Many, many years ago, pharmacies and druggists began offering more than just medicines. This was due, in part, to the waiting that customers would have to do while their medications were being filled. Pharmacies decided to start offering cheap food and drink, such as cups of coffee or sandwiches and pickles. Customers could wait at the counter for their medications to be filled and have a bite to eat in the process.
Pharmacies have come a long way since then. Every time you walk into a pharmacy, you are likely to pick up more than just your medications. Here is why your prescription refills almost always come with a side of shopping.
Pharmacies Eventually Realized That They Could Sell More Than Medicine
Once pharmacies realized that they could sell more than just cough syrup and pills for gout, they started offering some basic necessities. Toiletries, toilet paper, milk, bread, and personal hygiene items were added to store shelves and coolers. It did not take long for this trend to catch on. Soon pharmacies decided to expand and sell even more grocery goods as a convenience to customers while they waited.
Pharmacies Uncovered Some of the Psychological Spending Habits of Customers Who Wait
Customers who have to wait tend to browse to kill time. Customers who browse are reminded of things they need. When they are reminded of things that they need, they tend to look for them and buy them out of convenience. Knowing this, pharmacies built up their store inventory to create greater profit margins.
Customers Who Are Tired and Have to Wait Cannot Avoid Impulse Purchases
People who are tired lose some of their ability to control their actions and their decision-making processes. As such, they tend to do more things more impulsively. A customer who has to wait for a prescription refill while sitting inside the pharmacy store is far more likely to buy at least one to three items that he/she did not intend to buy and did not come into the store intending to get. When you consider the thousands of customers that come into a pharmacy to refill their prescriptions, that becomes a lot of unintended sales, especially later in the day.
Want to Avoid the Wait and the Extra Shopping?
If you want to avoid long waits for your medication, call and schedule pickup times at least an hour in advance. Better still, pick up medication in the morning, when you are not so tired and not so likely to buy things. Some pharmacies also have a drive-thru service, which skips going into the store altogether,
