A brief discussion on the strategy of Internet pharmacy in the Red Sea

Since December 2005, the state officially opened online pharmacy business qualification application, so far, according to data shows that in China, more than 100 have "Internet Drug Information Service qualification certificate" and "Internet drug trading Service Qualification Certificate" "Double certificate" of the online pharmacy operators. For the industry's electricity quotient, this business quantity obviously already reached the market saturation, according to the past industry electric Trader's Development course analysis, the competition is unavoidable, but the remaining online pharmacy operator will reconstruct the market brand pattern.

Online pharmacy sales rely on third parties

Online pharmacies in accordance with the direct management of the Division, at present, mainly divided into three types: first, drug brands directly into the electrical business channels, through the establishment of electric business platform or Third-party platform to open shop, online distribution cooperation to build sales model, such as Taobao Medicine Museum in the pharmaceutical brand manufacturers Second, the traditional online pharmacy chain operators in the online channel expansion, such as seven Le Kang, Kang love more, jian one medicine, etc. the third is the original electronic commodity licensing platform through cooperation or acquisition/merger mode, in the original Electronic business platform to add online pharmacy services, such as a shop online pharmacies, and has tried to hold Kyushu pharmacy, To add online pharmacy services Jingdong Mall.

From the online pharmacy sales dedication to analyze, we found that the third party platform relies on a large number of daily traffic and consumer group advantages, is still online pharmacy operators The main channel of performance dedication. Before that, although some online pharmacy operators with independent electric business platforms claimed monthly sales of over tens of millions of, profit was not a problem, but according to industry insiders said that this is a vague sales channels, in fact, most of them through Third-party platform to create the performance, rather than the independent operating platform.

Lo Tiancheng that online pharmacies in the early years after the outbreak of the scale, will face the next round of fierce competition shuffle behavior. Before this, who can in the brand strategy, product strategy, channel mode, marketing mode four level breakout, also means will in the future market development with a strong competitive advantage.

Brand strategy can not be neglected

Brand strategy is important both offline and online, and it is a recognized fact for the importance and function of enterprise competition and development. On the current online pharmacy brand strategy, many online pharmacy operators have the identity of the brand force, but in the actual operation of the process, lack of brand theory guidance, brand positioning and image recognition before planning, to invest heavily in the cost of the promotion of brand awareness.

Lo Tiancheng that this is in itself a kind of brand planning behavior. This way follows China's consistent first sales after the brand practice, the early stage of the brand investment is basically only a certain role in sales, but can not form the accumulation of brand and precipitation, in other words, less.

For example, the General Assembly Pharmacy Online Pharmacy, its proposed "China General Assembly Pharmacy Online Pharmacy", from the brand point of view, is only a brand name endorsement behavior, or called "Mother brand guarantee brand name law" is not a brand positioning.

Let's take the shampoo brand as an example to explain. Sea Flying Silk brand positioning is "professional to dandruff", its packaging label or advertising dissemination, can appear "Procter and Gamble Company" The word, through the company's brand awareness for the brand name of the sea flying silk reputation guarantee, but for consumers or flying silk, if there is no "professional to dandruff" This brand positioning of the subdivision image appears, Only through the spread of brand identity, it is not in the differentiated market to form competitiveness, nor in the consumer group to form a unique brand image. Similarly, the Wanglaoji of Hung Road (now Gado) if there is no "fear of getting drunk Wang Lao Ji" Brand positioning image and dissemination of image, I think, its sales will not grow at a high speed.

Brand positioning and dissemination, is the order, positioning for the competition to establish a differentiated image, by seizing the consumer mind, access to market segments of the leader identity, in the Red Sea market, positioning is a necessary business strategy tool. Enumerate numerous online pharmacies, really for their own precise brand positioning, and complete packaging and dissemination, almost no.

Lo Tiancheng that the positioning behavior is a willing behavior, that is, to abandon the all-inclusive of the package of consumer propaganda, for the consumer groups of a certain kind of mental needs analysis and promotion to meet. Online pharmacies are in the Red Sea, who can take the lead in this one to occupy the positioning, and around this dissemination and promotion, who will be in the competition to establish a strong fortress.

Of course, the brand positioning of the way there are a variety of competition, consumer purchase psychology, their own advantages, such as the combination of positioning is only one of the ways, other ways we do not have to proving. And for brand strategy, brand positioning and dissemination is only one link, the brand core value of refining and molding, brand communication and behavioral management, everything is complementary, indivisible whole.

Constructing the product strategy of consumer psychology oriented

Online Pharmacy Current Product services, copy the line of the Entity shop Service content, this model will inevitably lead to online pharmacies product differentiation degree is lower, homogeneity of competition is serious. Domestic online pharmacies In addition to a network of new Home department stores, other online pharmacies product services are basically the same. This mode of product differentiation, mainly in the pharmaceutical brands and product line of the difference between the rich degree.

Comparatively speaking, the service scope of online pharmacy abroad is more extensive, which not only provides over-the-counter drugs, but also includes book products and digital photo printing service. Of course, we do not have to copy foreign models. Lo Tiancheng that the online pharmacy is a platform which takes the Netizen experience as the core to build, therefore, in order to shape the differentiated competitive power of the products, in addition to the different drug supply brands mentioned above, and the rich degree of product line, it is necessary to scientifically plan product category and establish the related product service strategy based on consumer psychology Finally, the product differentiation competitive advantage is formed.

At the channel level, the whole network laying outside, more crucial is to consolidate the third party sales channels, support and development of independent electric business platform, and phased adjustment of the focus of human and material investment. Secondly, from the marketing level, the development and management of members, is also the need to strengthen the online pharmacy at present, and for marketing promotion, the means to keep pace with the times, the combination of strategies.

Online pharmacy brand pattern is gradually forming

Online pharmacies from policy liberalization, market acceptance to high-speed development, has gone through 7 years, according to statistics, in China every year, there are dozens of online pharmacy operators enter this market.

If we simply analyze from the traditional competition angle, so many online pharmacy management quantity, long should through the market intense competition to form a few brand monopoly pattern. But on the face of it, the traditional rules of competition seem to be ineffective here.

In fact, because the construction cost of the electric platform is relatively lower than the real store cost, in addition to many online pharmacies based on competition or their own development strategy reasons, and did not carry out systematic planning and promotion, many independent pharmacies have not much sales, and some have the experience of the operation of electric operators and highly valued by the operators are through their own planning capabilities , in many online pharmacies operating platform to stand out, and gradually have a certain consumption recognition, user stickiness and visibility, online pharmacy brand market pattern is quietly forming.

The author thinks, in the next 2-3 years, the online pharmacy market pattern will appear, but as above analysis, the online pharmacy's operation quantity does not reduce massively, but slowly grows, the brand market judgment way will take the market share and the sales, the popularity as the standard.