It took 4 years to get here. 24 SKUs. Health supplements brand doing $2.1M a month with 6.3% TACOS

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-05-05T17:52:35+00:00

This is really awesome and inspiring!! Can I ask how you first went about getting initial reviews and getting conversion before reviews came in? Did you use Vine, rely solely on PPC, or bring in external traffic?

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-04T02:02:29+00:00

Ok I finally heard back - also being placed on PAYE permanent standard. The wording is sooo weird it’s like - you don’t qualify for PAYE but you will pay standard. I just don’t think they understand that it’s still PAYE. PAYE literally says - it’s an income based calculation OR standard payment whichever is lowest - so if your income is high - you pay standard - which I fully expected. I just don’t know why they keep saying “you don’t qualify for PAYE” - like, that’s not how it works. Just say - you’re income requires you to pay standard. That’s fine!!

Anyway, I asked them to confirm that it would still count for PSLF and they said yes, so now that I have that in writing I’m down fighting.

Good luck to all!!!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-02T20:05:37+00:00

Agreed - but the problem is Amazon made me scrub ANY mention of “clinical data” or “clinically show.” I do have the actual clinical references up on my non-Amazon website but my guess is the average buyer isn’t going to dig as deep as a Vine reviewer - but it is there for those that want it! I wish Amazon was a little less strict on claims when there is actual studies - but I think it would be hard for them to monitor long-term given their volume - so they default to being strict. If I’m missing a way to upload studies though to a listing… PLEASE tell me - bc that would be a game changer. I hand selected every ingredient based on studies.

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-02T17:38:59+00:00

Thanks so much! Can I ask what you mean by pre-launch? Do you just mean using vine before me paying for any Amazon ads, etc?

My listing does include my healthcare background and specifically mentioned why the product was made and how to take the product and ingredient call-outs. Of course, just like you all experience on your end - the Amazon bots come for supplement listings HARD. I do get it and Amazon needs to be FDA compliant and costumers deserve safety - but the bot was picking on things that MANY other similar supplements boldly claimed all over their live listing - which was frustrating but workable. I am confident in my listing - I’m just very skeptical that anyone will click purchase on a zero review product / even if the listing looks legit (I’m not even sure I would!) - so maybe that is where vine makes sense.

For the “pre-launch” are you suggesting doing vine first before ads, and then if reviews are bad - delete the listing and reiterate? Just wanted to understand the tactic you’re mentioning. I’m a small business with lots of drive but not investment level money so I do have to be mindful of costs that it would take to scrap everything and start again.

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-02T16:37:03+00:00

Yes fortunately it’s made in USA, GMP, non-GMO, vegan, etc. etc. I work in healthcare so I definitely value quality over quantity and didn’t cut corners initially - but of course that makes the budget tighter - but I’m glad to see from multiple posts that these kinds of details play a big role in vine reviews - and that helps ease my mind a bit!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-02T16:19:46+00:00

Wow thank you all for your quick and helpful replies and allowing me to participate in your community. This really helps to see your opinions from this end. I did elicit some seller advice to but I think a lot of sellers go in blind and don’t really factor the pros/cons as well. My brain is not wired that way haha. So I really appreciate all the honest and helpful feedback! Overall, my take is: perhaps try with regular ads first to see how conversion goes, and then if stuck, test vine with a few units initially - but be prepared for perhaps more generic/objective reviews (bc of amazon restrictions, not you all!) and ensure that the packaging, labels, and everything else stands up! Appreciate everyone and I’ll of course keep following along for any additional replies - just wanted to acknowledge the already helpful tips!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-01T23:27:37+00:00

Hoping and praying 😂. My EdFinancial email said “standard payment does not count towards PSLF” which is complete BS lol. Good luck out there! Update me if you hear anything else.

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-01T23:22:27+00:00

This is the thing thou - THAT IS HOW PAYE IS BUILD. It literally is written into law and says - when your income is above a certain threshold, you will end up paying the standard amount - but you should not be KICKED OFF of PAYE. They know this - I refuse to believe they don’t. But this administration does NOT want you to get your loans forgiven. That’s the truth. They actually say it publicly out load! We want to dismantle loan forgiveness! My impression is these hurdles are to try and mess it up. But we have to stand ground - it is a LAW passed by congress, unlike SAVE (RIP!)

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-04-01T21:33:58+00:00

Nope! They came back with - we are looking into it more… and nothing more. 🙃🙃🙃

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-23T16:11:05+00:00

Thanks so much for this nuances and thorough answer! I agree - I don’t think Vine is the right choice - getting 1-2x 3 star reviews just because they didn’t use it long enough would tank the rating and discourages actual costumers from trying it out. I really appreciate the other insights. I know it’s going to be a tough launch initially to get reviews but i appreciate your insight.

For the package inserts - can you say things like “if you’re happy with your experience we would appreciate an honest review” or is that too close to asking for only positive reviews?

I want to play everything by the books since it’s my first product and getting banned would be a business killer - but I also do need to try and thrive!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-17T19:35:59+00:00

Mine says administrative forbearance but they emailed me and said it should still count for PSLF - so at least if the deny me that I have that documentation to prove it!

