Discount pharmacy heads online | IR News

Discount pharmacy heads online

Posted Date: 06/02/2012

By Inside Retail

Australian pharmaceutical brand Discount Drug Stores is launching an online store with a new e-commerce platform it says will uniquely increase sales without taking business away from its individual franchises.

The site has been specifically developed by technology brand Pharmacy4u to provide another sales channel for Discount Drug Stores.

“Australian consumers are turning to online shopping at a rapidly increasing rate and as a brand that prides itself on customer care we felt it imperative that we enter this space,” said Discount Drug Stores GM Douglas Kuskopf-Dallas.

“For us our priority is capturing this market through our existing franchise stores and that is why we have developed this unique online retailing strategy.”

The first major community pharmacy brand in Australia to adopt this system, each of Discount Drug Stores’ pharmacies will now have its own online store, giving customers the ability to shop online but from their local Discount Drug Store.

“Local businesses are finding it harder and harder to complete against the large online stores,” said Kuskopf-Dallas. “This system solves the problem by enhancing the business of each individual store and ensuring our owners don’t have to compete with a centralised e-commerce site.”

Pharmacy4u director, Bruce Annabel, agrees: “The Pharmacy4U technology means each Discount Drug Store can have its own individual website,” he said. Customers will have the ability to monitor and purchase their prescriptions online with email or SMS reminders sent to notify them of when they must refill their medications.

Said Kuskopf-Dallas. “This will ensure they’re receiving quality health care services and products despite being time poor, living in an isolated area or hindered by illness.”

Already in its beta stage, Discount Drug Stores’ e-commerce site will officially launch early this year.

Discount Drug Stores was established in 2001 and now has 100 stores across Australia. It is on track to turn over $350 million this financial year.

Keywords: Discount Drug Stores, online retailing

Comments:

Join the discussion online: Be the first to leave a comment.

Leave your comment

CAPTCHA Validation

Code:

Name:
Email:

Please note: all comments are subject to moderation for legal reasons and to prevent spam. We'll approve your comment as quickly as we can. If you don't see it appear you do not need to repost it.