Prescription Services at Your Fingertips: How to Order Medicines Online

Did you know that, according to GlobalNewswire, the revenue of the global online pharmacy market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 20% between 2019 and 2025? More and more people are ordering medicines online these days, which is why we’re seeing this growth.

If you want prescription services at your fingertips, then you’re probably considering ordering medicines online. If doing this is new to you, you might have some questions, such as:

“What are the benefits of ordering medicines online?”

“Is my confidentiality protected when I’m ordering prescriptions online?”

“Do most online pharmacies deliver to everywhere in the US? Or only to certain states?”

Given how many questions you might have, you might be feeling confused. You might also feel frustrated by how in the dark you feel. After all, all you want is to find your prescriptions and order them at low prices while ensuring your safety when you take them.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide. By giving you the benefits of ordering medicines online and showing you what you’ll get out of doing it, you’ll have all the information (and medications) you need. Read on to learn more.

Privacy and Confidentiality

One of the benefits of buying from an online pharmacy is that you get complete privacy and confidentiality. If you’re embarrassed about buying any of your medications from an actual person, or you don’t want a complete stranger to know about a serious health problem you’re experiencing, you can use an online pharmacy and not have to face anyone in person.

Order from the Comfort of Your Own Home

It’s also easier to order from the best online pharmacies instead of having to get showered and dressed to go out to the pharmacy and get your medications there. Whether you prefer to stay inside or are avoiding pharmacies because of the current COVID-19 Pandemic, you can now order without leaving your home.

Additionally, if you have a chronic health condition or are recovering from surgery, you might not be able to leave your home. Instead of having a family member or friend pick up your prescriptions for you, you can order them yourself and have them delivered directly to your home.

You Can Get Discounted Rates

If you’ve been paying for medications for a long time, you know how much the cost can add up over time. Given the nature of the American healthcare system and the complexities of insurance companies, it’s likely that you have additional payments you have to make on top of what your insurance provider covers.

With online pharmacies, you can get discounted rates. This is because many online pharmacies are based in Canada, where medications are cheaper because of their socialized healthcare system. Whether you need a brand name or generic drug, these will be cheaper than the drugs you pay for in the US.

Alerts and Reminders

Many online pharmacies will alert you when you need to take your medication. They’ll also send you reminders that it’s time to buy more because they’ll have your order history and know when you’re about to run out of a monthly or yearly prescription.

By getting these alerts and reminders, you won’t forget to take your medication. Depending on the medication you’ve ordered online, this can be a literal lifesaver.

More Access At Your Fingertips

At an ordinary pharmacy, they don’t keep a full stock of every medication because of storage limits. So, if you need a medication fast, you might have to wait longer for your medication to be delivered to them. You might even have to go to another pharmacy altogether.

With an online pharmacy, you don’t have this problem. Online pharmacies have no limit to how much stock they have, so you’ll have more access to the medications you need.

Online Support Solutions

If you’ve ever called a pharmacy to ask about what they have in stock, then you’re probably familiar with the annoying elevator music that comes on when you’re put on hold. Once you’ve finally gotten through, the pharmacist may be able to answer some of your questions—but considering that they might have physical customers waiting in line, they’ll be in a rush to answer them.

An online pharmacy will have online support solutions that make your purchasing process easier. Virtual assistants and online chat assistants will be there to answer any questions you have about what’s in stock.

Additionally, they can give you suggestions about other similar prescriptions, or give you advice on what to order if you have simple symptoms you need to deal with like pain management.

Authenticity

If you’re ordering from an online pharmacy for the first time, then you might have worries about its authenticity. You might be worried about the quality of the medications you’re buying. This is a big worry, considering that a fake version of a medication can be life-threatening depending on what you’re treating with it.

With online pharmacies, however, authenticity is guaranteed. They have quality assurance teams that check all the stock to ensure it’s made up of the right medications. You will be asked, when ordering, to upload your prescription.

Some of these pharmacies have doctors who work with them, who can prescribe your needed medications. If you aren’t sure about which online pharmacy to use, speak with your healthcare professional about those that are trusted.

