Never tried Myostat so I can’t speak negative but if it were that good it wouldn’t matter if God himself told people not to buy it. If something is that good it doesn’t matter what people say it will overrule ANY critism and bury ANY doubts.
[quote]macanac wrote:
Cappx wrote:
Not bad money for a few months. An I bet I am low balling the number of Canadians who would be ordering.
I’m another Canadian that spends a good deal through SND that I’d rather have going to Biotest.
I don’t doubt that the US market should primarily be Biotest’s focus. However, I’d be interested to have Biotest survey Canadians and ask them if they’d purchase more from Biotest if Biotest had a distribution center in Canada.
I’d purchase all my supps from Biotest: protein, creatine, fish oil, MVMM, ZMA, Surge, HOT-ROX, ad nauseum!
Canadians are a pretty wealthy bunch, and though our population is but 1/10th of the States, consider that more Canadians per capita are on the internet than any other country. So, many of us are finding T-Nation online and would want to get our supps there.
I’m looking foward to hearing about the new USPS set-up for international orders, and possibly (I keep my fingers crossed) for Biotest Canada to emerge like EAS Canada did.
[/quote]
Yes! I must second everything that macanac is saying. And to back it up I just entered a $330 dollar order that would normally have gone to SND Canada. If you want me to go from ordering $500 dollars a year worth of Biotest product directly from T-Nation/Biotest and then purchasing another $500 a year from SND stores to ordering $1000 dollars a year in product directly from T-Nation then you need to add USPS as a shipping option. Fedex is better then UPS but USPS is so much better it’s staggering.
I Canadian Distribution Site would cause me to order even more and all of it direct.
I know America is the market that you make your money in but I bet you’d be surprised at how much of a difference a USPS shipping option or a local distributor makes in your volume of Canadian sales.
[quote]Dustinw wrote:
macanac wrote:
Cappx wrote:
Not bad money for a few months. An I bet I am low balling the number of Canadians who would be ordering.
I’m another Canadian that spends a good deal through SND that I’d rather have going to Biotest.
I don’t doubt that the US market should primarily be Biotest’s focus. However, I’d be interested to have Biotest survey Canadians and ask them if they’d purchase more from Biotest if Biotest had a distribution center in Canada.
I’d purchase all my supps from Biotest: protein, creatine, fish oil, MVMM, ZMA, Surge, HOT-ROX, ad nauseum!
Canadians are a pretty wealthy bunch, and though our population is but 1/10th of the States, consider that more Canadians per capita are on the internet than any other country. So, many of us are finding T-Nation online and would want to get our supps there.
I’m looking foward to hearing about the new USPS set-up for international orders, and possibly (I keep my fingers crossed) for Biotest Canada to emerge like EAS Canada did.
Yes! I must second everything that macanac is saying. And to back it up I just entered a $330 dollar order that would normally have gone to SND Canada. If you want me to go from ordering $500 dollars a year worth of Biotest product directly from T-Nation/Biotest and then purchasing another $500 a year from SND stores to ordering $1000 dollars a year in product directly from T-Nation then you need to add USPS as a shipping option. Fedex is better then UPS but USPS is so much better it’s staggering.
I Canadian Distribution Site would cause me to order even more and all of it direct.
I know America is the market that you make your money in but I bet you’d be surprised at how much of a difference a USPS shipping option or a local distributor makes in your volume of Canadian sales. [/quote]
I totally second that! I’m still waiting for the option to be available before placing a $350 worth order of Biotest stuff…directly from this site! What is happening with this? No development?
coughAnacondacough
Just a few quick comments
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I’ve learned more by being on this site than nearly anything else I’ve read.
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I really like your business model and the fact that you’re so honest about Biotest. I have no problem with the fact that you provide the info as a loss leader for the supplements, makes perfect sense to me especially since you don’t try to hide it.
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If you come out with a printed magazine on a regular basis I’ll definitely subscribe, in fact if you set up the website for it I’ll pre-order today.
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I’ve been impressed with the quality of your supplements so far, and your service/shipping has been excellent.
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Currently I don’t buy Metabolic Drive from you because I couldn’t handle the taste of the chocolate version (too thick and the hazelnut was just wierd) I know everyone’s going to bash me on that one, however I have a suggestion.
Could you market a sampler that included all the protien flavors so that new customers could try them all and find their favorite without having to buy a whole can of each? I think your prices are fine, but even I have trouble justifying several hundred dollars worth just to find the flavor I like.
