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Create a pharmacy mobile app and penetrate the mobile market

The advent of mobile application technology has changed the world around us. The landscape of mobile apps in the healthcare sector is also evolving. With the ever-upgrading changes and updates, it is becoming better each day.

Software driven medical devices have been in the picture for decades. The revolution in app technology is further strengthening these virtually driven healthcare endeavors. It is bringing facilities to our doorsteps and making lives easier.

As smartphones have elevated from being a luxury to a need, apps are becoming a part of our daily lives. Healthcare apps are being used by doctors, patients, and medical staff to exchange information and commodities.

The availability of free online app maker tools like AppMySite have made it accessible for all. Businesses, brands and even healthcare providers are getting apps for their online stores.

One such revolutionary example is the popularity of pharmacy apps. Read further to find out more about pharma mobile apps. Stay tuned and learn how you can add your own drugstore in the rapidly growing market of mCommerce.

In this blog

  1. Role of mobile apps in pharmacy & healthcare: Facts & statistics
  2. The significance of pharmacy app development
  3. Benefits of developing a medicine delivery app
  4. Top picks: 5 pharmacy apps that can give you goals
  5. Top features to include in your pharmacy mobile app
  6. How to develop a pharmacy app of your own?
  7. Frequently asked questions

Role of mobile apps in pharmacy & healthcare: Facts & statistics

Mobile apps are not a novelty in the world of healthcare anymore. The services are being driven by apps in a variety of ways. From monitoring health and fitness to maintaining patient history, apps are being used for all.

While the health bloggers are propagating information through apps, pharmaceutical companies are selling medicinal supplies online. It will not be an exaggeration to state that mobile app technology will shape the future of healthcare.

Here are some facts and statistics that further strengthen this belief:

  • The app stores are home to thousands of health and pharmacy apps. There are around 60,000 healthcare and medical apps available on the Google Play Store alone.
  • More than 200 new healthcare apps are added to stores everyday. Apple App Store currently hosts around 41,000 healthcare and medical apps.
  • More people prefer immediate or virtual healthcare facilities these days. As a result, healthcare app market is set to generate USD 300 billion by 2025.
  • New technologies are curing various ailments more smartly and securely.  In 2020, almost USD 1.2 billion in funding were directed to the development of mHealth apps.
  • Revenue in the Online Pharmacy segment will reach USD 31.64 billion in 2023.
  • Global online pharmacy market will grow at a CAGR of 13.4 percent and reach a value of USD 52.33 billion by 2027.
  • More than 50 percent of US customers order health, wellness, and nutritional products online.
  • India and China are leading countries when it comes to health app usage with a 70 percent and 66 percent share respectively.

The significance of pharmacy app development

What are pharmacy apps? Why should I create an online medical store application for my pharmacy business? Is pharmacy app development profitable?

Are you overwhelmed by these questions? Do not worry. We will answer them all in this section. Pharmacy apps are a part of the health commerce industry and are used for online medicine delivery. Such apps enable pharmacists and pharmacy business owners to go digital and reach customers across the globe.

From creating a pharmacy app for one’s own medicine delivery business to creating a pharmacy aggregator platform and listing multiple vendors and medicine shopping options, there are many avenues to explore.

As lives are getting busier and time has become a luxurious commodity, fewer people want to go out and shop for their necessities. Hence, it is not just clothes, gadgets, and accessories that people are shopping online. The trend of online medicine ordering is gaining popularity and more people are opting for it.

In fact, for many people, especially for the old and ailing ones, it is becoming a boon. There are many remote retail shops that are also ordering medicines in bulk from manufacturing pharmaceutical companies and making it easily available for people around them. All-in-all, pharmacy apps are a profitable business idea for sellers and a must-have convenience for customers.

Benefits of developing a medicine delivery app

As discussed above, pharmacy apps are a win-win for both customers and sellers. Some of the most significant advantages of pharmacy apps are as listed below:

Uninterrupted supply of medicines

Medicine is a necessary supply, often needed urgently or within a short notice of time. As the order is often placed directly to the bulk suppliers and pharmaceutical companies, shortage is not an issue. Individuals, and even retailers, can easily make orders on app and retrieve parked orders as and when convenient.

Ease of accessibility

Apps are bridging the gaps of infrastructure and bringing the world closer. Immediate access to data, health facilities, information, supplies and more, is improving the experience for patients and easing the job for doctors. Hence, apps further ease the process by allowing instant online and offline accessibility and easy to use interface.

Unified data management

Cloud based data management systems integrated in apps, can make lives easier for both, patients, and suppliers. One-point access can be used to receive, send, or monitor prescriptions, validate them, check inventory stock and order history, and more.

Administrative management

Hospitals and clinics are already benefiting by implementing app technology for managing administrative tasks. The same format of centralized management unit can be used by pharmacy companies. Such apps can make the system more efficient and error-free.

