usually better off. On average, the prices of internet pharmacies
about a quarter less than the manufacturer's recommendation. But who
really wants to save, must often give good service.
Online pharmacies are becoming increasingly popular.
About ten years ago that the first Internet pharmacy DocMorris
customers in Germany supplied - from the Netherlands, because by the
end of 2003, the drug delivery banned in this country. Now it has
become for many a matter of course, to order drugs on the net. One
reason is the convenience, others are the prices that local pharmacies
can hardly keep up.
High shipping fees or long delivery times, however, these benefits can
be swept away. The German Institute for Quality of Service (DISQ) for
n-tv like last year 17 online pharmacies under the microscope in order
to answer some questions: How well they can keep their advertising
promises? How cheap providers are indeed? And requests from customers
are not only correct but also answered quickly?
Much has improved
In comparison with the previous study, the results improved ". Many
Internet pharmacies have improved their online presence and increase
the information content also responded to the expert staff at the
telephone customer inquiries," says Bianca Möller DISQ boss. However,
the market researcher has drawn a further finding from the study,
which is less encouraging: "A well-balanced price-performance ratio is
the absolute exception." Most seem good service and reasonable prices
exclude.
The price differences between providers are enormous. 15 continuous,
non-prescription products The testers in the virtual shopping basket.
They were the cheapest shipper with about 85 € here, the most
expensive almost 30 € demanded more. For individual products was the
price of the most expensive provider, even up to 85 percent higher
than the lowest offer. But one thing seems clear: compared to retail
stores online is usually cheaper to turn. In comparison to the retail
price of the basket of Internet pharmacies on average by 26 percent
cheaper. For larger orders, worth nearly always the case, for smaller
orders may eat the shipping costs the price advantage is Möller points
out: "In the current test, they were up to five euros per order."
And there were other deficiencies: The waiting times were on the phone
with about 47 seconds twice as long as in the previous study. And
every other site got deductions for clarity. Improvement was seen in
the processing of e-mails: Almost half of the inquiries were not
answered fully, every other answer email contained no further contact
for inquiries. When sending test, by contrast, the company scored a
quick delivery. In general, the packages arrived two days after the
latest one at the receiver.
The Best in Test
A summary score.
Test winner and thus the "Best Internet Pharmacy 2011" was heart
medication. The company offered the best service and bribed primarily
by the rapid and competent processing of requests by telephone and
e-mail and a very user-friendly website. Aponeo number two showed a
balanced price-performance ratio with fair prices and top service. In
third place solid apotal.de, despite a meager twelfth rank in the
service analysis. The Internet pharmacy scored with the best shopping.
