Is Amazon a Threat to Independent Pharmacies?

Amazon is threatening many a retail pharmacy, especially the likes of Walmart. But is the giant retailer a threat to independent pharmacies?

Not necessarily. A pharmacy that truly differentiates itself can create a niche that Amazon would have trouble encroaching upon.

To do that, a pharmacy must make it its mission to educate and inform patients.

Independent pharmacy owners should be masters of chronic diseases. It is a field not sufficiently well covered in medical school, and neither is it being mastered by big box stores or chain store pharmacies.

For instance, if a patient does not know the value of N-Acetyl Cysteine and how it can help ward off most any viral infection by building glutathione, then that is information that the pharmacist should be providing. Indeed, information should be the foundation of the pharmacist's helping people to become more energetic, feel better, and live longer.

Another example is PQQ and its ability not only to energize the mitochondria but also to rebuild those mitochondria that are dying. PQQ can be a tremendous source of energy, especially for seniors.

These are just 2 examples. When a pharmacist becomes known for providing information that is not easily found elsewhere, they can attract scores of new patients.

Also, when a pharmacy owner backs up that marketing with other marketing that goes directly to patients, will find that once they sign on, the pharmacist can further indoctrinate them regarding how solutions to aches, pains, and other maladies can benefit each one.

Yes, Amazon is another fierce competitor to face. But independent pharmacies that develop a niche, may find that it can result in patients visiting more often, getting expert advice from the pharmacist, and spending more money.