The COVID-19 pandemic has changed purchasing behaviour drastically. Ecommerce has surged in these two years, and brick and mortar, to be honest, has taken the backseat. Throughout the world, people have resorted to purchasing essential stuff, including medicines, online. In the UK, distance pharmacies dispensed about 42 million products online in 2020, a huge increase from 29 million in 2019. The Indian ePharmacy market was valued at $344.78 million in 2021. And this is something that will grow in the coming years, as per researchers.
But why are online pharmacies so popular nowadays? Let us discuss it!
A convenient option for patients
It is not always possible for patients with chronic illnesses to walk to the nearby medical store to get their stocks updated. Online pharmacies have underlined this problem by delivering medical supplies right to their doorstep. Further, you may be too busy to upgrade your stocks. Sometimes, you may also forget that, leading to missing dosages, which may be detrimental to your health. With online pharmacies at the tip of your fingers, you need not suffer from such mishaps and order conveniently.
Feasible for senior citizens
Again, not all senior citizens are in the condition to walk around freely. Some suffer from mobility issues, while some are dependent on their neighbours and private associations for regular stocking of necessary medicines. Then again, some suffer from degenerating diseases, like Alzheimer’s, which makes it dangerous to venture outside on their own. With the option to order their medical supplies online, they need not fret over their stocks getting exhausted.
Easy availability
Do you always get all the medicines you need from a brick-and-mortar store? What if you need those immediately? You may visit the nearest medical store for emergency medicine, only to find out that their stocks have been exhausted. What to do? Most online medicine stores upgrade their stocks and offer express delivery services, thus resolving this issue.
Enhanced accessibility
Do you live in an area with no drug store nearby? Many rural areas in India suffer from this issue, resulting in severe health degradation and even death. If all emergency medicines are available online, these suffering populations can get their medical stock upgraded without much hassle.
Cost and time efficiency
Last but not least, ordering medicines online is also more cost-effective than visiting medical stores. Even if it is near to your place, what about the time? These days, most people have such tight schedules that it gets tougher to refill their grocery stocks, let alone medicines. Besides, online pharmacies may offer discounts now and then, helping you save some money buying your regular or emergency medicines.
The surge in the number of online pharmacies in recent times can be attributed to the increasing internet penetration in the last two years, from 47 million to 624 million in 2021. As consumer behavior changes, pharmacies have resorted to adhering to the same, leading to a growth in the number of online pharmacies in India. However, there are still some areas that need attention for the online revolution to succeed in this industry. For example, security measures need to be tightened for online transactions, and cyber-attacks and other potential threats should be minimised.
Let’s hope that the e-Pharmacy trend gets bigger and better in the coming day to offer maximum convenience to the customers.
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