Online Education

When you order your medications from an ordinary pharmacy, they might give you a little information about when to take the medication (for example, twice a day after eating), but you won’t get much more than that.

If you have any additional questions, they won’t have the time to answer them. They might not even have the answers if they’re a pharmacist with limited knowledge.

An online pharmacy, on the other hand, has the online space to give you all the information you need about your medication. They’ll provide information about using the drug, potential side effects, how it might interact with other drugs, and cheap alternatives you can buy.

Promotional Offers and Deals

In addition to being cheaper than the medications you buy from ordinary pharmacies, online pharmacies have additional offers and deals. Sometimes, there will be promotional offers offered, which you can get notified about in newsletters for customers.

Additionally, you can save money by buying your medications in bulk. There are also might be referral schemes or free shipping, depending on the online pharmacy you’re buying from.

How to Order Medicines Online

Now that you know all the benefits of ordering medicines from an online pharmacy, we’ll review the steps you should take to order medicines online. By following these steps, you’ll get the medication you need in a safe manner. You’ll also save money.

Identify A Legitimate Pharmacy

When you’re looking for the right online pharmacy for you, you need to know how to identify one that is safe to order from. There are several steps you can take to do this. You need to check that they:

• Ask for a prescription upload when you order, one that has been given by your doctor or another professional in the healthcare industry
• Are licensed to operate in your state; if they are based in Canada, then they should be licensed to operate in Canada
• Have a licensed US-based or Canada-based pharmacist who can answer your questions throughout the ordering process
• They have a street address that’s associated with them

Additionally, check if their website ends in “.pharmacy” if they’re based in the US. This is a sign that the US-based online pharmacy is safe to order from. If you have any doubts, speak with your healthcare professional about the sites you’re looking at.

Search for the Medication

Once you’ve checked to make sure the online pharmacy you’re ordering from is safe, your next step is to search for the medication on their site. Many online pharmacies will have a search bar to help you find what you’re looking for.

If you aren’t sure what medication you need, and what you need is an over-the-counter drug, you can speak with a representative about what you need. Most online pharmacies will have an online chat assistant who will help you with this. You can also email or call to find out which medication will suit your health needs best.

Additionally, many online pharmacy websites will have information pages on certain conditions and illnesses. On those pages, you can review which health issues or symptoms you’re most concerned about dealing with. Based on the information there, you can select the medication you want to order.

Add to Your Cart

Once you know which medication you’re going to order, you can add it to your cart, the same way you would when making any online order. However, in addition to selecting the medication, you’ll also select information such as the desired dosage and amount.

Check Out And Create an Account

After this, you’ll go into the checkout process. Many online pharmacies will require you to create an account. This is will make things easier for you when you order again. For security reasons, you will have to use your full name when creating an account. You will also have the option to receive news about offers and sales.

Upload Your Prescription

Once you’ve put in the order for your medication at your online pharmacy, you will be required to upload your prescription. There are different ways you can do this. The first is to take a picture with your phone or scan it, after which you can email it to the online pharmacy.

Some websites will also have an upload feature that makes this process easier. You can also fax your prescription. Finally, you can mail your prescription. An online pharmacy that gives you all these options is a safer choice than one that only has the email option.

Pay for Your Medication

The final step is paying for your medication. Many pharmacies will have you pay only once your prescription to be uploaded. Some will also require that you call to pay with your credit card.

Get Your Refill

Once you’re in the online pharmacy’s system, it’s easy to get your refill. In addition to them sending you a reminder with a link that sends you directly to a place where you can refill your order, there will also be a refill page on the website. Simply log in with your account and re-order.

Note that, if your prescription expires you will need to upload or send your new prescription for your next refill.

Need More Information?

Do you need more information on how to have prescription services at your fingertips? Maybe you want to learn about which medications you need are available online or you want to find the best online pharmacy for your needs.

Whatever your needs are, we’re here to help. At Pricepro Pharmacy, we have all the information you need when it comes to ordering medications online, including a guide on how to order and a blog where you can learn what you need. Contact us here to learn more.