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Keep Clients Coming Back: Strengthen Loyalty with an Optimized Veterinary Pharmacy 

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Online shopping has become a way of life, with impacts extending far beyond retail. Approximately 16% of U.S. consumer spending occurred online in 2024, representing a two-fold increase from just eight years earlier. Veterinary medicine is not immune to this trend, with one-third of veterinary clients now obtaining their pet’s medication through an online pharmacy. Today’s busy pet owners prefer the convenience of online shopping and autoship options. 1,2

 

Though the term “online pharmacy” may conjure an idea of competition, it’s an opportunity to offer clients the convenience they demand, coupled with the veterinary expertise that only you can provide. In turn, your practice reaps the benefits of increased efficiency, stronger client relationships, and support for your practice’s bottom line.

Leveraging Veterinary Practice Strengths

Veterinary clients cite convenience as the most important factor when fulfilling prescriptions.2 When you prescribe medication through an integrated online pharmacy, the client purchase process can be as simple as clicking a link and entering payment information. This convenience offers value to your clients, saving them time while bonding them to your practice.

 

In addition to convenience, clients want to know that their pet’s medications are veterinarian-approved where applicable. Outside retail pharmacies introduce potential risk, because clients must avoid counterfeit drugs and scam websites. An online pharmacy that’s integrated with your practice offers clients a trusted source for safe and effective medications, without sacrificing the convenience of online shopping.

 

Finally, an integrated online pharmacy allows your team to focus on providing high-quality patient care and client service. This efficiency benefits your practice, your clients, and your patients.

Adopting Smart Technology to Enhance Service

Smart technology maximizes the benefits of an integrated online pharmacy. These benefits extend to your practice, your team, and your clients.

 

First, an integrated online pharmacy streamlines your practice workflows. Today’s advanced technology allows you to create, approve, and renew prescriptions in 60 seconds within your practice software.4 This simplifies medical recordkeeping and improves efficiency; your actions are automatically documented, avoiding the need to enter notes about outside prescriptions.

 

An integrated online pharmacy also offers tools that may help improve client compliance, pet health outcomes, and client retention. When you write a digital prescription through prescription management software, a purchase link is emailed directly to the client. This eliminates the need for clients to submit a written prescription, removing potential barriers to care. Additional tools, such as autoship and email/text reminders, further enhance client compliance while maximizing convenience.

 

Finally, an integrated online pharmacy can help you keep prescription purchases in-house, helping to increase revenue and doubling profitability by leveraging both e-commerce and in-clinic options.5

Actionable Strategies for Practice Success

How can you maximize the benefits of an integrated online pharmacy? Follow these 5 steps:

 

  1. Simplify your prescribing process. An online pharmacy can integrate seamlessly with your practice management software, simplifying prescription management for your practice and your clients.
  2. Train your team. Ensure your team members are familiar with the features of the integrated online pharmacy, including their use and how they can benefit your clients.
  3. Educate your clients. Clients are often unaware that their veterinary practice offers an e-commerce storefront.3 Communicate the benefits during office visits and through your client communication channels.
  4. Use online pharmacy communication tools to their fullest extent. Integrated digital tools, such as email, text messaging, and apps, can help boost compliance while keeping your clients engaged and informed.
  5. Evaluate your inventory. As your team and clients become comfortable with the integrated online pharmacy, consider how to right-size your practice’s inventory to maximize returns.

Conclusion

New technologies can grow your practice while strengthening client bonds. A well-managed online pharmacy can integrate with your practice management systems to simplify your practice workflows, while also meeting your clients’ needs for convenient, reliable veterinary medications. In addition to offering convenience to your clients, an integrated online pharmacy solution will allow you to level the playing field with online retailers and help grow your pharmacy revenue.

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References 

  1. United States eCommerce Sales Growth (2018 to 2024). (2025, Mar 3). SellersCommerce. Retrieved from: https://www.sellerscommerce.com/blog/us-ecommerce-sales/
  2. Nichelason, A. E., Williams, S. R., Pinto, A., & Bean, I. (2024). Convenience and price drive online pharmacy usage by veterinary clients. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(11), 1511–1517. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.05.0348 Retrieved from: https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/262/11/javma.24.05.0348.xml
  3. Larkin, M. (2024, February 27). Home delivery, autoship important offerings for veterinary clients. AVMA News. Retrieved from: https://www.avma.org/news/home-delivery-autoship-important-offerings-veterinary-clients
  4. Covetrus® internal data, 2024
  5. Covetrus corporate group pilot, 2024

 

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