Local Pharmacies vs. Chain Stores

Local Pharmacies vs. Chain Stores – What You Need to Know

When you need to have a prescription filled at a pharmacy, your first choice might be to go to one of the many chain stores across the country. On one hand, this is understandable. Most chain pharmacies have locations everywhere, and they usually have a wide selection of over-the-counter medication and anything else you can find at a convenience store. On the other hand, a chain store isn’t always the best option when you need a pharmacist. A chain pharmacy might seem like the most convenient option, but you’re almost always better off going to a small local pharmacy instead. Here are just a few reasons why.

Better Customer Service

While it is entirely possible to receive excellent customer service at a chain pharmacy, you can almost always expect to receive better service from a local independent pharmacy. The staff at a local pharmacy will be members of your community instead of employees of a large corporation. According to one Consumer Reports survey, 50 percent of customers of local pharmacies say that their pharmacist knew their names, while only 14 percent of customers shopping at chain pharmacies could say the same thing. Independent pharmacists will be more likely to know who you are and be able to provide you with more personalized service, which makes a big difference if you need to have a life-saving prescription filled.

Better Pricing

Although many large chain pharmacies will have you believe that their prices are lower than independent pharmacies, that isn’t always the case. There might be generic medications that a local independent pharmacy cannot get, the majority of generic medications that you can get from an independent pharmacy will be less expensive than what you would normally get from a chain store. The best way to ensure that you will pay for a cheaper generic brand is to pay in cash instead of a prescription card, something that is much easier to do at a local pharmacy than a large chain store.

Shorter Wait Times

Research has shown that wait times are much shorter at local pharmacies than at chain pharmacies. This can be chalked up to a number of factors, but it really comes down to local pharmacies being able to streamline their customers’ experience. They know when their busiest times are and can schedule enough employees to cover them, they have a streamlined POS system for their cash registers that don’t need to link to a larger database and medications that can be delivered quickly since they serve customers within their neighborhood.

Greater Accuracy

Finally, when you go to a local pharmacy, the very fact that the pharmacist is more likely to know you personally means that they will have a better idea of your medical needs. They might even be the one who serves you and gives you directions on how you should be taking your medicine. Yes, you could speak directly to a pharmacist at a chain store, but you are more likely to get that kind of personalized service from an independent business.

If you are in need of a great independent family pharmacy, Goodwill Pharmacy will be happy to serve you. Contact us today for more information about your prescriptions.