The on-line dispatch giant Amazon mixes up at present, as already prognosticated by some experts, the health market in the USA. Share prices of other competitors are going down because Amazon is currently building up its fourth mainstay. Prescription drugs as the next important market segment will be erorbert by Amazon, because in this area a total turnover of over 900 billion dollars is available for all competitors in the USA. Amazon wants to get a slice of the cake and is making many successful efforts to do so. The goal is to take the largest possible market share in any e-commerce business. The online mail order giant is trying to achieve this with many pillars. Another one of them is PillPack. With the help of coordinated medication packages for chronically ill patients, weekly rations are sent in foil bags so that each patient receives the right medication individually according to complex medication plans. The online health care provider Amazon-Care, initially only for employees in the Seattle area, provides advice and assistance to sick customers. However, the offer will probably soon be extended to the entire US market. The fact that Amazon has had its care portal extensively programmed speaks for itself. Alexa, the smart assistant, and Halo, the smart fitness bracelet, are also inventions by Amazon that are well received by customers. The use of tailor-made offers for customers even gave Amazon the idea of offering health insurance, because the giant’s analysts know the habits and preferences of their customers very well. By cleverly combining offers and intelligently evaluating data by the subsidiary AWS, Amazon can quickly conquer additional market segments. Amazon is primarily targeting its prime customers, since they can afford to pay more in the USA, with an average of 20 percent more household income. They live more health-consciously and spend more money on their health. However, the online dispatch of prescription drugs as it is done via Amazon Pharmacy in the USA is not possible in this country, as such activities are (still) prohibited. Also, statutory health insurers in Germany are not allowed to offer health services. This is possible in the USA. At 10,000 dollars per capita, the health expenditure in the states is twice as high as in Germany. Experts there therefore see great potential for Amazon. Prime customers are already lured with discount campaigns for non-prescription drugs, which are up to 80 percent below pharmacy retail prices.
Source: Welt