Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8095

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Fleming H.
Front-end success
Drug Topics 1998 Nov 16; 142:59-60, 62, 65, 67-68

Abstract:

The results of a survey about the state of nonprescription business in a sample of independent and chain community pharmacies are reported. The results showed that chain and independent pharmacies devote 36, 39, and 25% of their square footage to prescription products, nonprescription health-related products, and non-health-related products, respectively, and that these same product categories account for 75, 16, and 9% of their sales. The majority of study participants reported that sales in the front-end area are gradually increasing. Major growth areas included vitamins, nutritional supplements, and complementary/alternative medicine products. Both chain and independent pharmacies planned more liberal spending to promote front end products. Twenty-five percent of respondents had a Web site in which they promoted their services. Sixty-three percent of respondents said the pharmacy’s own advertising and promotional efforts were important to front-end sales and 61% said the same about manufacturers’ efforts; only 38% said that their front-end success had much to do with wholesaler support programs. Very few respondents expressed interest in store management programs offered by some industry organizations.