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I’ll probably get flamed for this, but I have to ask, am I the only one who noticed that there is Soy in Metabolic Drive? Soy Lecithin to be exact, could someone go over the science of why that isn’t a bad thing?
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I’m normally pretty skeptical of all supplements as I’ve found the vast majority to be basically worthless, but I have to say your company’s focus on scientific backing has definitely swayed my thinking, and I’m trying out HOT-ROX right now. Keep up the good fight!
I hope the International Shipping works out. Please add South Korea to the requests list.
I’m in South Korea and paying an arm and a leg for everything (those $10 foam rollers cost $35 after international shipping costs), I’ll be buying an x-vest to make the most of my 1 hour morning walks and I don’t even want to think of the costs of having 40lbs of weights shipped to me 
I’ve made one order so far, 6 bottles of Surge, and my family sent it to me for a whopping $80 (so on a $120 order it cost $200 after shipping). It also sat in their house for a month before they sent it off. I’d like to be able to order in larger bulk if possible to cut down on the shipping costs and get some high quality protein powder and other supplements as well (such as ZMA and the new Flameout). However, having to go by proxy, wait for the product to get to the family, wait for them to ship it to me at their convenience, and then wait for it to get shipped to Korea AND have to pay them for shipping costs where I usually lost out on the currency change these days… in a few words… sucks ass and I think I have a little better reason to go for the cheap “who knows what the fuck this is because it’s 1/10th the cost and available in Korea” excuse. I’m more than happy to pay for the international shipping and buy from Biotest (what I’d much prefer to buying who knows what), but I’m not willing to run the current loops much longer… better I spend the time and money studying Korean so I can learn where and who to buy from here.
Please try to ship to South Korea.
Thanks,
Ritchey
[quote]blue9steel wrote:
…
5) Currently I don’t buy Metabolic Drive from you because I couldn’t handle the taste of the chocolate version (too thick and the hazelnut was just wierd) I know everyone’s going to bash me on that one, however I have a suggestion. [/quote]
Hazelnut? Did I miss something? Where is there hazelnut?
If it is too thick, just add more water. I really do not think this is a think protein shake. Are you sure it was Metabolic Drive?
[quote]…
6) I’ll probably get flamed for this, but I have to ask, am I the only one who noticed that there is Soy in Metabolic Drive? Soy Lecithin to be exact, could someone go over the science of why that isn’t a bad thing?[/quote]
Soy lecithin is actually good for you. It is really the soy protein that is bad, and how bad depends on how it is made, but don?t sweat the lecithin.
[quote]The Mage wrote:
blue9steel wrote:
…
5) Currently I don’t buy Metabolic Drive from you because I couldn’t handle the taste of the chocolate version (too thick and the hazelnut was just wierd) I know everyone’s going to bash me on that one, however I have a suggestion.
Hazelnut? Did I miss something? Where is there hazelnut?
If it is too thick, just add more water. I really do not think this is a think protein shake. Are you sure it was Metabolic Drive?
[/quote]
That’s what it says on the allergen warning portion anyways. I’m using 40oz 1% milk right now, maybe that’s the problem. I normally like using milk becaus I get even more protien for the same volume, and I don’t mind the calories because I’m using it as a breakfast MRP.
Any links to articles talking about soy lecithin?
[quote]blue9steel wrote:
That’s what it says on the allergen warning portion anyways. I’m using 40oz 1% milk right now, maybe that’s the problem. I normally like using milk becaus I get even more protien for the same volume, and I don’t mind the calories because I’m using it as a breakfast MRP. [/quote]
Ok, I understand now. I think this just means some of the ingredients were derived from these products. My wife hates nuts, don’t know why, yet she likes this product. Try it with water, or water/milk mix.
I just use water myself. This is actually the only protein powder I have used that I can drink without having to mix with milk to get it down. (I haven’t tried all protein powders though.)
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=body_140liver
[i] Soy Lecithin and Soy Phospholipid: Lecithin that’s derived from the soy seed and that contains 73-79% phosphatidylcholine has been shown to have pharmacologic effects. The soy phospholipid is rich in the essential fatty acid linoleic acid. The German Commission E (their equivalent to the FDA, but more progressive) has approved soy lecithin and phospholipid for moderate disturbances in fat metabolism (especially high cholesterol), along with neurological disorders and liver disorders (fatty liver and substance, induced liver damage, and hepatitis). It seems that both of these soy-derived agents have no estrogenic effects, but rather can help the liver stay healthy, while providing benefit to the heart.
