Investigation and Research on Influential Factors and Behavioral Characteristics of Online Drug Purchase: Taking Ningbo as an Example / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence and reference for online pharmacy business and government policy adjustment. METHODS: Taking Ningbo as an example, intercepting questionnaires survey was conducted in major drugstores and major commercial centers. The influential factors of online drug purchase, specific reasons of not purchasing drugs online, online drug purchase "5W1H" behavior characteristics and influential factors of purchase decision were investigated. The data processing was conducted by using EpiDate 3. 1 and SPSS 19. 0 software. RESULTS: A total of 700 questionnaires were issued, and 660 valid questionnaires were collected with effective recovery of 94. 29％. Educational degree of the respondents, internet frequency and online shopping frequency had significant impact on whether purchased drugs on the internet (P＜0. 05), while gender, age, place of residence and type of medical insurance had no significant impact on it (P＞0. 05). Among specific reasons for not purchasing drugs online, score decended by the order of worrying about the safety of purchasing drugs online, worrying about the logistics and after-sales service, can not get professional medical and pharmaceutical care. Among the characteristics of network drug purchase behavior, 50. 2％ of respondents purchased drugs online out of the cheapness; 41. 2％ buying goods that were not available locally; Tmall and Jingdong mall were the main way to buy, accounted for 78. 9％ and 44. 2％, respectively. Within the last 6 months, online purchasing less than 5 times accounted for 72. 4％, and the amount less than 300 yuan accounted for 57. 3％. Most respondents expected to pay by Alipay and medical insurance card, each accounted for 53. 8％. Among decision-making influential factors, score decended by the order of commodity factor, after-sales service and logistics, shop and business qualification, professional service; price factor scored the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: The higher educational degree, internet frequency and online shopping frequency, the more inclined to online drug purchase. Low trust, logistics and customer service difficult to guarantee and inability to get professional service are main reasons for not purchasing drugs online. The characteristics of online drug purchase manifest as low amount, low frequency and single way. Great attention is paid to the nature of drug properties, the business qualification, after-sale rights protection and logistics efficiency, when the consumer decides to buy. It is suggested to improve online pharmacy business and related policy adjustment by forming differential marketing model, strengthening consumer confidence, cultivating consumption habits, strengthening after-sales guarantee and logistics construction, choosing suitable sale platform and professional development, avoiding vicious price-cutting competition.

Survey on Pharmacist's Awareness of E-commerce for Non-prescription Medicine

OBJECTIVE: Online pharmacies were introduced in some countries such as United States of America or Canada. They can provide benefits to consumer because they can buy and take conveniently drugs without limitation of location or time. In Korea, online pharmacies are illegal and only pharmacists can sell drugs to consumers or patients. Therefore, we investigated the knowledge of online pharmacy and the possible problem in Korea to survey pharmacists. METHODS: We developed questionnaire based on previous articles about online pharmacy and surveyed nation-wide pharmacists by mail or e-mail. The data was analyzed by SPSS and Microsoft Excel. P-values less than 0.05 were statistically significant. RESULTS: 175 pharmacists involved in this study. About introduction of online pharmacies, 53.1% were opposition while 10.3% were approval and 36.6% were conditional. Although online pharmacies were introduced, 46.3% pharmacists do not have a plan to start online pharmacy. However, the approval and tends about starting online pharmacies were higher in younger pharmacists (20s, 30s) (p < 0.05). The criteria of permission about opening online pharmacies were 100% pharmacist license regardless of holding off-line pharmacy. 53.7% pharmacists responded education about taking medication is impossible. When online pharmacies are introduced, 65.1% pharmacists responded traditional pharmacies are affected negatively. Pharmacists concerned that the competition with large-sized distribution corporations, reduced reliance between pharmacists and patients, illegal transaction of counterfeit drugs, increased misuse of drugs. CONCLUSION: These results showed that Korea pharmacists have negative standard on online pharmacies. Therefore it is required to be more cautious before introducing online pharmacy and it need strict watching system and continuous education and study for safety after introducing online pharmacy.

The current state and the management strategy of enterprises of the online pharmacies in China / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To put forward the management strategy of the online pharmacies for enterprises promote the development of online pharmacies in our country. METHODS: Taking the method of literature reviews analyzed the historical development and the amount, market size, geographical distribution and the state of the purchasing crowd of the online pharmacies in china. RESULTS: National policy gradually changes control to the online pharmacies, small amount of pharmacies, small market share, regional distribution limitation, tiny purchase of the crowd. CONCLUSION: Overall development of the online pharmacies is slow, the growth rate accelerated nearly two or three years, as the new terminal market in the pharmaceutical industry, the development space is huge, enterprises should take effective management measures. Seize the new opportunity to meet the new challenges, such as: intensifying propaganda; recognizing the actual consumer correctly; using physical pharmacies to dig the potential consumers of the online pharmacies; Providing personalized services which are suitable for online sales; building the online exchange platform; strengthening the construction of network; developing the 020 business model; strengthening enterprise autonomy.

Online Pharmacy Regulations in the USA and European Countries and Implications for China / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide references for the evolving and standardization of Chinese online pharmacy regulation. METHODS: We explored the online pharmacy regulations in the USA and European countries in term of the mode, scope and means of regulation as well as analyzed the existing problem in online pharmacy of China. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Some issues such as administrative regulation and self-discipline of industries, domestic regulation and international cooperation, pharmacy regulation and consumer education etc should be taken into fully consideration in the practice of Chinese online pharmacy regulation.

The Challenges and Opportunities for Traditional Pharmacies in Digital Network Time / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the challenges and opportunities for traditional pharmacies in digital network time. METHODS: Aiming at the problems occurring in the work of pharmacy and pharmaceutical care, we analyzed the meaning and deep impact of the using of network information technology in pharmacy .RESULTS: It is clear that the drug supply ori- ented pharmacies should be transformed to pharmaceutical care oriented pharmacies. It is very important to use computer high text to handle pharmaceutical information efficiently.CONCLUSION: The digital networks can extend the work of pharma- ceutical care in space and time and provide an opportunity to the development of pharmacies.