Misuse prevention

Abusive or illicit usage of drugs is a reality. This can be widely abated as apps function in a controlled environment. One can ensure linking of identifications and scrutiny of prescriptions before supplying sensitive drugs. Apps can ensure instant access to order history and help limit the quantity of delivery per order and thereby, prevent misuse.

Service transparency

Apps that give a detailed insight to patients about the functional standards of the company are trusted widely. It helps in making the services more transparent and lucrative. The more organized and easily accessible system of information like details of each drug in description, and more, helps increase transparency and elevate brand value and authenticity.

Tracking, monitoring & more

Apps are becoming more efficient and empowered with the integration of AI and other technologies. It is also easier for both buyers and suppliers to place the order and monitor it at every stage with an app. People can easily apply for discounts and view the invoices. They can also curate their order and park it to buy later. Thus, apps can also help in reducing cart abandonment.

These are some of the outstanding benefits of creating a pharmacy app. Other than the factors listed above, on-demand medicine delivery apps are beneficial when it comes to patient privacy. As patients get the convenience of ordering medicines online and human interference is minimized, sensitive patient data and medical history can be better safeguarded and protected. Moreover, apps also ensure better sales, retention, and engagement than websites and contribute to the overall growth of your brand.  

Top picks: 5 pharmacy apps that can give you goals

The pharmacy industry is evolving itself with mobile technology and becoming more advanced each day. It is doing more than just supplying medicines. Everybody, from retailers to individual consumers are becoming a part of this app-based supply chain and changing lives for the better.

Although plagiarism is a big no-no, it is always smart to learn from the heavyweights and industry competitors. Check out our top picks and know how the existing pharmacy apps are giving goals to the aspiring ones.

Our top choices of pharmacy apps, in no order of priority, include the following:

#1: CVS Pharmacy

CVS Pharmacy is a leading name and one of the most popular apps in the US that comes with a range of features. It has many advanced functionalities like prescription management, easy ordering for refills, 24×7 video chat with experts, and more, that help patients in monitoring and maintaining their medications. CVS Pharmacy is available for Android and iOS users and is quite popular among Americans.

#2: NetMeds

NetMeds is another pharmacy app that is changing the scenario of the industry. It is a popular name across the Indian subcontinent that offers medicines and a range of personal care and wellness products. The owners have a dynamic legacy of over 100 years in the pharmacy business and have become a trusted name in the digital world too. Their app is available for both Android and iOS users and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or App Store.

#3: Rite Aid

Rite Aid is yet another popular name of the pharmacy sector in the US. A product of the Rite Aid Corporation, it operates a chain of drugstores in the US, the third largest of its kind there. It has evolved with time and become more than just a medicine ordering app. People can also use its app for purchasing diet and fitness products, opting for immunization services, avail benefits of insurance programs, and more.

#4: MedAdvisor

MedAdvisor, as it claims, is the most popular app based medical adherence program in Australia. The app allows users to avail a number of benefits like curating medication list, ordering prescriptions, setting reminders to take medicines, and so much more. It works like a medical assistant and empowers both doctors and patients by bridging the gap and facilitating communication between them.

#5: Pharmacy2U

Pharmacy2U, originally started as an online pharmacy store in 2000 by Daniel Lee, has become the most popular medicine delivery app in the UK. It allows customers to order and manage their prescriptions at any time, from anyplace and delivers medication to their doorsteps free of cost. It is one of the most fast growing and trusted names in the world of pharmacy in the United Kingdom. Customers can easily download the Android or iOS apps from the stores and register to start ordering.

Top features to include in your pharmacy mobile app

Features are the most significant aspect of developing an app. The set of features you choose and add to your app should power your business goals and make the journey seamless for your consumers.

Ensure the following features in your pharmacy app for a robust performance and smooth experience:

Simplified user on-boarding

The immediate and long-term experience of your users should be satisfying enough to keep them hooked. A complex signup process can lead to immediate abandonment of the app. Hence, make the registration process simple and offer multiple sign-up and log-in options like Google and Facebook. The splash screen, landing pages and the app interface should all be coherent and compel users to stay.

Smooth & layered navigation

Many of your customers will likely be ailing patients. Hence, the very purpose of offering them an app for ease and convenience should be kept in mind. Ensure everything that your app users are looking for is available at their fingertips by enabling layered navigation. Build a premium native app that is responsive and fast and offers an unmatched experience. Think from the perspective of the users and design the icon, function buttons, pages, and screens accordingly.

Smart product search & filter

Help your users achieve their shopping goals with smart searching, filtering, and sorting options. Users should be able to filter medicines and products based on various options like company, disease, composition, order history, and more. Design and enlist products and product variations intuitively. Display important announcements, sales, offers and more, on the banner to have the users hooked from the very start of the session-time.

