Exploring the factors that influence the adoption of online pharmacy in Portugal: a study on consumer´s acceptance and pharmacist´s perception

Devido à rápida evolução tecnológica e à penetração da internet no dia-a-dia das pessoas, a compra online de medicamentos e produtos farmacêuticos é uma opção que pode trazer diversas vantagens para a vida do consumidor. Apesar disso, a adoção deste método pelos consumidores portugueses ainda é relativamente baixa. Poucos estudos incidiram sobre a intenção de uso dos não utilizadores e a perceção do farmacêutico em relação às farmácias online em Portugal. Assim, este estudo tem como objetivo explorar os fatores que influenciam a adoção ou não deste tipo de serviço, bem como analisar a perspetiva dos prestadores de serviços farmacêuticos comunitários. Com isso, este estudo também pretende traçar estratégias inovadoras de melhoria para plataformas de e-commerce farmacêutico. Para o efeito, foi aplicado um questionário online aos consumidores portugueses sobre o conhecimento e prática deste método. Foi também elaborada uma entrevista com o objetivo de analisar como os profissionais da área farmacêutica percebem a utilização do e-commerce neste setor em Portugal, sendo esta segunda ferramenta considerada complementar à primeira. Os resultados indicam que existe uma percentagem relativamente elevada de portugueses com conhecimento da prática de aquisição de medicamentos/produtos farmacêuticos pela Internet. Apesar disso, a maioria nunca utilizou este serviço como meio de aquisição deste tipo de produto. Os motivos mais citados pela menor parcela da amostra que utiliza esse método são a entrega em domicílio, a conveniência e os preços competitivos, o que está de acordo com a literatura. Por outro lado, os motivos mais citados pelos entrevistados que nunca utilizaram esse método são o desconhecimento desse tipo de serviço, a preferência pela farmácia, a falta de confiança e a falta de aconselhamento sobre os produtos e seu uso. Os resultados das entrevistas podem indicar que os farmacêuticos comunitários portugueses ainda têm uma confiança limitada na venda online de medicamentos, embora as opiniões favoráveis estejam a aumentar. A partir desses resultados, foi possível concluir que é necessário implementar estratégias de marketing mais eficazes, estruturas organizacionais adequadas e processos logísticos bem definidos que permitam agilidade e eficiência no transporte e entrega.Due to the fast technological evolution and the penetration of the internet in people's daily lives, the online purchase of medicines and pharmaceutical products is an option that can bring several advantages to consumers' lives. Despite this, the adoption of this method by Portuguese consumers is still relatively low. Few studies have focused on the non-adopters' intention of use, and the pharmacist perception of online pharmacies in Portugal. Thus, this study aims to explore the factors that influence the adoption or non-adoption of this type of service, as well as to analyze the perspective of community pharmaceutical service providers. With this, this study also intends to design innovative improvement strategies for pharmaceutical e-commerce platforms. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was applied to Portuguese consumers regarding the awareness and practice of this method. An interview was also designed aimed at analyzing how pharmaceutical professionals perceive the use of e-commerce in this sector in Portugal, this second tool being considered complementary to the first. The results indicate that there is a relatively high percentage of Portuguese people aware of the practice of purchasing medicines/pharmaceutical products over the Internet. Despite this, most have never used this service as a means of purchasing this type of product. The reasons most mentioned by the smaller part of the sample that uses this method are home delivery, convenience, and competitive prices, which is in line with the literature. On the other hand, the reasons most mentioned by respondents who have never used this method are lack of knowledge of this type of service, pharmacy preference, lack of trust, and lack of advice on products and their use. The results of the interviews may indicate that Portuguese community pharmacists still have limited confidence in the online sale of pharmaceuticals, although favorable opinions are increasing. From these results, it was possible to conclude that it is necessary to implement more effective marketing strategies, adequate organizational structures, and well-defined logistics processes that allow speed and efficiency in transport and delivery

Koronapandemian vaikutukset apteekin verkkopalvelun käyttöön : esimerkkinä Yliopiston Apteekki

English summary. Suomenkielinen tiivistelmä.Peer reviewe

Verkkoapteekkien omaksuminen ja käyttö itsehoitolääkkeiden ostamiseen sekä itsehoitolääkkeiden verkko-ostopolku

