The pharma business in India is one of the largest and most highly competitive sectors, driven by the growing demand for various medicines and other healthcare products. Tapping into this opportunity, many online pharma sellers and medicine home delivery apps have emerged in recent years. The e-pharma business in India is projected to grow to a value of $4.5 billion by 2025.
To capitalise on the market and gain an edge over the competitors, the medicine delivery apps have to live up to the consumers’ expectations, like easy access and instant home delivery. With increased accessibility, affordability, and convenience, these apps have not only changed the way people shop for medicines but also transformed the healthcare industry.
This blog will explore in detail the medicine home delivery apps.
Medicine Home Delivery Apps: A Simple Breakdown
As the name suggests, medicine delivery apps are applications that facilitate the delivery of medicines to customers. The business either partners with a network of local pharmacies or works with an in-house inventory to fulfill the order. The app may display nearby pharmacies that have the required medicines in stock.
Today, many medicine delivery apps are available which offer a wide range of medications. They often include features like doctor consultations and lab test booking options.
Let’s explore how a medicine delivery app works.
- It allows users to upload their prescriptions as photos to ensure they order the right medicine and prevent medication errors.
- Customers can search for their medications by name or even active ingredients.
- The medicine will be displayed, and the buyers can order the product.
- Secure online payment methods, like digital wallets, debit cards, credit cards, etc., are available.
- Users can choose a preferred delivery date, time slot, and address for delivery with the convenience of Same-Day Medicine Delivery.
- Buyers can track the status of their orders in real time.
The Growing Popularity of Online Medicine Home Delivery Services
The global online pharmacy market was worth 52.6 billion US dollars in 2019. By 2025, it is expected to reach 333 billion US dollars. Similarly, the online medicine delivery segment is expected to generate substantial revenue, reaching a significant market size growing at a CAGR of 11.66% between 2023 and 2028.
So, what has led to the growing popularity of medicine home delivery services? Some of the biggest reasons are convenience, less time-consuming, availability of a wide range of medicines in a single app and discounted prices.
Your customers can easily search for their medicines online, add them to the cart, make the payment online, and have them delivered right in front of their doorsteps. This is comparatively more convenient than waiting in lines at the pharmacy. It’s highly beneficial for people with mobility issues, severe health conditions, or who live in areas where they have limited access to pharmacies.
Medicine delivery apps have made buying medicines more affordable. It’s because they have lower overhead costs and can often offer these medications at discounted prices. It also allows customers to compare prices different online pharmacies charge for the same medicines to find the best deals.
With a wider range of medications, even those not easily available in local areas, medicine delivery apps cater to a broader audience. In addition to convenience, privacy, and quick home delivery, you can offer your customers a more personalised experience through medicine delivery apps.
Customers can confidently order their medicines online without worrying about their quality. It’s because all online pharmacies and medicine delivery apps with their own retail stores must be registered with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). They’ll be able to sell drugs all over the country with a single licence.
Key Factors for Effective Medicine Delivery Services
There are certain must-have features that make a medicine delivery app an effective one.
- The app should be easy to use so that buyers can quickly find the medicine they need.
- It must give users multiple payment options, including cash on delivery (COD), so they can choose the one that works best for them.
- It should allow users to set reminders to refill prescriptions, schedule medication times, and pre-order important medicines on time.
- A medicine delivery app should have strong privacy and data security features to protect patient information.
- When placing an order, users should be allowed to pick a delivery time and slot for when they want their medicines to be delivered.
- Users should also be able to track their orders in real-time to know when their medicines will arrive. It will also help them keep updated in case the order is delayed or cancelled due to some unforeseen reasons.
- A dedicated customer support team or even AI-enabled chatbots are necessary for every medicine delivery service. It can help solve user queries quickly, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experience.
As a seller, you should ensure that you comply with all laws and regulations related to running a medicine delivery app, selling medicines, prescription verification, proper storage of medicines, etc.
The Advantages of Medicine Home Delivery Services
Quick medicine home delivery services offer a range of benefits to pharma sellers. Some of the advantages are covered below.
- You can cater to customers who value ease and accessbility, especially those with limited mobility or busy schedules, by providing quick medicine delivery services. It may lead to buyers coming back for repeat purchases, ensuring brand and customer loyalty.
- Online delivery services for medicines enable you to reach a wider audience beyond the limitations of physical stores. You can expand your potential market significantly.
- You can incentivise customers to buy medicines from you by offering discounts, promotions, and loyalty rewards.
- It’s a great opportunity to develop brand awareness that reflects efficient and essential services.
- With real-time order tracking, monitoring, and management tools, you can promptly identify and address any issues. This will prevent delays, maintaining your customer’s trust in your medicine delivery app.
- You may be able to reduce operational costs associated with running and maintaining a physical pharmacy. However, the costs will depend on the delivery model you choose.
- Online medicine delivery platforms enable you to access valuable customer data and gain insights into consumer buying habits. You can tailor your marketing strategies and offerings accordingly.
How Shiprocket Quick Speeds Up Medicine Delivery Services?
Shiprocket Quick is a hyperlocal delivery app designed to make local deliveries cost-effective, fast, and reliable for local businesses. We offer the following features to simplify hyperlocal deliveries of medicines.
- Lowest delivery charges with rates starting at just Rs. 10 per km
- No additional fees for a surge in demand
- Fastest rider allocation within seconds, even during rush hours.
- Access to multiple local courier delivery services, including Borzo, Dunzo, Porter, etc.
- Cash-on-delivery (COD) orders are supported
- Uniform and transparent prices for all couriers
- Quick, round-the-clock deliveries
- No minimum delivery distance requirement
- Track order status in real-time
- Shipment insurance for up to Rs. 2,500 if the goods are lost or damaged during transit
If you are an e-pharma business without your own delivery service, you can utilise Shiprocket Quick for your medicine order fulfillment. You can start using the app in a few simple steps – place a shipment request, a rider is assigned, they reach the location and pick up the order, and the order is delivered to your customer’s doorstep.
Conclusion
Selling medicines via medicine delivery apps can help you reach wider customers across the nation. You can streamline your processes, stay competitive in the market, and enhance customer satisfaction by incorporating the latest technologies into your app. Digitalising how you sell medicines can also help unlock new revenue streams and position your business for growth.
