Product Sourcing
This section explains how Unbox Health sources products for testing.
As a non-negotiable rule, UH does not allow a Brand to ever be involved in the sourcing/procurement process. All sourcing is done independently by UH.
Once a product has been been earmarked for testing, UH will source it from one of the following channels:
- Authorised online marketplace like Amazon, Flipkart, Hyugalife, etc
- Quick commerce stores like BigBasket, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, etc
- Physical store that belongs to an authorised seller or pharmacy
- Brand’s own website (while using obfuscated contact details)
UH will regularly rotate the channels used for procurement to ensure that this cannot be “gamed” by the Brands. At no point in this process, will the Brand have any direct or indirect involvement in the sourcing/procurement of the product.
A purchase invoice along with evidence of the full procurement log from order placement → delivery is made available on the UH platform.
Product Sampling
This section explains how products are handled by Unbox Health before they are sent out to labs.
Once UH has procured the product, there are a series of steps followed to verify and register the sample before it can be sent out to labs for analysis. Here is an explanation of that process:
- The product is checked to ensure that the specifications (dosage, nutritional label, etc) of the procured item are in line with those of the earmarked product.
- The product is photographed from all angles and these images are included in the procurement log (published on the platform).
- The manufacturing date and expiration date are verified to ensure that the product is not past its shelf life.
- The batch number of the procured product is noted and logged.
- For every sample, a unique internal Sample ID is generated. This ID gets used to track the sample throughout its lifecycle.
- For food products (that may be at risk of contamination if the seal is broken), UH preserves the original product packaging while masking the nutritional labels. A sticker with the sample ID printed on it is affixed to the original product packaging.
- For all other products, UH transfers the product contents into a vaccum-sealed bag. A sticker with the sample ID printed on it is affixed to the vaccum-sealed bag.
- The samples are weighed to ensure that the minimum quantity required by labs is being sent. Each category has its own set of tests/parameters, and consequently a different minimum quantity requirement (20-30g for most nutraceuticals, 75-100g from most food products).
- A second round of verification is used to ensure that the sampling process was performed correctly.
- For each product, three samples are made available and ready for pick up by labs. Two samples are sent to two different labs, and the third sample is held in reserve (in case results don’t converge). See Lab Testing Methodology page for more details on this.
