Due to legal status of online pharmacies, good service and effective marketing, Canadian market for online drug sales is growing rapidly. So far, the share of online in pharmacy retail is very large and significant. Market growth in 2019 was 63%. We are talking about the entire segment of medical products, including online pharmacies. According to forecasts in 2020 (preliminary estimate by the largest online sellers), the growth will be about 65%. The dynamics vary greatly among different players. From multiple growth to a noticeable decrease.

Online pharmacies are a segment of the eCommerce market with a record variation in the quality of the audience (and conversion). The drug market is unique in terms of the abundance of powerful positive factors for its development, experts say. When a player in this market manages to launch an online channel for receiving orders, he gains a significant competitive advantage in his region, as he has increased loyalty and great opportunities for communication with customers.

Clients of online pharmacies understand that an online marketplace provides informative and convenient choice of goods. On the side of the Internet seller is a low price, and it’s no secret that people go online exactly in search of savings, especially when buying expensive drugs. There is a whole range of tools and solutions to bring down the price of medications that are not covered by insurance. In addition, buyers receive a guarantee that they will find the right medicine in the pharmacy, because online you can always choose the right website. Finally, it is the conceived online channel that becomes the only way to get medicine for those who cannot go to an offline pharmacy themselves.

The timing and exact parameters of the legalization and liberalization of the online ordering of medicines has already been determined, and the race has already begun: pharmacy chains and distributor’s Internet projects have been created. Moreover, for some pharmacy chains, strong online positions already have a substantial competitive advantage in their regional market.

We must remember that even a small network that implements an online channel has a huge advantage over an offline pharmacy. Its courier with specialized education can reach a client in 5 minutes or 15. Most people have long been accustomed to ordering goods online. But there are still a lot of stereotypes enveloping online services. Such categories, for example, include drugs. And it would seem, what is the difference? In this article, we’ll understand what worries potential users of services and whether their fears are justified or not.

Myths Are Dispelled

  1. The quality of drugs when ordering online is lower than when buying in a pharmacy

In fact, when ordering online you get the same drug, as if you just went to the pharmacy and bought it there. The quality of medicine, expiration dates and conditions for its storage comply with the same standards, so there is no difference.

  1. Ordering drugs online is time consuming

On the contrary, much less time can be spent if you search for each individual medicine by means of search engines, rather than ring up pharmacies or during a personal visit. Most likely, in one pharmacy a whole range of necessary medicines won’t be available, and the search will have to be continued. When booking all necessary medicines on a website, from the time of ordering to the time of collecting the finished package for the client, there pass no more than 20 minutes. An important bonus: an order can be picked up at a convenient pharmacy at any time.

  1. Ordering medicine online is more expensive

As practice shows, when booking drugs online you can even save 20-25%. With a personal purchase in a pharmacy, most likely, some desired item will cost more, some cheaper than in neighboring pharmacies. And you will either have to spend a lot of time comparing prices or make a compromise and buy everything in one place. When ordering at a pharmacy service, you can choose the lowest price possible.

  1. It is difficult to understand how to order

Partly true. The problem is solved by choosing a website with a clear and simple interface. Making an order via this service is very simple. In the website’s search engine, you need to select the city, medicine of interest, then click “buy” and “place an order” buttons. Next, you need to specify contacts for communication, choose a delivery pharmacy and send the order. Done! You can book your medicine around the clock. In your personal account, you can track the location of the current order, view the history of already completed or in one click repeat the previous order. If you have difficulties, you can contact a manager of e-pharmacy for help by writing in the chat window on the website or leaving your number for communication.

  1. There is a risk that personal information becomes known to others

On the contrary, people who do not want to read out loud their purchase in line at an offline pharmacy often make orders at online pharmacies. Pharmacy services guarantee complete anonymity. Information about orders is stored in a user’s personal account, the access (individual login and password) to which is provided to him only.

  1. To order online, you need a computer, it’s easier to go to a nearby pharmacy

Today, many services have mobile applications, and e-pharmacies are no exception. It is worth installing it once. The application deserves special attention, it has a convenient function “my first-aid kit”, which allows you to monitor the shelf life of your medicines. So, buying medicine online is simple, safe, profitable, fast and modern!

