<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Nearly three out of four European citizens purchase goods online. The main advantages of using an online pharmacy are lower prices and convenience. In addition, patients appreciate a higher degree of privacy and access to a wider selection of health products. Study shows that the number of online users is on the rise in major countries like the USA, EU member states or India.
<bold>Methods:</bold> The study is based on data collected in April 2020 at the country level (Romania) from a sample of 789 adults over the age of 18, using CATI. A simple random sampling procedure was applied, with a confidence interval of 3.5% and a confidence level of 95%.
<bold>Results:</bold> About 17.7% of Romanians have purchased healthcare products through online pharmacies or drugstores, of those 60% are women, between 30 - 64 years old (84 %), have a monthly income of more than 2700 lei (90%), and a university degree (76%). The most common reasons for choosing an online pharmacy are the ability to compare prices, shop quickly, and have prompt access to items and information, together with a wider range of products.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Respondents’ motivation to use online pharmacies appears to be more related to the benefits of the online media, rather than to some unmet needs in brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Search capabilities, access to more information, price comparison, as well as a larger range of products and availability 24/7 are some reasons why patients utilise online pharmacies to purchase medicines.
</abstract>

Introduction: Nearly three out of four European citizens purchase goods online. The main advantages of using an online pharmacy are lower prices and convenience. In addition, patients appreciate a higher degree of privacy and access to a wider selection of health products. Study shows that the number of online users is on the rise in major countries like the USA, EU member states or India.
Methods: The study is based on data collected in April 2020 at the country level (Romania) from a sample of 789 adults over the age of 18, using CATI. A simple random sampling procedure was applied, with a confidence interval of 3.5% and a confidence level of 95%.
Results: About 17.7% of Romanians have purchased healthcare products through online pharmacies or drugstores, of those 60% are women, between 30 - 64 years old (84 %), have a monthly income of more than 2700 lei (90%), and a university degree (76%). The most common reasons for choosing an online pharmacy are the ability to compare prices, shop quickly, and have prompt access to items and information, together with a wider range of products.
Conclusions: Respondents’ motivation to use online pharmacies appears to be more related to the benefits of the online media, rather than to some unmet needs in brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Search capabilities, access to more information, price comparison, as well as a larger range of products and availability 24/7 are some reasons why patients utilise online pharmacies to purchase medicines.

Online pharmacy: customer profiling

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures

Acta Marisiensis - Seria Medica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Online pharmacy: customer profiling"}

Introduction: Nearly three out of four European citizens purchase goods online. The main advantages of using an online pharmacy are lower prices and...

Online pharmacy: customer profiling

Article Category: RESEARCH ARTICLE

Published Online: Dec 30, 2021

Page range: 221 - 226

Received: Jul 22, 2021

Accepted: Sep 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2021-0031

Keywords
online pharmacy, patients behavior, pharmacists, influencing decision, medicine, pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, digital marketing

© 2021 Marius Călin Cherecheș et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Online pharmacy: customer profiling

Article Category: RESEARCH ARTICLE

Published Online: Dec 30, 2021

Page range: 221 - 226

Received: Jul 22, 2021

Accepted: Sep 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2021-0031

Keywordsonline pharmacy, patients behavior, pharmacists, influencing decision, medicine, pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, digital marketing

© 2021 Marius Călin Cherecheș et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
online pharmacy, patients behavior, pharmacists, influencing decision, medicine, pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, digital marketing