Survey: Customers have issues with pharmacy apps

The adoption of mobile pharmacy apps is surging, but that doesn’t mean consumers are totally satisfied with them.

A new survey of more than 700 online pharmacy customers from Software Advice reveals that respondents who rated pharmacy apps as “very easy” to use dropped from to 46% in 2024 from 69% in the 2022 edition of the survey. 

Software Advice's analysis indicates this trend of not finding pharmacy apps very easy to use has especially increased among Gen Z respondents, who report higher standards and expectations from digital health tools.

Despite consumer concerns over ease of use for pharmacy apps, the survey also shows that only 13% of respondents called in their prescriptions in 2024, compared to 30% who used this method in 2022. Respondents who received written prescriptions and took them to the pharmacy themselves decreased close to 80%, to 6% in 2024 from 27% in 2022.

In addition, the survey indicates that four-in-10 (41%) respondents observed no difference in the cost of prescriptions filled online versus the cost of those from traditional pharmacies, which Software Advice says highlights a decrease in financial advantages previously associated with traditional pharmacies, suggesting that economic factors including inflation are influencing the benefits offered by online pharmacies.

"The decline in user satisfaction with pharmacy apps underscores the urgency for developers and healthcare providers to focus on simplicity and functionality," said associate principal analyst Lisa Morris, Software Advice. "As online pharmacies become more prevalent, ensuring these platforms are user-friendly is crucial. The goal should be clear: to make digital health tools straightforward and reliable, thereby keeping patients engaged and confident in managing their healthcare and adhere to taking their prescription medicine."

Virtual health offerings target discount prescriptions

A growing number of retailers are taking steps to establish themselves as low-cost digital providers in the lucrative – and increasingly price-competitive – $300 billion-plus prescription market. Participants include Amazon, Kroger, Walgreens, GNC, and billionaire and TV personality Mark Cuban.