Just over half the adults in the US (58%) have visited a drug store in the past 30 days to make a prescription purchase, showing a decrease from 64% in 2000 and 62% in 2004, according to the 'Customer Focus 2006: Drug Store' study from Vertis.
According to Scott Marden, director of marketing research for Vertis, mail order and the internet have simplified the process of purchasing prescription medicines, and have had a direct effect on drug stores. As a consequence, other non-prescription sales are also declining. Marden warned: "Drug store marketers need to identify an effective media mix to connect with consumers and promote the benefits of their diverse offering and personal consultation."
Purchase motivators
The study reviewed the primary motivators for shoppers who purchase their prescriptions at drug stores. For 38% of adults, a store's "close proximity to home" is a key reason, while 13% said they "always make prescription purchases at drug stores".
Interestingly, only 9% of drug store shoppers cited "lower costs" as a motivating factor to purchase their prescriptions at drug stores, compared to 11% in 2000.
According to Jim Litwin, vice president of market insights for Vertis, "Despite the decline in prescription visits, drug stores have numerous opportunities to drive more store traffic. For example, the survey shows that consumers can be enticed to print photos from digital cameras, which can lead to additional sales while they are in the store."
Key findings
Some of the key findings from the survey included:
- 65% of men aged 35-49 visited a drug store in the past 30 days to make prescription drug purchases, compared to 72% in 2004. However, prescription drug purchases at grocery stores increased from 6% in 2004 to 15% in 2006 among men aged 35-49;
- 49% of women aged 50+ made prescription purchases at a drug store compared to 57% in 2004. There was no change among men aged 50+ from 2004 to 2006, with 52% surveyed making prescription drug purchases at drug stores;
- There was a slight decrease in prescription drug purchases at drug stores among 18-34 year-old adults, as purchases among men decreased from 69% in 2004 to 67% in 2006, and from 65% in 2004 to 62% in 2006 among women;
- Prescription drug mail orders rose from 3% in 2000 to 7% in 2006;
- 42% of women aged 35-49 with a monthly prescription said that advertising inserts and circulars influence their buying decisions, compared to 19% who said television influences their decisions;
- Advertising inserts' influence on women aged 50+, who on average have the most prescriptions per month, increased from 28% in 2004 to 33% in 2006;
- 38% of women aged 35-49 with a monthly prescription turn to advertising inserts and circulars first when they are ready to make a purchase, compared to 17% who turn to the internet;
- 35% of men aged 35-49 with a monthly prescription turn to advertising inserts and circulars first, compared to 17% of men aged 18-34;
- 44% of all adults have their digital camera photos processed at a store's photo department;
- 48% of women aged 50+ and 47% of women aged 18-34 have their digital camera photos processed at a store's photo department, compared to 45% of men aged 50+ and 34% of men aged 18-34;
- 59% of women aged 35-49 take digital pictures but have done nothing (whether e-mailing them, printing at home, or having them processed) with the pictures stored on their media card (compared to 49% of all adults surveyed);
- 29% of women aged 18-34 take digital pictures with their camera and have them processed at a kiosk, compared to 21% of men and 20% of women aged 50+;
- 36% of women aged 18-34 who do not purchase non-perishable items at drug stores claim it is because drug stores have higher prices;
- 15% of men aged 50+ have never thought about purchasing non-perishable items at drug stores;
- Of men aged 35-49, 17% do not purchase non-perishable items at drug stores because the drug store is not close to home or work.
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