Mail Order and Supermarkets Outpace Chain Pharmacies in Customer Satisfaction

More customers are turning to mail-order pharmacies, mass-market merchandisers, and supermarkets, influencing the rising number of chain drugstore closures. According to the JD Power 2025 US Pharmacy Study, customers report improved overall satisfaction and experience with mail-order services—laying the groundwork for a shift in where and how patients choose to fill prescriptions.¹

Mini shopping cart with pill bottle on laptop showing Amazon Pharmacy | Image Credit: © steheap - stock.adobe.com

The JD Power US Pharmacy Study highlights customer experiences and satisfaction across the nation’s largest pharmacies, spanning 5 segments: chain drug stores, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, hospitals and clinics (nonaward segment), and mail-order pharmacies. The study explores customer perceptions on core aspects of the pharmacy experience, not limited to the quality of medication and health and wellness services, resolution of problems or complaints, financial assistance, prescription delivery, access to digital channels, and the availability of pharmacy staff. Satisfaction is measured on a 1000-point scale.²

The 2025 study was conducted from May 2024 to May 2025 and is based on responses from 14,700 drugstore patrons who filled a prescription during the previous 12 months. The findings demostrated that chain drugstore satisfaction scores are significantly lower than the average scores for mail-order pharmacies. The average overall satisfaction score for chain drug stores is 643, which is 54 points lower than the average satisfaction score for mail-order pharmacies (697), 63 points lower than mass market merchandisers (706), and 72 points lower than supermarkets (715). Of all the segments, mail-order pharmacies show the largest year-over-year gains in satisfaction, with an increase of 7 points in the 2025 report (697).¹

Evaluations of the core aspects of the pharmacy experience showed that supermarkets and mass merchandisers substantially outperformed chain drug stores, delivering sufficient staff, ease of ordering prescriptions, prescriptions being filled quickly, and trust. Mail-order pharmacies took the lead in regard to digital channel satisfaction. Customers report improved savings on time and money, with approximately 63% reporting they are either “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in using a digital pharmacy to fill their prescriptions. However, 33% of pharmacy customers are unaware of digital pharmacy brands. Of the remaining 67% who have knowledge of digital pharmacies, 58% are familiar with Amazon Pharmacy.¹

The report also ranks the pharmacy segments with the highest satisfaction scores. In 2025, Health Mart ranks highest among brick-and-mortar chain drugstore pharmacies, with a score of 759, followed by Good Neighbor Pharmacy (732). Of the brick-and-mortar mass merchandiser pharmacies, Sam’s Club ranked the highest (778) next to Costco (765). Wegmans ranked the highest for brick-and-mortar supermarket pharmacies (764), followed by Publix (760) and H-E-B (756). With a score of 745, PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy ranked first in the mail-order category for the second year in a row. Amazon Pharmacy (734) came in third, followed by Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (740).

The JD Power 2025 US Pharmacy Study^SM helps pharmacy leaders make data-driven decisions based on reports from real customers across pharmacy segments across the United States. The study paints a picture of the evolving pharmacy landscape to help pharmacists adapt or respond to these changes promptly and effectively as patient preferences continue to shift toward mail order, supermarkets, and mass merchandisers. By addressing key drivers such as staffing, speed, trust, and digital accessibility, pharmacies can better meet evolving consumer expectations.

REFERENCES

1. Chain drug store closures create big opportunities for supermarkets, mass merchandisers and online pharmacies, J.D. Power finds. J.D. Power. July 29, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2025-us-pharmacy-study

2. Pharmacy study. J.D. Power. Updated May 28, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.jdpower.com/business/healthcare/pharmacy-study