A few years back, searching for a medical supply company online was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Now, however, they seem to be everywhere. This is also due to the fact that demand is on the rise, naturally. The reality is that shopping online is always cheaper than shopping elsewhere, and keeping costs down is first and foremost on anybody’s mind, including physicians. Unfortunately, however, not all medical supply websites are truly trustworthy.

Some of the Issues You May Come Across

A number of problems have been noticed by physicians who shop online. Some companies send different products than the one they display on site. This happens very often when stock runs out, and the company decides to send you a ‘same value’ product instead. The problem is that this is simply not acceptable, as you don’t choose your medical supplies based on value alone. Another potential problem is that the product is simply of very low quality, and you find yourself with a worthless item. If you shopped with an untrustworthy manufacturer, their customer service will also be virtually non-existent, meaning you cannot complain (or will not have your complaint heard at least), nor will you be able to get your money back.

Two Types of Medical Supply Websites

There are two main types of medical supply websites:

  1. Direct distributors
  2. Affiliates

You must, if at all possible, stay away from affiliates. Essentially, an affiliate will know nothing about the product they sell. All they are doing is selling it through a different manufacturer and receiving a percentage of the proceeds. They are also not bound by any customer service laws, as they are technically only providing advice, and it is up to you whether or not to follow that advice.

It is vital, therefore, that you find a company that actually distributes their product. Of equal importance is that they have excellent customer service. Sometimes, things simply go wrong, which can happen to any company. You need to know for sure that if something does go wrong, you can return your product and have it replaced or refunded.

How to Find the Best Medical Supply Businesses Online

Finding a good medical supply company online isn’t actually all that difficult. You need to employ some good shoppers’ common sense and properly review their website. Find out what sort of customer service policies are in place, what guarantees and warranties they offer, where their products come from and so on. After that, navigate away from their website and try to find information from people who have used that supplier in the past. The Better Business Bureau is an excellent tool for that, but so is social media. Furthermore, you could choose to speak to colleagues in the medical profession who are likely to have dealt with a number of suppliers themselves. Sharing information of this kind is something they will be more than happy to do, as you probably would yourself.