Online Pharmacy in Bangladesh

Online marketing is the novelty to increase sales, retain customers (both old and new), and win new ones. This is a result of how the internet is presently revolutionizing people, products, services, and the way to buy. However, the pharmaceutical sector is no different. All of these new features combined with competition and the economic crisis presently around the world have forced companies, including pharmaceutical companies to adopt an online medicine store in Bangladesh.

Increasingly, owners of traditional pharmacies in Bangladesh have felt the need to implement online marketing strategies to maximize sales and increase income. However, online pharmacy in Bangladesh faces some doubts about how to use online marketing without violating regulations related to the communication of medicines, brands, and products.

Since internet and technology have come to be with its revolutionary changes in the way we live our lives, it is highly pertinent to understand the importance of online pharmacy in Bangladesh, how to apply it, its regulations, how to hire a professional in the field and how to stand out in the sector.

What is Online Pharmacy?

Pharmaceutical e-commerce or online medicine store is the specific way of internet marketing that is focused on pharmacies and drugstores. Although it seems simple, it is necessary to dedicate yourself and study the sector before venturing into an online pharmacy in Bangladesh. Thus, understanding the needs of customers, developing the brand identity, following the rules and regulations for this form of marketing, as well as using all other variables in the niche becomes an inevitable aspect of the market.

Hence, a major advantage of online pharmacy in Bangladesh is the conveniences it provides the patients who purchase pharmaceutical products in the country. Whereas, the main disadvantage of online pharmacies is that patients who obtain their prescriptions through online medicine store in Bangladesh sometimes expose themselves to the risk of drug-related injuries.

 Here we will clarify all doubts about online communication in the sector and help you boost your sales with online medicine stores in Bangladesh.

What Is the Importance of Online Pharmacy?

Online Pharmacy is a necessary strategy for drugstores and pharmacies to be able to communicate better with the public that is increasingly demanding. Undoubtedly, an online presence is mandatory at all points of sale, and having e-commerce (online store) and social networks is no longer enough as an online activity.  

Differentiated communication, following the online pharmaceutical marketing rules, can be the differential to stand out among competitors and to increase the average sales ticket. The pharmaceutical marketing rules can include actions from the analysis and the choice of a target audience to the communication and the average ticket of each client.

Thus, increasing customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty putting into practice just a few simple concepts. Also, to do pharmaceutical marketing, it is not necessary to hire an advertising agency or new professionals if you don’t want to. If you prefer, you can make the changes yourself that will bring such benefits to your pharmacy or drugstore.

Regulation of Online Marketing in The Pharmaceutical Sector

To own an online medicine store in Bangladesh, the pharmacy and its medical products must follow certain rules. 

Firstly, the online pharmacy and drugs must be properly registered with the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) and the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh(PCB) and other required agencies. Others are below: 

• Drug advertisements must contain the commercial name, the name of the active substance, the registration number, mandatory warning by law (“If symptoms persist, consult a doctor”), and an additional warning according to the effect described in the package insert or the active substance.
• It is only allowed to claim health and or functional properties if these properties have been proven by the appropriate authority.
• It is not permitted to claim during advertising that food has healing and treatment properties (this includes capsules, supplements, pills, syrups, etc.). Such foods cannot be confused with medicines.

Stay tuned to these rules and others to start right now to increase your sales safely and correctly.

Legal Limitations of Pharmaceutical Ecommerce

The opening to online sales of the pharmacy market in Bangladesh, if it is still subject to strong constraints, is well underway. We can see clear signs of transformation with a view to modernizing the pharmaceutical sector, and other signs seeking to change its distribution rules. It is always expected that through efforts of major players in the sector, online pharmacy in Bangladesh will be a better place for all.

However, pharmaceutical drugs are divided into two large groups, those that need a prescription to buy them in a pharmacy and those that can be freely purchased in shops and other establishments. Prescription drugs in no case can be sold online, however, the second, also known as OTC (over the counter) can be sold online. The vast majority of dermatological, optical or oral health products belong to this group.

Therefore, if you want to open up an online medicine store in Bangladesh, bear in mind that it is against the law to sell any prescription drugs online.