by Jenny Kosek Dollar stores are positioned either in areas underserved by supermarkets or drug stores, or in strip malls next to big box retailers to lure consumers to a faster, easier shopping experience. Where is your store? Chances are you’re in a small downtown or perhaps well away from busy retail areas in your community. … Read More
It’s time to create your online presence
by Megan Moyer Creativity is an essential tool in planning for growth. While changing up your product assortment can lead to an increase in sales, and creating partnerships with local businesses can as well, you can also increase awareness and drive more business by creating an online presence. Think of how much more inventory you … Read More
Pharmacies can build loyalty by embracing wellness
by Jennifer Johnston for Chain Drug Review September 30th, 2013 The retail consumer shift toward wellness is well under way. Hamacher Resource Group and several leading trade associations spotted this emerging trend years ago and changed the term “health and beauty care” (HBC) to “health, beauty, and wellness” (HBW) in everything they produced. These days, … Read More
The Dollars and the Indies: Pt. 2
Posted by Jenny Kosek So, dollar stores and their pharmacies are a-comin’, and your pharmacy needs to be ready to battle them for consumers. Are you ready? Consumers choose where to shop based on what I’ll call “the Three Cs”. In order of importance, they are: 1. Convenience2. Cost3. Customer Service Dollar stores are winning the war … Read More
Mandatory mail order — indie pharmacy’s biggest front-end competitor
by Jen Johnston Last year, HRG surveyed independent pharmacies about many topics, one of which was who their biggest competitors are when it comes to their front-end. One east coast pharmacist called me during the midst of Hurricane Sandy cleanup because his power was out and he couldn’t complete the online survey, but he had … Read More
The Dollars and the Indies: Pt. 1
Posted by Jenny Kosek Dollar General just received the 2013 Company of the Year in Retail award at the 11th Annual American Business Awards. With a 48% share in the dollar channel[1], it’s no wonder. While consumables lead sales in the dollar channel, OTC products are gaining strength. Not nearly done competing, dollar stores are … Read More
Finding the local pharmacy
by Jenny Kosek I’ve been taking the same route to work for the past four years. I drive on a busy street, popular with drivers looking to avoid the congestion on highways. Still, there’s a particular stretch of this road that can be prone to some back-ups, and I was stuck in one such delay yesterday … Read More
Embrace your “indie” mystique to reach the 2nd largest generation
by Jen Johnston The last time you thought about the millennial generation (gen Y) they may have been a bunch of ragtag middle schoolers whose only source of income was their weekly allowances from mom and dad. You may have had to watch that they didn’t steal candy or lip gloss, but they didn’t really … Read More
Appearance Matters
by Megan Moyer I enjoy shopping at drug stores, especially independents. I have fond memories of going to the drug store as a kid to get a candy bar and a comic book for the 5-hour drive to our grandparents’ house. My first job, in my teens, was at an independent pharmacy where I guess … Read More
Position your store as a wellness destination
by Megan Moyer What does wellness mean to you? I like this definition from the McKinley Health Center, University of Illinois: Wellness is a state of optimal well-being that is oriented toward maximizing an individual’s potential. I think we can all identify with that. Some within our industry have already moved from describing over-the-counter (OTC) … Read More