Online channel in community pharmacy

The pharmaceutical sector has undergone profound transformations in recent years, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Digitalization has been boosted and there has been a boom in the search for solutions that enable products and services to be obtained easily and quickly. In this context, pharmacies have been able to adapt and follow the trends in their environment. Many have managed to combine modalities, managing both physical establishments and digital sales channels, to maintain their competitiveness and build customer loyalty.

Online sales in the pharmaceutical sector

The digitization of pharmacies did not come with the pandemic, it was already underway long before, it simply accelerated, implementing options such as online sales, WhatsApp ordering or home delivery services. This growth stands out especially in categories such as personal hygiene, oral hygiene, and health care, such as supplements and vitamins.

Despite this, it is still a smaller sector compared to other online sales models, giving community pharmacies that want to expand into this channel the opportunity to position themselves. Depending on their objectives and resources, pharmacies can choose to sell their products in different ways:

Marketplaces

Marketplaces are platforms where different pharmacies or direct suppliers can sell their products. Pharmacies, instead of creating their own online store, can register on these sites, upload their products and manage orders.

This would be a quick and easy alternative in which you do not have to invest too much, plus the platform already has customers, as well as a payment platform and logistics network for shipments. The disadvantages are that there is less control over the visibility of the products, that competition is high and that the website in question retains a commission for each sale made.

Physical pharmacies with online store

This would be a hybrid model in which the community pharmacy does not stop serving in its establishment, but creates a digital space where anyone can buy the products available. In this case, customers can choose to receive their order at home or pick it up at the pharmacy itself.

This type of model requires an initial investment to design the website and devise a sales strategy, as well as create a system to handle physical and online orders at the same time. They also have to share the market with many other pharmacies that have their own online sales sites.

Digital-only pharmacies

These pharmacies only sell products online with the possibility of home delivery. This modality offers the possibility of obtaining parapharmacy products and, under certain conditions, non-prescription drugs.

This option offers a broad reach and superb 24/7 availability. Unlike the hybrid model mentioned in the previous section, these pharmacies start from scratch. They do not usually have a loyal customer base that can take advantage of the platform as an alternative to the physical store, and perhaps their biggest drawback is that they cannot offer the face-to-face service so typical of community pharmacies.

Digital marketing strategies for community pharmacies

There are different digital marketing strategies that pharmacies can apply in their online channels to attract new customers and retain those who already interact with them.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps the pharmacy's website to appear in the first results of Google and other search engines organically. This is done by improving the platform to be easily understood by search engines: selection of relevant keywords, quality content and fast and intuitive navigation. It is a very effective process, although it takes time.

Content marketing

Content marketing consists of creating and sharing useful content, not necessarily advertising content, but content that fulfills an instructive function . Blog articles on health-related topics published on the digital platform, posts with interesting information and product news for social networks, as well as audiovisual content related to the catalog to build trust among consumers.

Social networks

On platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X, in addition to sharing relevant content, community pharmacies can interact with other people and follow current events. These are very useful tools for building customer loyalty, establishing a direct interaction through which to answer questions or doubts quickly. This allows pharmacies to build a community.

Practices for selling in digital channels

To gain the trust of customers, community pharmacies must offer an appropriate and specialized service to attract those interested in specific niches, such as oral hygiene or skin care, to the platform. Product information needs to be clear and well-detailed, with descriptions, prices, quality images and features that help consumers make confident decisions.

The shopping experience should be similar to that of the physical pharmacy: easy and professional. In addition, the return policy and delivery times must be transparent and meet the expectations promised to customers. All this, reinforced with a customer service team that can offer advice and resolve doubts via live chats, email or phone, can make all the difference.

While physical pharmacies will continue to be necessary in the day-to-day lives of consumers, online business models have become essential as digitization advances. By adapting to these new digital channels, pharmacies meet their customers' expectations, providing them with the convenience they seek, as well as competitive prices and the personalized service they are accustomed to.