The 2020 pandemic can be called a global disaster for lockdowns and economic crisis. At the same time, it has become a lesson and precedent that opened new horizons for creative thinking. The tendency of digitization and digitalization forced businesses to reconsider business models. Force Majeure situations required quick reactions and solutions to operate remotely. Thus, delivery services have come to the fore. Delivery apps helped most of the businesses stay afloat during those hard times.  

Why should you start developing a drug delivery application?

Online med delivery services are an advantage for the pharmacy. It may help to attract customers and build a broader consumer market. With modern IT technologies, it is now possible to create a mobile app that will meet the needs of customers.

From the perspectives of both the consumers and businesses, e-pharmacy will be beneficial. Like any other multifunctional app, an online medicine delivery app promises customers:

  • Comfortable shopping without leaving the house
  • Detailed information about the products
  • Price comparison,
  • Categorized search,
  • Privacy,
  • Order tracking.

The benefits of pharmacies are no less attractive:

  • An effective tool for marketing and promotion
  • Business development,
  • Brand building
  • Detailed analytics on consumer behavior
  • A large scope of customers,
  • High-level of customer engagement
  • Faster customer support service and customer retention.

Despite the high demand and need for e-pharmacy, the market is new, and there is a lot of space to move around. It means, along with the global players, newbies can get a large consumer market.   

Why are companies investing in drug delivery apps? 

As one of the most essential items, medicine will always be on-demand. The rise of smartphone usage and e-commerce brought to the growth of global online pharmacy. According to Fortune Business Insights By 2019, the market was valued at about $49,727.7, and in the next 4-5- years it is predicted to be generating up to $177,794.9. As for the consumer market and numbers, at the moment, there are 2.05 billion people using e-commerce. By the end of 2021, this number will rise to 2.14 billion.

How the pandemic affected online pharmacy deliveries

The pandemic has become a powerful trigger for the further development of е-commerce. The first wave of panic from coronavirus made people buy up the vitamins, sanitizers, and masks. Google’s search volumes for the products related to Covid-19 increased by 200%. At the same time, the online purchases of the same products have grown as much as 800%.

When the panic was gone, it was clear that medicine delivery may become as popular as food delivery.  So why not give it a shot?

What are the most promising business models in 2021?

There can be two scenarios for developing a medicine delivery app. Both have proven to be promising business models.

Online medicine delivery app for a single store or a pharmacy chain

With this business model, pharmacies go online and offer products to the consumer. The store will get orders through the app and manage delivery. Pharmacies may apply to this business model having a broad assortment of products.

Aggregator online medicine delivery app

In the second model, the mobile application is a link between customers and suppliers. By collaborating with different pharmacies, the application will offer a wider range of products. Тhe medicine delivery app on this model will be responsible for processing orders. The model provides a smooth connection of customers with pharmacies and delivery services.

How to organize work with partners? Features for pharmacies

The development of an app is processed in different directions that are interconnected.  The medicine delivery app is customer-focused and vendor-focused. Each of them has its features and functions.

What opportunities do customers get?

  • User account registration and login function. The most efficient way is social media integration.
  • Account management. The user will have an option to add information like shipping and billing addresses, etc.
  • Add a prescription. One of the most important elements of online pharmacy is prescription management. The application will have a faction to attach prescriptions. After attachment, the prescriptions are processed and approved by the pharmacists.
  • Search tool; product search should be quick and easy. Through various filters, the customers may search by separate categories, brands, substitutes, etc.
  • Placing order. The application will have a function for customers to place orders.
  • Processing payments and refund inquiries. With the option to attach a credit card and make a payment, the customer will be able to pay for the purchases. In case the order is not delivered or the customer has received a wrong order, the customer may opt for a refund.
  • Order history. Both search and order histories save time and help customers reorder prescription medicine.
  • Drug details. Each medicine will have complete information about the product.
  • Review and ratings. The best way to gain loyalty is to get feedback and improve service based on reviews and ratings.
  • Provider page (refers to Aggregator online medicine delivery app). The customer may visit the brand/provider page, search for more products, or leave a review.
  • Notification. Through notifications (discounts, special offers, etc.), the app will gain customer’s engagement.

Those are the main features necessary for smooth functioning. The medicine delivery app may also have order tracking, online chat with a doctor, etc.

What are the features for pharmacy admins?

  • Registration and login for third-party retailers. Retailers will get their accounts and add business information.
  • Order management; the system that processes customer orders. The process will include the verification of prescriptions, managing orders, returns, and refunds.
  • New order notification. For each new order, the vendor will be notified, for fast processing and delivery.
  • Prescription processing. Digital prescriptions, attached by the customers, should be verified by the pharmacies.
  • Payments. This function allows pharmacies to receive and control payments through the app.
  • Order history. The option will make it easier for pharmacies to analyze product flow. Detailed analysis of history will help to focus on the best sales, offer discounts, etc.
  • Order tracking. The function is useful for pharmacies to track deliveries and improve service.

Any new feature added to the medicine delivery app should be useful and functional.

What technologies are needed to develop a drug delivery application?

Regardless of the business model, the online pharmacy app has a complex structure. The visible elements that the user interacts with are developed for Android and iOS. Each platform has its unique programming language and elements. The back-end is the core of the application, the magic that happens behind the scenes. There are also API protocols that help to integrate third-party services;

  • Payment systems,
  • Social networks,
  • analytics tools,

There may be other third-party services to make the app even more functional. Check out detailed information about the technologies of developing a medicine delivery application.

What is the main difficulty when developing a service?

Development of medicine delivery app means processing catalogs with thousands of drugs’ data.  It also means connecting many suppliers in one app which is challenging. For a smooth functioning application, it should have a unified catalog of products. Each new vendor connecting to the app will be synchronized with the platform. Such a complex algorithm requires a skilled app development team with similar experience. Outsourcing mobile app development may become a lifesaving solution for high-level end-user applications. The price of mobile app development depends on several criteria. It may vary on the features required and the location to which you outsource app development.

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