Consumer behaviour of pharmacy customers : Choice of pharmacy and over-the-counter medicines
Boström, Katarina (2011)
Boström, Katarina
Arcada - Nylands svenska yrkeshögskola
2011
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011122018982
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011122018982
Tiivistelmä
With this research the author aims to explore factors influencing the behaviour of pharmacy customers. The research strives to answer how consumers choose in which pharmacy to run their errands and how they choose between similarly priced generic over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. The focus is on OTC medicines since they are available without prescription and are subject to public advertising. The quantitative research was conducted during fall 2011, mainly in four pharmacies in the Helsinki region to reach recent pharmacy customers. A sample of 273 consumers participated by answering a questionnaire form. Results show that in order of importance based on average results, the top three reasons behind the consumer’s choice of pharmacy is the following; location (being by far most important), product range, staff. Likewise the top three order for choosing OTC medicines is; pharmacist’s opinion and recommendation, family’s and friends opinion and recommendation, product brand or producer. Almost all consumers usually buy the same product again and the majority sometimes buy products they know through advertisement. The majority have bought from the pharmacy an OTC medicine or vitamin supplement even though it was not in the plans, and the largest disparity between male and female consumers in the research is that more women have done so.