Any savvy online shopper knows, there’s much more to a good deal than just a great price.
Will I be notified if my item is not in stock?
How easy is it for me to cancel my order or exchange for a comparable item?
If I have a problem and need to call, will there be a live person on the other end who speaks my language and knows how to help?
The effective Lab Manager aims for wise spending of money with minimal time lost troubleshooting orders.
While Big Box store lab supply companies position themselves as one-stop solutions for everything a research lab needs, there is a healthy online marketplace where smart shoppers go for routine lab consumables and equipment, and to discover novel items that larger lab suppliers tend to bury inside their cavernous catalogs.
The challenge is figuring out which pretty website represents a legitimate, hard-working company and which is a drop-shipping opportunist looking to make a few bucks with very little “skin in the game.”
There may be plenty of reasons to get upset with the Big Box store lab supply companies, but at least most people have a deep sense of trust in their name and brand.
Here are a few helpful clues to quickly build trust and confidence in an online laboratory supplier you might not have head of before.
1. They post testimonials and independently verified reviews over which they have no control to manage or manipulate.
These days anybody can write reviews and attribute them to fake people or hide behind meaningless abbreviations.
Look for named reviews with depth that describe an experience in more detail than: “Arrived on time, just as described. C.K.”
The best customer testimonials and reviews explain how the shopper came with a need/problem and how the company successfully addressed the issue.
At Stellar Scientific we contract with TrustPilot to collect and publish our reviews.
Not every one of them is as good as we wish or know we could be, but with over 114 five-star reviews, we know we’re doing plenty right.
2. Their ordering/shipping and returns policies are easy to locate and written in simple terms.
If you have to comb through technical legal language written in 10-point font size or smaller, chance are this seller doesn’t have the capital to address customer issues and will find every which way to weasel out of accepting responsibility.
3. The website was designed with UX (user experience) in mind. Which should include:
Categories that are logically organized and easy to understand
Lots of (accurate) photos and pictures
Product details and descriptions written to educate so the user can purchase with confidence
A live chat box staffed with product experts ready to answer any question.
A robust account management back-office and software for the bleary-eyed lab manager who needs to place an order or re-order from their list of favorites at all hours of the night.
You will find all these features and many more at Stellar Scientific.
Our goal is to create an online shopping experience superior to any other. Spend some time with us and see for yourself why we say:
You have many choices where to buy lab supplies, but only one of them is stellar!