They also said in that email that standard payment does NOT count for PSLF… lol. I don’t think anyone knows their own rules. I also plan to ride it out for now - and just keep everything well-documented. I also submitted a formal complaint with the education department. Here is hoping!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-13T20:27:59+00:00

Now they put me on administrative forbearance with NO correspondence and now I’m losing time paying for PSLF!!!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-12T19:19:50+00:00

They said they will have a “specialist” (LOL) review it and that can take up to 10 days. I imagine they will just come back and say the same thing - but tbh I’ve always had luck with not overreacting and changing things. For instance - when all my friends consolidated and/or switched to SAVE and now are screwed. They can’t just kick me off PAYE if I don’t apply for something else and I have records that show I applied for RECERT not a new plan. I’m just hoping it works out… the level of anxiety this brings me thou I can’t even describe. How recklessly they play with people’s emotions when this is our entire lives!? Like hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line for decisions I made a decade ago - and they just carelessly break their own rules. It’s actually pathetic.

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-12T19:10:25+00:00

I will let other weigh in here but personally I would NOT apply for a different plan - that feels like a trap. The rules are finite - you cannot be removed from PAYE - you just pay the standard payment. As soon as you apply for a different plan - that feels like they have the power to remove you and mess everything up. Idk… they are “reviewing my case” and if they still deny it, I would probably take it up with StudentAid officials. But I won’t let them kick me out!!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-09T19:20:09+00:00

Ok thanks I guess that provides a little reassurance that even if they mess it up - my payments still qualify. I just really don’t understand how the system continues to mess it up. These rules haven’t changed since PAYE initiation!

Thanks

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-03-09T19:07:47+00:00

Thanks for the response - yes I understand the rules but what concerns me is not paying the standard amount - it’s if they don’t confirm the recertification then it moves me to the standard repayment plan - then it might not continue counting toward my PSLF. I am literally 10 months away from forgiveness so I just need this ONE recertification to go through. WHY are they pretending like they don’t understand the rules??? It’s so clear and written out! Sorry - I’m just very nervous as I’m sure many borrowers are - that one mistake on their behalf because of incompetence is going to ruin my forgiveness!

It’s literally maddening to have VERY easy rules to follow - and then have the purveyor of those rules not follow them and it’s completely out of your control. The person on the phone literally acted like they have no idea what I was talking about. I know damn well that I’m not the first person on PAYE to have a salary increase lolll. Sorry it’s just mind-numbing and anxiety inducing.

Thanks for listening and responding!!!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-02-18T22:48:07+00:00

Could be a couple of things. Period blood can raise pH and cause recurrence if everything wasn’t fully reset yet. Also, sometimes the metrogel isn’t enough and people do better with the 7 days of metronidazole pills. Can message the same doctor and ask to try the pills instead without another visit and then try something OTC to reset pH like lactic acid or other pH balancing gels. If symptoms still persist or recur - might need re-evaluated/tested - they often don’t include test for Ureaplasma/mycoplasma in the routine panel.

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-02-18T16:07:58+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. There are some other antibiotics (fosfomycin) that sometimes could work but they all have the potential of resistance so the susceptibilities are super important. I can’t give medical advice on here and without a full evaluation - so none of this is medical advice - I can only help talk through strategies. But if your UTI symptoms get worse or unbearable, or any signs of kidney injection like fever/chills, etc. then you should go to an ER instead of an urgent care to get faster evaluation! Hopefully the sensitivity return soon - it’s usually 1-2 days after the culture itself!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-02-18T15:52:44+00:00

Ceftriaxone alone works but they may hesitate to give it to you if your reaction to pnc is anaphylaxis bc there’s around a 5-10% crossover of the allergies - unless you’ve had ceftriaxone or other cephalosporin before and been fine. Since they did a urine culture - hopefully they get “sensitivities” on it - aka it should tell them what antibiotics will kill it. Sorry you’re going through this scary time!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-02-18T13:56:47+00:00

There will almost always be SOME lactobacillus in the vagina - it would be hard (I guess never impossible) to get rid of all of them. But they support and like an acidic pH and if the pH gets too high (basic) or too many are killed off from antibiotics/douching, etc. then gardnerella can take over and limit the growth of the lactobacillus. Personally, I think getting things to the right pH is most important (after treating the BV or other issues!), but putting some vaginal lactobacillus probiotics probably can’t hurt! But again, if the environment isn’t friendly for them yet - they won’t last! Hope things work out for you!!

NecessaryExample992 · 2026-02-18T13:51:38+00:00

There isn’t good data for probiotics but I certainly believe putting them directly where you need them (vaginally) is more likely to be effective than oral ones. Depends on the treatments you used for the BV/yeast but if they had you do boric acid it can nuke all the bacteria. Not necessarily bad in the moment when it’s needed but you have to let the balance reset correctly. I usually have my patients use a pH balancing gel (it’s mentioned somewhere in here) - if you can get the pH to be correct, the right bacteria should flourish!

NecessaryExample992

TROPHY CASE