Amazon India launches Amazon Pharmacy in Bengaluru
The service is being launched in Bengaluru initially, and maybe scaled up to other cities in the future.
Ecommerce giant Amazon India has launched Amazon Pharmacy, marking its entry into the online medicine segment that has seen a significant traction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The service is being launched in Bengaluru initially, and maybe scaled up to other cities in the future.
"As part of our commitment to fulfil the needs of customers, we are launching Amazon Pharmacy in Bengaluru, allowing customers to order prescription-based medication, in addition to over-the-counter medicines, basic health devices, and Ayurveda medication from certified sellers," an Amazon spokesperson said.
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This is particularly relevant in present times as it will help customers meet their essential needs while staying safe at home, the spokesperson said.
E-pharmacies need to register with the Central Licencing Authority for selling prescription drugs online. Amazon India is expected to partner with licence holders for offering the pharmacy service.
Healthtech startups like 1mg, PharmEasy, and Medlife have seen strong growth in the past few months as people turned to online platforms to order their medicines while maintaining social distancing amid the pandemic.
This year’s Prime Day sale of Amazon India also witnessed more than twice as many customers signing up for the Prime membership compared to last year. This also included 65 percent of new members from outside of the top 10 cities in India.
The ecommerce major said that over one million Prime members shopped from small businesses in the 14-day lead up to Prime Day, further helping them with their business revival.
In a statement, Amazon India said, over 91,000 SMBs, artisans, weavers, and women entrepreneurs across 5,900 pin codes participated during the two-day event which concluded on August 7.
Amit Agarwal, Senior Vice President and Country Manager, Amazon India said, “This Prime Day was dedicated to our small business (SMB) partners, who have been increasingly looking to Amazon to keep their businesses running. We are humbled that we were able to help as this was our biggest Prime Day ever for small businesses.”
Prime Day sale also saw increased traction on fitness-at-home products like treadmills and home gyms. Sanitisation, health, and safety products also continued to be the top priority for many Amazon customers.
(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)
Edited by Suman Singh