How to Choose a Pharmacy Service?

E-pharmacies

Nowadays, people are increasingly starting to use the services of Internet resources. At the same time, the help of online portals may be needed in a variety of life situations. So, for example, the need to purchase a certain list of medicines is no exception.

In the latter case, we are talking about using the services of a virtual pharmacy, which presents the widest range of quality and certified products that fully complies with all strict standards and requirements. Now, literally every day, the number of customers who use a similar method to get the right drugs is increasing. In order to find the right pharmacy, you can type in the search engine, for example, the phrase ‘Internet pharmacy Canada’. As a result, you will find websites on which extensive catalogues of goods are located to make it easy to find required items.

It is important to note you can buy not only medicines, but also vitamins, pharmacy cosmetics, pressure measuring devices and much more. To apply, just dial the number indicated on the portal, or place an online order through the resource. In the latter case, the procedure is quite simple. All websites have step-by-step clear instructions. Using the tips, you can easily purchase the necessary medicines and other products through an online pharmacy.

Now most of the described institutions provide express drug delivery. Depending on the place and area in which you want to bring such a purchase, the delivery time is up to 1-2 days. This method of acquiring pharmacy products is often used when a person simply does not have free time or the opportunity to visit ordinary pharmacies. The list of positive aspects that are observed in the described method of purchase runs as follows:

  • more affordable prices,
  • the ability to pay by credit card, bank transfer, electronic money system,
  • simple and understandable ordering scheme,
  • prompt delivery of purchased drugs.

Aggregators

Also, there are a lot of pharmacy aggregators on the Internet with a large catalogue, convenient navigation, and high order processing speed. Aggregators will help you find necessary medicines, cosmetics, medical equipment and other pharmacy products, check the availability in pharmacies, book and buy drugs at one of the pharmacies at a bargain price.

In order not to waste time searching for pharmacies where medicines are cheaper, it is advised to compare prices on aggregator websites. Here is the algorithm of actions:

  • Step 1. Create a list of the necessary drugs.
  • Step 2. Compare prices. The aggregator gives out the list with pharmacies where there are all medicines from the list, and the total cost.

Through the Internet, you can also book medicines at a particular pharmacy. It works like this: you create an order on the website and have it delivered right to your door. This often comes out cheaper than buying directly from offline pharmacies.

You can book in the same aggregators or on the websites of the pharmacies. But with aggregators so far, everything is not easy. For example, some of them contain a large pharmacy base, but only a few can reserve a product. Therefore, after choosing cheap drugs, it is recommended to go to the websites of the pharmacies themselves and place an order there. The order is usually ready in about 30-40 minutes. The websites display the availability of goods in the pharmacy. If there are none, you can preorder them, but you will have to wait a few days until they are delivered to the warehouse.

Online Pharmacy Benefits

  • Convenience

When a regular store does not work, you can order any product and they will bring it to you within an hour without leaving your home.

  • Informational content

Detailed instructions are given on the websites for each product, where you can find out all the necessary information about the medicine, compare analogues and choose the most suitable pharmaceutical products.

  • Security

If you decide to buy Nurofen or just a pack of diapers, you can be sure that the courier will deliver exactly the goods you ordered, while the medicine will be of the same quality as the one bought in a regular pharmacy.

  • Low price

One of the most important benefits of drugs sold through websites is low cost. Why? The answer is simple: the cost does not include rental and maintenance costs, staff salaries. In some cases, the difference in cost for such expensive drugs as antibiotics, hormones, or diabetic products can reach tens dollars per unit.

  • Range

In online pharmacies, the assortment is constantly expanding and replenishing, if any product is not available, it can immediately be seen on the page where the name of the medicine is marked “out of stock”.

  • Competition for the benefit of a consumer

Companies appreciating the advantages and benefits of maintaining online pharmacies have aroused great interest among consumers. In order to gain the trust of customers, companies constantly organize promotions, give discount cards, provide pre-holiday sales, and carry out free delivery of medicines. This in turn attracts people who want to quickly receive products and save a significant amount as well.