Reflex Nutrition Customer focused or Price Controlling? You decide

Posted on 16th May 2010 @ 6:06 PM

Last month a number of online retailers where handed with an ambiguous T&C document by Reflex Nutrition which, if we did not fall under or comply with resulted in all products being pulled from your web site.

On my travels I have had some really interesting discussions with other online retailers who have also informed me that the so called T&C's did not fall inside European law. Whether this is true or not is another matter, all I know is that we received the same T&C's they where all discussing.

Within the terms it stated that you had to have a retail facility outwith that of an online store, fair enough, but seems pretty pointless seen as the majority of their stockists are predominantly online retailers.

I informed Reflex that my commercial premises had the correct consent and that we did in excess of £2k per week from our retail environment, I was then told by Karl Shwick head of UK sales that this was not good enough and that it had to be high street premises.

I stated I had no intention of opening a shop any time soon and in the coming weeks had a notice served on me to remove all Reflex items from my online store, even after spending on average of £5k per month over a 3 year period.

What is strange in this entire process is that it was all (discount supplement retailers) who got the notice and T&C's that I am sure if challenged would not stand and fall outside UK/EU restrictive trading legislation's, but hey who am I to state the obvious.

All I know is that online consumers are now paying around £32.99/£34.99 for a tub of reflex instant whey which my store had on sale for £28.99, now that doesn't seem very consumer focused does it Reflex?

Reflex have a great product range for that there is no doubt, but what really annoys me in any industry is when a company starts to believe its own hype, a company that is run in the UK and who's net profit would not dent the marketing fund of BSN, yet they are strutting about now throwing back the sales and loyalty that has built their very brand from the grass routes, FYI Reflex those numbers your crunching are mostly generated by online retailers and (our) consumers.

At a time when consumer do not really want to be paying over the odds for protein etc REFLEX Nutrition has stepped up and made sure that you do, Reflex have made sure that you dance to the beat of their drum and buy from whoever they want you to buy from.

In my opinion, I will never let any brand dictate to my consumers and as a consumer myself this tactic borders on appalling and exploitative in every word.

I for one will never buy or use a Reflex Nutrition product again even if they offered me a machine that printed ten pound notes for five pounds as a FREE gesture.

Reflex Nutrition stated that they as a company where running at capacity and to fulfill such capacity they would need a new factory, more staff, logistics etc, isn't that what people are in business for? I though that business was all about growth and demand.

Obviously Reflex Nutrition likes the idea of not expanding but instead milking their customers for more margin and in the process decided to burn the marketeers at the stakes in the face of margin.

Well Reflex we have NEWS for you, consumers will know you for what you are very soon. Online retailers already know what you are all about and the so called Ethos you chant are nothing like the factual motives that lies under the HYPE that (Reflex Nutrition believe) is Reflex Nutrition.

I have 3 letters for you Reflex "BSN" follow the leader and maybe you will learn something.

Its all about the freedom of choice in the nutritional industry, however Reflex are trying to ensure you choose their choosen retailers and pay more for the privilege.

Good luck with that Reflex.