Even though the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to a halt, it has also prompted the world to reconsider its customary practices. Whether it’s IT, enterprises, or shop owners, everyone has decided to adapt their practices to fit with future-proofed technology. 

Pharmacy businesses have also gone digital with the government’s tougher rules and increased customer concern. The pharmacy owners recognized that the only way to reach their clients was through the pharmaceutical delivery app. 

As a result, most people are increasingly purchasing medicines online to avoid going out and benefit from the convenience of medicine delivery. Because of the rapidly expanding medicine delivery app business, on-demand medicine app development is gaining a competitive advantage. 

 

Discussing the statistics and trends of online pharmaceutical delivery apps: 

• The pharmaceutical medication delivery industry is expected to reach $1.7 trillion globally by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 6.4%. 
• According to the inventor of PharmEasy, an online drug delivery program, demand for all medicines has increased by nearly 100% since the outbreak. 
• COVID-19 has allowed online medical businesses to take off with a historic spike in sales. 
• Online pharmacy sales are estimated to reach $3.7 billion by 2022. 

Pharmacy store owners are developing drug delivery apps to monetize their businesses and keep up with the trend. If you’re looking forward to owning a pharmaceutical delivery app, this piece is for you. In this section, we will look at the advantages of developing a pharmaceutical delivery app, as well as the app’s features and cost.

 

What is a medicine delivery app, and how does it work? 

A medicine delivery app allows clients to deliver their medications to their doorstep with a single swipe. Any pharmacy or producer can create a pharmaceutical delivery app with a software development company. 

These delivery applications have grown dramatically in popularity during the past few months. However, there are other elements influencing the effectiveness of these online medicine apps. 

To begin, online medicine delivery applications provide a simple way to purchase medications from the comfort of your own home, often at a reduced cost. Second, consumers no longer need to physically visit stores to get drugs delivered; instead, they can just upload their paperwork and prescriptions. Finally, online shops can meet vast global needs, as opposed to traditional medical businesses, which are limited to a single place. Because of these reasons, numerous medical businesses and enterprises intend to go online in order to create online pharmaceutical delivery. 

The success and growth of online medication stores can be divided into two models. One is centred on how they work, while the other is to monetize the app and earn a profit from it. The first model is where pharmacies stock essential pharmaceuticals, and customers can submit prescriptions for the required medications. After the consumers make the online payment, the online retailers check the availability of the order and dispatch the merchandise. 

The second option involves the pharmacy not stocking drugs in their inventory and instead partnering with a local offline store for medical supplies. When a customer places an order, the online medication stores check the availability of the necessary medications with the pharmacy closest to the customer’s shipping address and other partners. The delivery agents then physically deliver the drug to the customer’s address, and the revenue is split between the parties involved according to the agreed-upon terms and conditions. 

 

Benefits of Medicine Delivery Application

Along with the convenience of delivery, enticing discounts, and doorstep service, drug delivery apps provide numerous other perks. We have discussed a few. 

 

1. Professional advice and expert assistance. 

Users of the delivery medicine app can speak with doctors and nutritionist specialists about nutritional product information, side effects or benefits, and dosage requirements as set forth by doctors.

2. There is no compromise on product quality.

Customers who order from delivery apps can be confident that the products are of high quality and that they will receive their medicine at the time and day specified in the app. They can also keep track of the relevant hallmarks, barcodes, strip count, and order history. 

3. Ease of Using a Multilingual App 

Thanks to its bilingual features, users may easily utilize the application or online store. They can place an order, track it, and sign up in their preferred language. The ease of having an app in their native language allows users to gain a basic grasp of the services offered by the app.

4. Upload your prescription or report. 

Users of the internet app can easily upload prescriptions that their doctors have prescribed and the results of medical tests to receive advice from the app’s experts and purchase the right medications.

5. A refined and filtered search.

To improve simplicity of use, medical applications include a search tool that allows users to apply filters and search for a certain medicine based on their preferences.

 

What Are the Key Features of a Medicine Delivery App?

The features of an app are what primarily determine its success and popularity. It also determines how easy the software is to use and how the user interface works. Thus, before you begin developing an online pharmaceutical delivery app, consider the following list of key elements: 

The features are organized into four key categories: customer, administration, pharmacy, and delivery, with a thorough list of each. 

 

Let’s go through them one by one. 

