Though all the online pharmacies provide similar kinds of services, their business models are vastly different.

Some companies have offline stores as well as online stores while others only have an online presence. Some companies prefer a centralized business model while others have opted for the decentralized model.

Some are threatening the market by aiming to create a monopoly in this critical market, while others are helping local pharmacy owners to establish themselves in the market.

From the customer perspective, the emergence of online pharmacies has increased their convenience and satisfaction. This is reflected in the rising demand for e-pharmacy platforms. Besides, increasing utilization of medicine orders has also contributed to their rapid adaptability.

What is e-pharmacy?

The term e-pharmacy is used to describe many things, but at the core of it, it refers to the online platform where customers can purchase medicines without visiting a physical store.

Generally, e-pharmacies are of two types:

  1. Digital-only stores. This type of e-pharmacy does not have any physical pharmacy store for a customer to visit. They do not provide a pick-up facility to the customers.

  2. Digital Twin of Brick-and-Mortar pharmacy. This type of e-pharmacy is most popular. It serves as an extension of a brick-and-mortar store. It is also termed as “Digital Twin” or their offline store.

Here, the store owner has offline as well as the online presence of their store. This powerful combination allows them to expand their reach. Customers have the ability to pick-up from the store and to order medicines home.

Centralized vs Decentralized:

If we dig deeper and look at the fundamental business model of online pharmacies, they can be divided into two broad categories: Centralized model and Decentralized model.

Companies like 1mg, NetMeds etc. work on the centralized business model. In this model, said companies work as “Platform Provider”. They have tie-ups with many pharmacists and assign orders to partner pharmacists based on location. They charge commissions from each and every order. The commission is levied upon considering the amount and nature of medicines sold via the platform.

Whereas companies like EMedStore rely on a decentralized business model. The decentralized business model has empowered pharmacists to compete with big players in the pharmacy domain and establish themselves. The pharmacy owner has almost no authority in the whole operation.

EMedStore works with local pharmacy owners as a “Technical Partner” and develops the app and website. After the development is finished, the app is deployed on the Play Store in case of Android and on the App Store in case of iOS. After the deployment, the pharmacy owner gets to manage the whole operation and has complete authority over the whole process.

How to compete with Big Online Pharmacies like 1mg, NetMeds etc.?

First of all, you can start with the e-pharmacy website development and e-pharmacy app development and then take it forward from there.

There is no need to be intimidated by the threat posed by big e-pharma giants when local pharmacists are giving them tough competition by establishing their online pharmacies. What you need is a consultation with a Pharmacy IT Company with proper knowledge about the market. To know more about the A Pharmacists Business Model For An Online Pharmacy.

Key Strategies to make your e-pharmacy app successful:

  • Have a user-friendly and appealing website
  • Have an easy-to-use online pharmacy app
  • Have interesting and attractive content
  • Regularly update informative content for your users

How to make e-pharmacy such that your customers want to use it?

Making an app that your customers actually want to use and order from it, is essential for the success of your e-pharmacy. We have made plenty of such apps. Contact us to make such an app for your pharmacy app and get the demo .

What's more is, our dedicated team of Digital marketing executives will also guide you regarding the marketing of your online marketplace as well.

Call +91 63676 58233 / +91 94086 38536

Mail us at info@emedstore.in