8 Hallmarks of a Good Kratom Vendor

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Signs of a Good Kratom Vendor

Whether shopping for kratom online or in-person, finding the right kratom vendor is key. From product quality and pricing to customer service and more, a quality shop will make all the difference in the world.

But finding the right one is not always as easy as you’d hope. Luckily, there are a few things you can look out for to make sure you’re shopping with the best.

We’ll give you all you need to know about finding the best kratom vendor in this guide. Let’s dive right in with a quick overview of why buying kratom online is usually the better call.

Benefits of Buying Kratom Online

For almost everyone, buying kratom online will offer a better experience than buying kratom in person. Online kratom shopping offers many benefits, including:

  1. You can shop anywhere, anytime, and have products delivered to your door 
  2. Quick delivery to your home or business (though speed varies based on vendor and shipping method)
  3. Far better variety of kratom strains and products
  4. Fresher, more effective kratom products
  5. Better, more knowledgeable customer service
  6. Lower product prices and better specials and sales
  7. Greater variety of secure payment methods
  8. More private and discreet purchases

Shopping in-person only has one thing going for it: you get your kratom in hand immediately after the purchase. But you’ll be paying more for what is likely an older, lower-quality product, so that benefit’s really not all it’s cracked up to be.

For more on this, see our Guide to the Benefits of Buying Kratom Online.

The Signs of a Good Kratom Vendor

Finding the right source of kratom online can be tricky, but there are some useful tips and tricks to help you find the best of the best! Whenever you’re considering a new kratom vendor, be sure to check out these crucial factors.

1. American Kratom Association GMP Certification

This is one of the most important factors. GMP Certification through the American Kratom Association (AKA) is one of the strongest indicators that an online kratom vendor is at the top of the industry.

Certification with the GMP is a coveted accolade in the kratom industry. It indicates exacting quality standards and rigorous dedication to the industry’s very best. GMP Certification requires:

  • Exacting hygiene procedures for all equipment and personnel involved at any stage of the manufacturing process.
  • Use of cutting-edge machinery that minimizes kratom’s exposure.
  • Comprehensive, independent testing of every batch ensuring purity, potency, and quality of kratom, both before and after the leaf is processed into kratom powder.
  • Established and well-documented procedures to produce consistent, quality kratom from batch to batch.
  • Absolute transparency regarding the origins of each batch of kratom leaf, establishing a transparent chain of possession for all raw and finished kratom materials.
  • Regular audits by independent inspectors who verify the integrity, transparency, and adherence to AKA protocol of the certified vendor.

In short? If an online kratom vendor is certified through the AKA, then you can be confident in the product they’re selling.

But even among these industry leaders, there are still noticeable differences in quality. Don’t stop your search with AKA GMP Certification; be sure to consider the other factors in this list!

2. Regularly Updated Blogs and/or Knowledge Base

When shopping for kratom online, you want to find a vendor that eats, sleeps, and breathes kratom. And if the vendor is regularly pumping out quality, in-depth posts on all things kratom? Well, that’s an excellent indicator that they’re committed to kratom and not just dabblers looking to make a quick buck.

When analyzing a vendor’s kratom blog, look for the following features:

  1. Frequency of posts
  2. Quality, informative articles, and NOT just sales pitches
  3. How long the blog has been running
  4. Regular authors, as guest writers may just be plugging their own interests

A good, informative blog or knowledge base won’t make or break a kratom vendor, and it shouldn’t be the first factor you consider.

But it is a strong indicator that an online kratom vendor is dedicated to the industry, knows what they’re talking about, and is committed to making the community a better, more informed place.

3. Product Variety and Selection

With kratom, not all strains are created equal. Some are more energizing, others more relaxing. Some are mild, some ultra-potent. There are even differences in taste, grain, and more!

In short, finding the right strain for your needs is key. And the more diverse a vendor’s stock, the more likely it is that you’ll have a positive experience with kratom.

Online shopping is all about selection, and shopping for kratom online should be no different. Be sure to check which kratom strains a vendor offers. In general, a more diverse selection indicates a better relationship with their partner kratom farms and is a positive sign that you’re working with a good kratom vendor.

