India is digitizing, especially in the metros like Kolkata. Almost 34.47% of the Indian population resides in urban areas today. Interestingly, urban Indians are online people; they are busy folks who want everything fast and affordable.
Therefore, online dependency has dramatically increased here. Especially right now, when people are confined in their homes due to the pandemic, they are eagerly looking for safe ways to order essential commodities like medicines and groceries.
For a 60 years old lady living alone in Kolkata, it's a great boon when she can order her medicines online without stepping out of her home. In digital India, online pharmacies are a blessing in disguise that lets you heal without any worry.
However, many speculations are prevailing in the market related to the e-pharmacy business model and its future. To bust e-pharmacy misconceptions and show how it can empower consumers, we will study online pharmacy benefits in-depth today. So, let's figure out whether an online pharmacy is a boon or bane.
What is Online Pharmacy?
An online pharmacy is like any other online shopping app or site. That means it is a digital portal from where you can order medicines, receive online consultation, access OTC health products, and more. In short, online pharmacies deliver almost all healthcare services on your doorsteps.
The global e-pharmacy market size was valued at $50.85 billion in 2020, which is projected to reach $109.2 billion in 2025. That's a straight CAGR of 14.8%! If we shift focus to the Indian market, 15-20% of all pharma sales will go online over the next ten years.
Such a rise in the e-pharma industry shows that consumers and governments are in favor of online medical shops. It's just a matter of introducing well-structured online pharmacy policies and business models, the growth will be unbelievable. Presently, three e-pharmacy models are being used:
Organized e-pharmacy: Two sub-models are operating in this category. First is a marketplace model, in which local pharmacies are connected to the end-users by technology companies. The second model is inventory-based, where licensed pharmacies provide online services.
Non-organized e-pharmacy: Here, prescription medicines are ordered without any validation. There is no medium to check the authenticity of the order due to the absence of qualified pharmacies.
Illegal e-pharmacy: Many online pharmacies ship drugs across international borders without valid prescription or authorities' approval. It is an utterly dishonest method to sell medicines online.
Usually, consumers can't clearly distinguish between these three e-pharmacy models. Therefore, many people avoid buying medicines online or misunderstand genuine e-pharmacies. For this, the government needs to issue clear guidelines.
12 Online Pharmacy Benefits
If you order your prescribed medicines from organized and legitimate online pharmacies like Captabs, you can gain the following benefits:
1) Safe and Convenient
Without crossing the threshold of your home, you can order medicines for your entire family. That means you don't have to stand in long queues and expose yourself to infection for getting your medications. Simply open your phone or computer and log into an e-pharmacy website or app to order your prescribed medicines. It is highly convenient for patients who can't go out to find a pharmacy.
2) Hefty Discounts and Deals
Online pharmacy services in India are still booming. Therefore, authentic pharmacies offer hefty discounts and cashback to attract new customers. Since online pharmacies save costs on maintaining infrastructure, they can quickly provide lucrative deals to end-users.
3) Multiple-payment Option
When you order your medicines online, you can pay through various methods. You can pay via net banking and e-wallets like PayTM, PhonePe, or GooglePay. However, if you believe in the traditional cash system, online pharmacies also accept cash on delivery. So, you can pay as you wish.
4) Easy to Use
All online businesses are focused on providing the best customer experience. CX also drives E-pharmacies. Online medicine stores are designed to offer ease of use. With just a stable internet connection, anyone can order medicines online. Moreover, many e-pharmacies allow customers to order from websites, apps, and even via WhatsApp. For online drug stores, customer experience is simply paramount.
5) Excellent Accessibility
In your local pharmacy, you might not find some medicines at the right time. Thanks to aggregate supplies, you never have to face a shortage of drugs with online stores. They have large warehouses where they always maintain stock of essential medical supplies. In the storage units, e-pharmacies follow all the proper protocols to safely store meds like temperature check, sanitization, etc.
6) Urgent Deliveries
If you require urgent medicines in the middle of the night, online pharmacies can also offer that. Such as, at Captabs, we provide Midnight Express Delivery between 12 am to 6 am at mere additional charges of ?300. So, online pharmacies are like 24*7 ambulance services — always ready to serve you.
7) Original Products
Online medicines are streamlined with full tracking systems. Online counterfeit drugs can be easily traced back to the original manufacturer. Therefore, online medical stores have bought transparency in the market that ensures the quality of the products. When you buy medicines or other medical supplies from an authentic e-store, you also receive quality assurance.
8) Online Consultation
Suppose you don't have a medication prescription with you, no worries. As e-pharmacies also offer online consultation. They will connect you to reputable and professional doctors who can virtually examine you and issue a prescription. Online consultation is beneficial in the pandemic time when you can't physically visit your physicians.
9) Detail Medical Record
E-pharmacies maintain a detailed record of your online purchase along with your payment details. With all your medical history in one place, you can seamlessly track your medicine purchases to analyze your health. Moreover, you can share your medical data with your doctor for further suggestions. Also, you can order your monthly medicine supply with just one click.
10) Educate Customers
Online pharmacies produce numerous medical journals, blogs, forums, and many other educational sources. They encourage customers to make informed choices after understanding the nature of drugs and various risk factors involved with their consumption. By educating customers, online pharmacies work on establishing strong connections with them. Since e-pharmacy lets customers order different medicines, education is essential for customers to make the right decisions.
11) Respects Privacy
Online pharmacies duly respect their customers' privacy. They follow high-end safety and privacy protocols to protect customers' personal information. There are numerous diseases, which could cause patients to face prejudice. Online pharmacies perfectly understand it, thus, offer a private environment to purchase medicines. That's something you can't find at your local chemist shop.
12) Return Policy
Yep, online pharmacies also have a return policy. If you don't need a particular medicine anymore, you can return it to the store. For instance, if you have ordered two stripes of paracetamol, but you get better after taking a few pills from a strip, you can return the unopened stripe to your pharmacy. You just have to return within the period mentioned by the online pharmacy.
Future of Digital Pharmacy
In a word, BRIGHT.
The future of online pharmacy is very bright. That's because the current pharmaceutical industry has many flaws. From supply chain management to unregulated prices, the pharmaceutical sector required a major repair. And, the pandemic has shown it perfectly.
Thus, over 75% of patients are expected to use digital medical services in the future. Today, online pharmacies need proper guidelines from the government; once it is done, this sector will grow even more.
Consumers, online medicine shopping is the best for your pocket and health, so definitely try it. For 100% original and affordable medicines, visit Captabs website or app anytime. We are always ready to serve you!