Seamless payment & checkout

This is the sale point that changes your traffic and engagements into conversions. Give it special priority and make the checkout process smooth and easy. Allow people to modify their cart, claim insurance, view taxes, apply discounts and promo code at this point. Also integrate multiple payment gateways that cater to varied locations and currencies. It will help you in covering a wider demography and, hence, boost your revenue.

Additional features & benefits

You can broaden the scope of your brand by being more than just a medicine ordering app. Add other features and benefits and enrich customers’ experience with information and entertainment. You can walk that extra mile and see what your competitors are doing. Some added features that you can incorporate in your app are:

  • User-consent form
  • Prescription management
  • Loyalty rewards program
  • Blogs and catalogue
  • Multi-language support
  • Social media integration
  • In-app chat support
  • Push notifications
  • Review and rating collection
  • Data collection and analytics

Decide on the final list of features based on the industry trends and the goal of your app. Do not forget to create personalized offerings and interact with your consumers on a regular basis. You can also go for in-app marketing and advertisements. Communicate new offers and updates or send trend and price drop alerts to your customers and boost conversions.

Suggested Read: Unleash the power of push notifications for your healthcare app

How to develop a pharmacy app of your own?

We have had an end-to-end discussion about the viability and potential of pharmacy apps. By now, you must be aware of the many benefits of having an app for your medicine delivery business and must be surging with multiple ideas of your own.

You can easily develop your online pharmacy app with AppMySite. All you need is to register and enter basic details and you can immediately start building your app. Here, you can customize the app design and layout in an intuitive environment and add endless features with point and click options. You can set up your store in minutes and preview your pharmacy app before deploying it on the app stores.

Just start building your app and the app builder itself will guide you through. It is a suitable time to harness the potential of the expanding healthcare sector by building an app for your online pharmacy store. Make the most of it and make the lives of your regular consumers easier by facilitating quick medicine ordering and delivery.

Wrapping up

Take ideas from this article and chalk out your plan for tapping into the mobile market. Get in touch with AppMySite and convert your WooCommerce website to mobile app. You can also create a WordPress app if you are just a health blogger and educate people with the latest trends in the health and pharmaceutical industry.

Else, develop a pharmacy aggregator and marketplace platform, telemedicine app, or a pharmacy app of your own and grow your business. Go ahead and claim your territory. Build an app and get an edge over your competitors. May the force of technology be with you!

Frequently asked questions

Have questions about building a pharmacy app? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about pharmacy app development.

Are medical store applications profitable?

While the success and failure of a business or an app is governed by several factors, medical store apps or pharmacy apps, in general, are profitable. Whether you create an app for multi-store listings or one dedicated to a specific pharmacy brand, mobile apps connect you with your customers directly. Apps eradicate barriers that limit the reach of physical stores and present businesses with new avenues and opportunities. As the mHealth (mobile health) sector is constantly evolving, it is a good time to launch a pharmacy app and ride the wave.

How to create an online pharmacy store?

The easiest way to create an online pharmacy store is to build a website. You can choose an ecommerce CMS to start listing medical products on your website. WooCommerce is the most popular solution in this regard according to most ecommerce CMS market share statistics. Once you create a pharmacy store with WooCommerce, you can transform it into a mobile app. AppMySite is the ideal no-code solution to convert your WooCommerce store into a native mobile app. You can create native WooCommerce apps and sell your pharmacy products in an optimized mobile environment.

How can I build pharmacy apps for Android and iOS users without coding?

Mobile app development has become more democratized and affordable over the years. The monopoly of custom app development agencies or even traditional app developers and programmers is now being challenged by no-code app builders and citizen developers. There are several pharmacy app development solutions available online. You can take the modern route to development and build premium Android and iOS apps with an online app maker like AppMySite. Here, you can build your apps without any coding and deploy them on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

How do pharmacy apps make money?

Pharmacy apps can be monetized in a number of ways. Branded pharmacy app owners can earn profit by selling products to their customers, offering paid tele-consultations, showing ads from ad networks and affiliates, selling products from third-party vendors, and more. On the other hand, aggregator and pharmacy marketplace apps can earn through commissions for each sale made by a vendor on their platform, charging vendors for listing, charging delivery and other fees from customers, and more. App owners can also offer special benefits to customers and implement a subscription-based earning model. The possibilities are endless.

How much should a pharmacy mobile application cost?

The development cost of a mobile app varies based on numerous factors. Custom app development can be expensive and may be cost you anywhere between USD 30-50K. If you choose to build an app using a no-code platform like AppMySite, the development costs are significantly lower. You can sign up for a sustainable subscription plan that suits your needs and publish an app without a lot of investment.

How can I sell my pharmacy products online?

You can sell your pharmacy products online via a number of channels. The first and obvious way is to setup your website to sell your medical products. As explained previously, using an ecommerce CMS like WooCommerce makes a lot of sense as it simplifies ecommerce app development for your website. Else, you can also go with other eCommerce technologies and website builders. You can also build a mobile app using the same website and sell your pharmacy products in a native mobile environment.

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