Amazon is a major E-Commerce firm, They focus on e-commerce, cloud storage, artificial intelligence, and digital streaming. Along with Google, Apple, and Facebook, it is considered as one of the Top Four technology firms. Recently, Amazon has brought out an online pharmacy operation, beginning with Bengaluru, at a period when the majority of the startups are finding it difficult to operate and are acquired by larger rivals.
The Company marked its entrance into the digital medicine market which now has gathered significant momentum throughout and also after The pandemic led lockdown and even after the Unlocking phase.
A spokesperson from Amazon India said, “As part of our commitment to fulfilling the consumer needs, we are introducing Amazon Pharmacy in Bengaluru which allows the customers to purchase prescription-based medicines in addition to nonprescription medicine, essential healthcare products and Ayurvedic medicines from approved sellers. This is particularly important nowadays as it can help the customers to fulfil their basic needs when staying healthy at home”
The lockdown and social distancing led clients to switch to electronic counselling, care, diagnostic research, and the provision of medication. Healthcare start-ups NetMeds, Practo, 1 mg, PharmEasy, and Medlife are seeing a significant rise in demand and a spurt in funding development, close to edtech companies, and has outperformed all other start-up industries.
Amazon’s plans to distribute medicines are a logical extension of the large distribution network of their own and scope for consumers. Amazon purchased PillPack electronic pharmacy to sell medicines to its consumers in a deal of $750 Million in 2018. The pandemic has forced many potential consumers to go online, and sometimes even forever, to buy from e-pharmacies, according to researchers. Over the last three months during the COVID-19 pandemic, online retailers have seen orders rise as high as 50 per cent because customers have remained at home because of social isolation. The surge in orders has greatly boosted its economy and high the expense of attracting their customers. The widened market may be an opportunity for Amazon.
Over the past three months during the COVID-19 pandemic, online pharmacies have seen orders rise as high as 50 per cent because customers remained at home because of social distancing. The increase in orders has greatly boosted its industry and raising the expense of attracting consumers.
Amazon also brought online food delivery in Bengaluru, during May, placing it at loggerheads with incumbents Swiggy and Zomato, but didn’t extend the operation to other areas of India. It is not sure Whether Amazon will carry out the company to the rest of the country or not. It remains to be seen whether Amazon will give priority to this business in its future operations.