Also, be on the lookout for more innovative products such as liquid kratom, specialty kratom tea leaves, and more. Again, the broader the selection, the better sign that you’ve found a good online kratom vendor.

4. Competitive Pricing

This one needs little elaboration. You don’t want to be paying too much for a product of middling quality. Higher prices aren’t always a sign of a better product, so be sure to find online kratom pricing that’s fair.

At the same time, low costs might be a red flag. As always, if something seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Buying cheap kratom isn’t always a great idea, as too-low prices could indicate any number of product defects, including:

  • Old, stale product
  • Low levels of the kratom alkaloids that cause kratom’s effects
  • No health and safety testing
  • Tainted, synthetic, or otherwise dangerous products

Shop with your head, and be critical of prices that are either too low or too high. When in doubt, look to legitimate customer reviews and independent opinions from elsewhere in the kratom community.

5. Customer Reviews

Any time you’re shopping online, you should be looking for independent customer reviews. They’re a great way of ensuring that the community stands by the product and the vendor, and they can give you an honest glimpse into what your online kratom transaction will look like.

But beware! Not all “customer reviews” are to be trusted!

That’s right, some disreputable vendors fudge the system by either paying for good reviews or even simply writing reviews themselves!

If product reviews seem too good to be true? Well, there’s a possibility those reviews are fake. If you see a mix of good and bad, it’s more likely that the reviews are legitimate.

But even if the reviews are unanimously glowing, that’s not proof that they’re a scam!

The best way to ensure that customer reviews are genuine  is to pick a vendor who uses an independent review system.

Kratom Spot, for instance, uses Yotpo, which you can tell by the small “Powered by Yotpo” icon near the upper right of our product reviews section.

Independent review systems like Yotpo verify that all customer reviews come from actual customers and make it impossible for kratom vendors to “fudge” reviews or create them themselves.

6. Community Reputation and Years Operating

The US kratom market may not get the attention of some other botanicals, but kratom users are absolutely passionate about it. That means that there are positively thriving kratom online groups, including discussion forums, independent sites, and more.

When assessing a new kratom vendor, consider looking to independent groups within the kratom community for word-of-mouth accounts of their experience with the vendor.

Sometimes, these community accounts will give you first-person insight into the merits of a particular vendor. Sometimes, you might hear horror stories of negative experiences that can help you steer clear of a vendor that, based on their own website’s claims, seemed to be above board!

In doing this research, it also pays to pay attention to how long a kratom vendor has been operating. Sometimes, companies pop up briefly then mysteriously disappear; it’s almost always a sign of a shady practitioner looking to make a quick buck off inferior products.

On the other hand, longer-lasting and well-established brands indicate quality, customer loyalty, and competitive pricing. It’s no guarantee of a good kratom online vendor, but it’s certainly a good sign.

7. Product Testing and Certificates of Analysis

The kratom industry is, as it stands, under-regulated. Unfortunately, that means that there are some less-than-reputable vendors looking to make a quick buck and cutting corners to do it.

Let’s be clear: independent product testing is the BEST way to ensure that the kratom you receive is pure, potent, and free from harmful contaminants. Therefore, ANY time you shop for kratom online, it is vital that you make sure the products are backed by comprehensive, independent laboratory testing.

Any reputable kratom vendor should be able to provide you with their lab results, which come in the form of Certificates of Analysis (or “CoAs”). If you can’t find CoAs on a vendor’s kratom site, reach out to Customer Service and ask to see them.

Be sure that the CoAs include the following:

  • They are issued from an independent laboratory and not from the company’s “in house” lab.
  • They test for heavy metals like lead
  • They test for alkaloid content, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine
  • They show that the product is pure, natural kratom without additives

Again, product testing of this sort is the best way that you can protect your health and safety and ensure you receive a quality product every time.

8. Quality, Responsive Customer Service

The right customer service experience can make all the difference in the world. From help selecting the best product for your needs to assistance with the returns and exchange process, a kratom vendor’s customer support team is the be-all-end-all when it comes to your online kratom experience.

Before shopping with a new kratom vendor, consider reaching out to their customer support team to get a sense of their effectiveness, knowledgeability, and response times.

And of course, it pays to read up on the company’s shipping and return policies, which can give you the peace of mind of knowing what you’re getting and what you can do if it’s not everything you hoped!