Johdanto: Lisääntynyt Internetin käyttö on johtanut verkko-ostamisen yleistymiseen monilla aloilla, ja verkkokaupan kasvu Suomessa on viime vuosina ollut nopeampaa kuin muun kaupan kasvu. Myös erilaisen terveyteen liittyvän tiedon etsintä verkosta on kasvanut, ja monissa maissa tämä on johtanut erilaisten terveyteen liittyvien tavaroiden ja palveluiden verkko-ostamisen kasvuun. Suomessa lääkkeiden osto verkosta ei kuitenkaan ole vielä kovin yleistä, vaikka palveluntarjoajia on useita. Tutkimuksen tavoite: Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoitus oli tutkia itsehoitolääkkeiden ostamista verkkoapteekeista Suomessa. Tarkemmin määriteltynä tutkittiin tekijöitä, jotka motivoivat tai toimivat esteenä verkkoapteekkien käytölle sekä etsittiin tekijöitä, jotka voisivat auttaa pääsemään yli oston esteistä. Lisäksi tutkittiin verkkoostokäyttäytymistä OTC lääkkeiden ostoon liittyen tavoitteena löytää kuluttajien näkemyksiä entistä sujuvamman verkko-ostopolun kehittämiseksi. Aineisto ja menetelmät: Tutkimus toteutettiin kvantitatiivisen kyselytutkimuksen sekä kvalitatiivisten haastatteluiden yhdistelmänä. Tutkimuksen kohderyhmä oli 18-74 vuotiaat pääkaupunkiseudulla asuvat henkilöt. Aineisto kerättiin verkkokyselyn (n=262) sekä haastattelun (n=8) avulla. Osallistujat valittiin mukavuusotannalla ja heitä houkuteltiin mukaan hyödyntämällä sosiaalista mediaa sekä yhteistyössä muutamien pääkaupunkiseudun apteekkien kanssa. Aineiston kvantitatiivinen analyysi suoritettiin IBM:n SPSS version 25.0 avulla ja avoimista kysymyksistä sekä haastatteluista saatu aineisto analysoitiin teorialähtöistä sisällönanalyysiä hyödyntäen. Tulokset: Tässä tutkimuksessa noin joka kuudes (16.5%) oli ostanut lääkkeitä verkkoapteekista. Riippumattomuus ajasta ja paikasta, kätevyys ja ajansäästö olivat suurimmat ostomotivaattorit, kun taas lisäarvon puute, toimituksen korkea hinta sekä pitkä toimitusaika ja tarpeen akuutti luonne toimivat esteinä itsehoitolääkkeiden ostamiselle verkkoapteekista. Lääkkeen edullisempi hinta oli vahvin tekijä, joka voisi saada kuluttajat harkitsemaan verkkoapteekista ostamista. Tulokset osoittavat, että OTC-lääkkeen verkko-ostopolku noudattaa yleistä viisiportaista ostoprosessin mallia ostettaessa entuudestaan vierasta lääkettä. Ensisijainen tiedonlähde ennen lääkkeen ostamista oli internet, ja itsediagnoosi pystyttiin tekemään internetistä löydetyn tiedon avulla. Tämän lisäksi läheisten ihmisten näkemykset ja kokemukset sekä farmaseutin neuvot koettiin hyödylliseksi avuksi itsediagnosointiprosessissa. Johtopäätökset: Tällä hetkellä verkko-ostamisen esteet osoittautuivat ajavia tekijöitä hallitsevammaksi. Tästä huolimatta suurin osa heistä, jotka eivät olleet ostaneet verkosta aiemmin olisivat valmiita harkitsemaan ostamista. Paikallisten säännösten vuoksi verkkoapteekit eivät voi tällä hetkellä kilpailla itsehoitolääkkeiden hinnoilla, mutta muiden apteekkituotteiden hinnoittelu on vapaata, ja nämä voisivatkin toimia kannustimena myös lääkkeiden ostamiselle verkosta. Lisäksi verkkoapteekkien olisi hyödyllistä panostaa nopean ja kohtuullisesti hinnoitellun toimituksen sekä hyvin toimivan reaaliaikaisen chat-palvelun kehittämiseen ja kiinnittää huomiota tietoisuuden kasvattamiseen palveluistaan. Lääkeyritykset voisivat osaltaan sujuvoittaa ostopolkua tarjoamalla kuluttajien yleisimmin etsimää tietoa tuotesivuillaan sekä jo Google-näkymässä pikalinkkeinä kuin myös tarjoamalla verkkoapteekeille riittävästi tietoa tuotteistaan.Background: Increased use of internet and the development of different services has led into the growth of ecommerce in many sectors and the e-commerce is growing significantly faster than any other economy in Finland. In addition, the search for different health related information from the internet has increased and this has led into increase in the online purchase of different health-related products and services in many countries. However, buying pharmaceutical preparations from online pharmacies have not become that popular in Finland yet, although there are many online pharmacy service providers. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the acceptance and use of online pharmacies for the purchase of OTC medicines in Finland. The main purpose was to find out what are drivers and barriers to purchase OTC medicines online and which factors could facilitate to overcome customer perceived barriers. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate online purchase behavior for OTC medicines and to find out the insights required to develop more seamless online customer journey. Materials and methods: This study was conducted as a combination of quantitative survey and qualitative interview. The target group of this study was 18-74 year-old-people people living at the Greater Helsinki area. The data was collected with an online survey (n=262), one focus group discussion (n=5) and one-to-one interview (n=3). Participants of both, the survey and interviews, were chosen by convenience sampling and they were drawn in via social media, mainly by Facebook, and in co-operation with a few pharmacies in the Greater Helsinki area. Quantitative analysis of the survey was made by using version 25.0 of the IBM Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) and data obtained with open questions and interviews was analyzed by using conventional deductive content analysis. Results: In this study sample, 16.5% had bought medicines online. Independence from time and place, convenience and time saving were the biggest drivers to shop OTC medicines online, while the biggest barriers were lack of additional value, high price of the delivery and long delivery time as well as acute nature of the problem. Cheaper price of the medicine was the strongest factor that could get people consider buying online. Results indicate that the online customer journey follows the general five-stage decision making model while purchasing unfamiliar medicines. Internet turned out to be the primary source of information before purchase and self-diagnosis could be made with the help of information found from the internet. In addition, perceptions and experiences of important others and advice from the pharmacist were considered as useful help in the process of self-diagnosis. Conclusions: Barriers for the purchase are currently dominating over the motivating factors. However, the majority of non-buyers would be ready to consider buying medicines online. Currently,the online pharmacies cannot compete with the prices of the medicines, due to the local regulations, but pricing of other pharmacy products is free and those could work as incentive to buy also medicines online. In addition, it would be worth for online pharmacies to invest on developing quick and reasonably priced delivery services and properly working, real-time chat service as well as further increase awareness of their services. Pharmaceutical companies can improve the customer journey by providing the information consumers usually search at their product pages and already at Google-view as a quick links. In addition, online pharmacies should be provided with sufficient information about their products

