More and more people buy over-the-counter medications online. In a few years, it may be the most popular sales channel for OTC products.According to the report, which analyzes the pharmaceutical market and forecasts its development, e-pharmacy or buying online medicine is a great idea for online trading.
The study shows that although online sales of drugs are still a small percentage, more and more customers use online pharmacies to search for and buy these types of products.
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Why More and More Are People Choosing Online?
- It has been seen that 58% of people participating in the PMR survey stated that the main factor of online shopping is the price of the drug.
- Only 3% were guided by the opinion found on the web and 22% by the available packaging size.
- More and more often, customers, instead of standing in the traditional queue and asking about the price of capsules or warming ointments at the checkout, browse the offer for online medicine, and over the counter, on the Internet. And there they are increasingly choosing to buy cheaper and convenient home delivery shopping.
An online pharmacy is, therefore, nothing more than the development of stationary sales. And by the way, a sales channel that is gaining in importance. It is mainly due to the change in buyers’ habits – getting an online medicine will require more commitment from the customer. Still, to reach for OTC drugs, dietary supplements, and dermo-cosmetics, all they need is Internet access.
How to Sell Drugs Well on the Internet?
A model example of such action – previously operating in stationary locations. But the possibility of selling over the Internet allowed its owners to increase the number of customers in a fairly simple way.
Attractive price, availability of goods, efficient shipping – this is what a pharmacy can attract customers for online medicine on the Internet. Also, good and easily available help and customer service are required – not only by phone but also modern communication channels, such as the Messenger application.
In the case of over-the-counter drugs, it may be needed quite rarely, but the buyer must know that he can count on it, as the Pharmaceutical Law Act informs about: customer service is to be available during office hours and for two hours late when it is established that delivery is taking place.
How to Open an Online Pharmacy?
You can start your online pharmacy and easily sell online medicines, preferably using any software. However, the whole procedure should start with formal issues. One should notify the Provincial Pharmaceutical Inspectorate of the extension of its activity to an online store and in the store itself, including a document confirming the license to run a pharmacy.
Further – it is necessary to allocate a suitable place (back office, warehouse – following Article 68 (3k) of the Act of 6 September 2001 on the Pharmaceutical Law. The medicinal product’s shipment must take place in conditions ensuring the quality of the online medicine and its safety, which will be responsible for the shipping service from the online store and on the website to post the necessary information about the business – incl. Data on the pharmacy and the drugs sold.
The so-called “Common logo.” Behind the legislator: “under the provisions of § 6 points 2 of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 26 March 2015 on mail-order sale of medicinal products, the website of a generally accessible pharmacy or pharmacy outlet where medicinal products are offered for mail-order sale shall display a visible common logo ”. It informs about the legality of the conducted business and inspires the trust of buyers.
It should be remembered that it is not enough to place such a logo on the pharmacy’s website for online medicine but to combine it with the entry appropriate for the pharmacy in the National Register of Permits for Operating Public Pharmacies, Pharmacy Points, and the Register of Consents Granted for Operating Hospital and Company Pharmacies.
How to Sell Medicines Online: Safe Transportation Needed
A final fundamental rule concerns the transport of products sold with eCommerce. According to the Ministry of Health guidelines, drugs sold online must be transported in such a way as not to contaminate and not be contaminated by other products.
They also have to travel in conditions that do not include: cold, humidity, heat, light, and other unfavorable conditions. To make this happen, vehicles equipped with systems suitable for maintaining certain temperatures must be used, following the Ministry’s guidelines on the regulation of e-commerce pharmacy.
Conclusion
Within an eCommerce pharmacy, an online medicine price must necessarily correspond to the price that the activity carries out within its physical pharmacy. However, the same rule does not apply to all the other products in the showcase.