exercise or nutrition more important to you when trying to stay healthy? Why?

10. Where do you get information about nutritional supplements?

11. Is there any nutritional information that you have found confusing or unclear in the

past? (Is there any uncertainty about the supplements you take or the exercise you do)

12. How educated do you feel you are about nutrition supplements?

● Where did you learn this information?

13. What nutrition information would you be interested in receiving or find useful to re-

ceive? How would you want to find out more? (emails, face-to-face, product reviews?)

14. For those of you who take nutritional supplements please explain what you take and

why?

a. How important is it for you to try a supplement before you buy it? Why?

15. For those of you who DO NOT take nutritional supplements please explain why not?

a. Would you be open to taking supplements/vitamins? What would make you try

them?

16. For those of you who buy supplements how much would you say you spend a month

on products?

17. Below is a list of product features please put this in order of most important to least

important

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a. Price

b. Quality

c. Brand Name

d. Convenience

e. Taste

f. Friend Recommendation

18. For those of you who take nutritional supplements where do you buy your products?

19. What made you choose this supplier?

20. What nutrition shops do you know of in Tallahassee?

21. Can any of you please describe how you seen/heard/read any advertising for sports

nutrition shops in Tallahassee?

22. Have any of you heard of the Nutrishop?

23. Have you purchased anything there? Describe what you products you bought at the

NutriShop?

24. Please describe your experience at the NutriShop?

a. (if they don’t mention it) Did you feel the staff was knowledgeable about their

products?

b. How comfortable did you feel in the store?

25. What kind of promotion would make you more likely to go into NutriShop? BOGO?

%age off? Reward program? Free items?

26. Would you be interested in doing a 30-day challenge where you use a supplement

and track your progress through the month?

In-Depth Interview QuestionsDemographics/ psychographics:

● Sex:

● Marital status:

● Age:

● Student class level:

● How many hours do you go to class or work weekly?

Ascertain level:● Do you work out?

● What level of fitness are you at?

● Where do you work out?

● What type of workout do you do (Body building, running, group fitness classes, Cross-

fit, recreational sports)

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● How long have you been doing this type of work out?

● What stage of fitness are you in? (Frequency)

● What are your fitness goals? Long term and short term?

● What motivates you to work out? Doing a class or do you have self motivation

● How educated are you about fitness?

● What motivates you?

● Are you using apps, blogs, etc?

● How much do peers influence you?

● What is your knowledge of nutrition?

● Do you take supplements?

If you are taking supplements:● Where do you purchase your supplements? Why do you purchase it there?

● How much research do you put into supplements before you go into the store?

● Where are people getting their information?

● Why are taking supplements? To gain muscles, loss weight, general health?

● Do you look at Internet review about certain products?

● How much are you willing to spend if you knew you were getting a safe product?

● Does the level of quality product affect your price decision? Why?

● Are you more likely to buy a "stack"?

● Are you currently using anything?

● What type of supplements?

● Are you interested in adding anything into your routine?

● What would entice you to switch brands?

● Do you or would you watch webinars? Why?

● Do you require multiple testimonials from multiple people before trying. Or recom-

mendations.

● How much research do you do prior to entering a store?

● Do you follow any fitness pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social media

sites? Which ones? Why those?

● Are you a victim of the freshman 15?

● How much are you worried about side effects from the products you are taking?

● Females only:

● Do you look for products that are specific for women?

● Are you more likely to use products just for women?

If you are not taking supplements:

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● Do people think their eating habits are enough?

● Have you ever considered taking supplements? Why? Why not?

● Are you satisfied with your current level of fitness?

● How hard do you think it is to get in shape?

● Does lifting weights make females big?

● Do you think weights or supplements only meant for men?

● What are the negative connotations you have toward fitness?

● What would persuade you to take supplements?

● Do you think the supplement industry is a scam?

● How much trust do you have in the industry?

● Do you think supplements are too expensive? Why?

Narrow:● Can you name any nutrition shops in the area?

● Which one do you think is most reliable?

● Are you loyal to a specific store and their store brand?

● How important is location to you? Does your transportation issues affect what store

you go to?

● Would free merchandise entice you to visit a store? T-shirts? Towels? Shakers? Water

bottles?

● How much do discounts encourage you to buy a product?

● Is it important to test a product before purchase? Why?

● How much would fitness challenge motivate you to stay on a workout routine? What

type of challenge?

● Do you feel intimidated by the amount of information available? Why?

● Does the physical appearance of the employees/sales person affect their credibility/

reliability on knowledge?

● Would you rather get advice from the Internet or from an employee?

● Would you trust a referral program?

● How much do you trust the label?

● Would you visit a store just for the knowledge?

● How do you want to receive promotion? (Email, flyers, social media, etc?)

Nutrishop Narrow

● Have you heard of Nutrishop? (If yes, continue. If not, stop here.)

● Have you ever been to Nutrishop? (If yes, continue. If not, stop here.)

● How did you first find out about it?

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● Do you believe the employees are knowledgeable?

● Do you see them as salespeople who are just trying to make a sale?

● What is your general feeling about Nutrishop?

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