Amazon Pharmacy is Here

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“As more and more people look to complete everyday errands from home, pharmacy is an important and needed addition to the Amazon online store," said Amazon's SVP North American Consumer, Doug Herrington.

Yep, that about sums it up. Amazon Pharmacy (AMZN) is up and running, and the chain drug world will never be the same. Amazon has already taken a bite out of the HBA (Health & Beauty Aids) business. Now, the last foot traffic magnet for drug store chains is under serious attack. How will this change the chain drug world? I'd welcome your thoughts.

If you want to read more about this, TechCrunch has a great article below:
 

Amazon launches Amazon Pharmacy, a delivery service for prescription medications

Jonathan Shieber, Ingrid Lunden / 6:00 AM EST•November 17, 2020

A little over two years after its $753 million acquisition of the prescription medicine delivery service Pillpack, Amazon has finally launched Amazon Pharmacy, its online and mobile prescription medication ordering and fulfillment service.

Using a secure pharmacy profile, customers can add their insurance information, manage prescriptions and choose payment options all through Amazon’s service. And in another small push towards wider healthcare services, and not just selling items (although, yes, the outcome is to sell items), users are provided with “self-service help” tools on Amazon’s portal, and they also have the option to speak to pharmacists either via over the phone, for advice: “Friendly and knowledgeable pharmacists are available 24/7 to answer questions about medications.”

After launching its own line of over-the-counter drugs in 2019, this is arguably Amazon’s broadest push into the healthcare business to-date, one that could open up very large, new revenue opportunities for the company, especially as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic pushes consumers both toward more remote care, and using online channels for all their shopping needs.

Indeed, this is also more than just Amazon’s continued expansion as a one-stop shop for medicine and wellness. For many consumers, shopping at the pharmacy and shopping for groceries goes hand-in-hand (and of course over decades, many standalone pharmacies have moved more into becoming like stores selling food, while those selling food also have pharmacy counters).

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