The Merck Index classifies lecithin as a lipotropic, meaning that it can aid in fat metabolism. Anybody who’s concerned about their cholesterol levels or drinks alcohol more often than recommended, as well as those people who use pharmaceutical agents, should include soy lecithin and phospholipids in their daily diet routine. The data from German documents and studies indicate that the recommended dose for lecithin is 3.5 grams per day and soy phospholipids is 1.5-2.7 grams per day. [/i]
Add another voice to the Canadian contingent. Even at SND, with their rock-bottom prices, the mark-up on Biotest products is significant enough that I’d order direct if it weren’t for shipping issues.
I know you guys don’t control what gets past the border Nazis, but some indication of what’s a safe bet would be nice, too.
[quote]Northcott wrote:
I know you guys don’t control what gets past the border Nazis, but some indication of what’s a safe bet would be nice, too.[/quote]
Heh heh. I’ve never had any problem receiving Surge and ZMA to Canader.
[quote]macanac wrote:
Heh heh. I’ve never had any problem receiving Surge and ZMA to Canader.
[/quote]
What about Spike, Alpha Male, or Carbolin 19?
[quote]Northcott wrote:
macanac wrote:
Heh heh. I’ve never had any problem receiving Surge and ZMA to Canader.
What about Spike, Alpha Male, or Carbolin 19?
[/quote]
Sorry, I haven’t yet ordered any of those. If this provides any indication, Christain Thibideau reportedly was unable to receive MAG-10 through Customs back in 2003. Maybe some other Canadians can be of better help regarding the above products. Suffice is probably to say that the more a supplement “looks” like a steroid or pro-hormone, the more likely it is to be rejected by Customs.
Just an added thought: most companies look to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, or Calgary when setting up a Canadian division. The most expensive cities in the country, and usually pretty damned traffic-congested, too.
Outlying areas tend to have equal or greater accessibility and a much lower overhead due to lower cost of living for employees, cheaper real estate, etc.
If Biotest were to think about setting up a Canadian arm, even if just a token office/shipping operation to get past all the border hullabaloo, it might prove to be the leverage needed to open the doors.
Understanding, of course, that I’m completely in the dark about your future plans, finances, etc. Just a thought. 
There certainly seem to be a number of northern fanatics, and SND’s done very well by starting with a similar model. (Started in this town, iirc)
[quote]macanac wrote:
Northcott wrote:
macanac wrote:
Heh heh. I’ve never had any problem receiving Surge and ZMA to Canader.
What about Spike, Alpha Male, or Carbolin 19?
Sorry, I haven’t yet ordered any of those. If this provides any indication, Christain Thibideau reportedly was unable to receive MAG-10 through Customs back in 2003. Maybe some other Canadians can be of better help regarding the above products. Suffice is probably to say that the more a supplement “looks” like a steroid or pro-hormone, the more likely it is to be rejected by Customs.
[/quote]
Hmmmmm. I’ve got a buddy who works in the passport office – I should see if he has any contacts at customs. See if maybe there’s some red-tape forms that could be filled out to make that kind of thing smoother.
I doubt it, given how bloody convoluted the system is, but a guy can dream.
Excellent post, Northcott.
SND headquarters are based in Waterloo, Ontario. Their building is just an undescript warehouse I think, because I’ve drove by their address many times and I can’t tell which building is theirs, no big sign with “SND,” for instance. But they keep their cost of operations very low.
Biotest Canada, you will be in my prayers tonight.
[quote]SND headquarters are based in Waterloo, Ontario. Their building is just an undescript warehouse I think, because I’ve drove by their address many times and I can’t tell which building is theirs, no big sign with “SND,” for instance. But they keep their cost of operations very low.
[/quote]
The number of K-W folks on these boards is kind of freaky.
It’s probably the reason why the SND over by the Universities is consistanly out of Carbolin 19, Methoxy-7, Spike, etc.
Hmmmm. They carry Carbolin 19? I wasn’t sure if that would make it across the border. I wonder if they ship it, or if they have people do pick-up runs?
Interesting. I’ve noticed that their prices are pretty out of whack, though! $30 for a bottle of ZMA (and claiming that $43 is the msrp)… that’s a killer. Order a bunch to even out the shipping charges and we can get them much cheaper ordering direct from here.
Mind you, that’s presuming that we can get the stuff past the border. 
Can you ship to South Korea?