Consumer adoption of new technologies : the role of perceived risk

Driven by perceived Internet technology advantage and significant market potential, this study focuses on the impacts of Perceived Risk and Trust Belief on Behavioural Intention to use hotel e-booking services in Saudi Arabia. The study employs the UTAUT2 (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology ІІ). The objective is to establish and assess a new model that can be used to determine the various elements, which impact usage behaviour among customers of hotel e-booking services. This study places special emphasis on the unique role of trust belief, and the perception of risk.The data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 465 respondents. Partial Least Squares-Structured Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed in analysing the data. Our study adds to the current literature by proposing new variables linking ‘Perceived Risk’ and ‘Trust Belief’ to the UTAUT2. Furthermore, this study provides a response to appeals for further examination and use of aspects, which enlarge the tools, and usage of UTAUT2. The research model represents a pioneering study integrating perceived risk from consumer adoption of new technology literature, employing the UTAUT2 model to assist in initiating the integration of multi-disciplinary research in electronic marketing. In this research, Trust Belief (TR) was hypothesized, for first time, as a mediator that mediates the influence of Perceived Risk (PR) toward Behavioural Intention (BI). It was found that trust belief completely mediates the negative relationship between perceived risk and behavioural intention.Within the context of electronic booking in the hospitality industry in Saudi Arabia, this research provides the first attempt in which the UTAUT2 model is employed to identify the various factors that impact a consumer’s choice to embrace and utilise hotel e-booking services. All constructs within the UTAUT2 model exhibited a significant and sufficient extent of discriminant and convergent validity and reliability, except for the construct of facilitating conditions. The results provide backing for utilising the UTAUT2 model for predicting consumers’ intention to adopt and utilise e-booking hotel services within the context of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study offers valuable contributions to the existing body of literature, by investigating the validity and reliability of the UTAUT model, originally developed for the Western world, to clarify parallel behaviours in a non-Western context