The pharmaceutical sector has never been as present online as it has been in recent years. Between January and June 2020, the overall pharmaceutical retail sales grew 7.74% and a good portion of sales came from online.
The pandemic contributed to this increase in online demand in the sector, as consumers have changed their habits giving preference mainly to online purchases. During the first quarter of 2020 the growth of users searching and accessing online pharmacy was 17%.
Digital transformation has become necessary and several brands that did not yet have an online operation, started looking for agile technologies to make this adaptation happen in the least possible time. Now, companies that were situated during 2020 are looking for innovation to improve the user experience and make the brand more competitive in the online environment.
In this article, we will talk about some trends in pharmaceutical retail that is enabling companies to reinvent themselves both online and offline.
Pharmacies as a Health Hub
This is a very common trend in the United States and it is being inserted in large pharmacy chains in Brazil. In addition to pharmacists, there are doctors in the pharmacies, with personalized care in various specialties.
Services such as risk detection and timely referral, prevention and immunization, health evaluations and monitoring, guidance and treatment for self-care are some of the services that the large pharmaceutical chains are making available in their physical units, with the possibility of online scheduling.
Scheduling medical services in pharmacies
The pharmaceutical sector has become synonymous with convenience and many companies already have the structure to offer health care services in pharmacies.
Offering the scheduling of these services online is interesting, since it avoids crowding in the pharmacy units and is a more accessible channel for the customer, since he/she has access to free dates and times and rescheduling or cancellation options.
During 2020 medical services have also undergone changes, adhering to alternative online services or via calling apps. According to a survey conducted by opinion box 47% of people have had routine medical care, and 35% have continued recurring treatments.
These data show the adherence by consumers to try new channels both for the service and for making appointments. For the pharmaceutical sector there is a new business model in favor of more access and quality in people's health.
Digitalization of pharmacies
Digital transformation was an extremely important step for retailers who found it difficult to maintain their physical businesses amid pandemic and isolation restrictions.
The pharmaceutical sector, despite still keeping much of its operation running, also had to adapt to the new scenario. The brands that chose this path moved more than 718.77 million in online sales alone between January and June 2020, contributing with 7.74% to the overall pharmaceutical retail sales in the period.
Pharmacies are joining various channels in their strategy, such as Whatsapp sales, in marketplaces niche channels, e-commerceand of course, integrating their offline operation.
Learn more about the digital pharmaceutical sector
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