Price differences in online mail order: Consumer advice center warns against more expensive direct purchases

Price differences in online mail order: Consumer advice center warns against more expensive direct purchases

According to a report by www.apotheke-adhoc.de, a sample from the consumer advice center has shown that customers who go directly to an online pharmacy's website often pay higher prices than customers who buy via comparison portals. The average price difference between direct purchase and comparison portal was estimated at 33 percent, with some products even having a price difference of 66 percent. The consumer advice center criticizes the lack of transparency and emphasizes that these practices make it more difficult to find cheap offers.

These price differences are possible thanks to special software from online pharmacies, which can vary the price depending on the access route. This is not transparent for consumers and makes it difficult to find the best offer. Despite the discounts that the consignors offer within their shop, these are often lower in direct searches than on price comparison portals.

These practices can have various impacts on the market and consumers. On the one hand, this can lead to a loss of trust in online pharmacies as consumers feel that they are not getting the best possible price. At the same time, it can lead to consumers increasingly turning to comparison portals, which strengthens competition between the portals and online pharmacies. Additionally, this could lead to customers visiting local pharmacies more to get a more comprehensive overview of prices.

Ultimately, the lack of transparency in pricing in online pharmacies can lead to changes in consumer shopping and consumption behavior. It remains to be seen whether and how the industry will respond to this criticism in order to regain consumer trust.