1. Customer features

• Login and Registration: Users can quickly register in the app using their mobile number, email, or social media. You may even add an OTP for more security. 
• Prescription Uploading: Users can upload photos of their prescriptions and test findings. 
• Medicine Search: Users can simply search for drugs using filters such as salts, categories, names, and brands. 
• Medicine Details: Users should have access to complete drug information, including descriptions, manufacturers, and costs. 
• If a pharmaceutical is unavailable, the app should suggest a substitution and provide users with alternative generic options based on their names or salts. 
• Users should be allowed to add drugs and health equipment to their carts for checkout. 
• Order Placing: Users should be able to place orders easily after adding things to their cart. 
• Order Tracking: Users can use a unique tracking ID to trace their order once it has been sent. 
• Payment gateways enable safe online payments using debit or credit cards, net banking, or wallets. 

 

2. Administration Panel Features 

• The admin dashboard allows for easy management of orders, partners/pharmacists, clients, delivery guys, and earnings. 
• Admin should be able to handle all ongoing orders, including their history and current tracking status. 
• The admin can manage, add, remove, and update all pharmacies the app has collaborated with. 
• Customer Management: Admins can manage customers, broadcast messages, and send push notifications for offers, deals, and promotions.
• Inventory Check: Admins may control inventory and notify dealers when products are out of stock or approaching expiration dates. 
• Analytics and Reports: Administrators must monitor operational data and statistics to generate performance reports and drive marketing efforts. 

 

3. Pharmacy Features 

• Easy account setup for pharmacies on the app. 
• Pharmacy owners should monitor and manage product information, such as item descriptions, expiration dates, and medication directions. 
• Product Listings: Pharmacists can add, upload, and display product photos, costs, and categories. 
• The pharmacist should be able to view digital prescriptions uploaded by users. 
• Pharmacists may quickly manage pharmaceutical prices in the app to align with dynamic marketing tactics. 
• The Order History functionality enables pharmacists to customize user experiences by accessing historical order histories. 
• Pharmacy staff can manage user-generated ratings and reviews. 

 

4. Delivery Features. 

• To become a licensed delivery partner, couriers and delivery organizations must upload their personal business details and license ID to their Manage Profile. 
• Personnel Availability: Delivery personnel must indicate the state of their package delivery progress, such as order dispatch, on the way, or delivery. 
• Real-time Notifications: Delivery agents should receive notifications when orders are placed. 
• Delivery agents should use GPS to determine the most efficient routes to customers’ homes. 

Now that you’ve learned about the features let’s talk about how to move forward with pharmaceutical app development. 

Steps to Develop a Medicine Delivery App 

The development steps are critical for producing reliable and user-friendly pharmaceutical delivery software. Before you begin the development process, you must conduct extensive market research, define a unique selling proposition and competitors, choose a software development company, and plan the launch and promotion of your application. 

 

1. Market research and analysis.

If you want your app to be successful, ensure that you conduct a thorough market analysis before beginning development. The first stage entails determining the market size, learning about the viewpoints and client base for medicine delivery app development in a certain place, the challenges you may face, and who your rivals are. 

2. Business Models and App Monetization 

Following a 360-degree analysis of the pharmaceutical delivery app industry and rivals, the second stage is to finalize the business strategy and app monetization. Ensure you understand the business model you wish to work with because the next stages of app development will be based on it. 

Based on your chosen model, you can next determine which app features and functionalities your application will require to meet user expectations.  

3. Search for a mobile app development company.

Finding the right mobile app development firm is the most important aspect of any software development project. Out of hundreds of development companies, drug delivery app companies in the UK stand out from the crowd by combining high-tech competence with cost-effective development.  

4. App Testing and Launch 

It must be thoroughly tested before making the app available to the general public. Expert quality assurance engineers should extensively test the application’s features, UX and UI, code, and front end. 

Once the quality testers and engineers are satisfied with the application, it can be released on the Play Store. However, you must prepare for app updates and enhancements after your app has been successfully deployed.

 

How much does it cost to create an online medicine delivery app?

Once you’ve decided on the features and the operating model you wish to use, you may select the technologies. However, keep in mind that the cost of each feature integration and technology varies. Additionally, the hourly rates that the app development company charges its developers determine the total development cost. 

 

Here are a few considerations to consider while establishing a pharmaceutical delivery app for your business. 

• Types of application platforms: iOS, Android 
• The application’s features and functionalities will include UI/UX design. 
• Backend and quality testing for the application 
• App maintenance and post-delivery support. 
• App development company’s hourly or monthly rates