Pharmacy Stock

[bjl584]

CVS and Walgreens down big today on the Amazon news.
It might be a good time to buy.
I watched Kroger tank when Amazon announced the Whole Food purchase. Most of that was panic and overreaction, as its recovered and then some. This looks like the same thing.

[james.hendrickson]

Here is the news that BJ was referring to. There has been speculation about this for a couple of years, and its not surprising given the amount that Amazon has invested in shipping.

Amazon to Help People Start Delivery Services for Its Packages

By Julie Creswell

June 28, 2018

SEATTLE — Amazon has more than 100 warehouses. It has a fleet of trucks, and even its own airplanes. Now, in another effort to help get its millions of packages to shoppers faster, it wants to build an army of delivery people, too.

The company announced Thursday a new program aimed at helping people start their own businesses delivering packages for Amazon.

For a minimum investment of $10,000, people in the United States will be able to open and manage their own delivery service handling Amazon packages. Although the couriers will not be employees of the company, they’ll get access to Amazon-branded vehicles, uniforms and more.

By the company’s calculations, an owner could earn as much as $300,000 a year in profit by operating a fleet of up to 40 vehicles.

Source: New York Times.

[Jluke]

forget CVS and Walgreens, open your own Amazon delivery service.

[disneysteve]

PillPack really isn't competition for the retail pharmacies, though, or at least not to a large extent. They specialize in prepackaging your pills so they are all together, but you wouldn't use them for most routine prescriptions.

Of course, just the fact that Amazon is getting into the business is enough to spook people. Amazon has certainly disrupted numerous other businesses. If they can disrupt the prescription business and bring costs down, I'm all in favor.

[Rocco1235]

CVS and Walgreens down big today on the Amazon news.
It might be a good time to buy.
I watched Kroger tank when Amazon announced the Whole Food purchase. Most of that was panic and overreaction, as its recovered and then some. This looks like the same thing.

Do you invest in any OTC pharmacy stocks? If so what is your strategy for them and which ones are you looking at?

[Gailete]

PillPack really isn't competition for the retail pharmacies, though, or at least not to a large extent. They specialize in prepackaging your pills so they are all together, but you wouldn't use them for most routine prescriptions.

Of course, just the fact that Amazon is getting into the business is enough to spook people. Amazon has certainly disrupted numerous other businesses. If they can disrupt the prescription business and bring costs down, I'm all in favor.

Even with my Medicare D plan for prescriptions, I learned in the first couple of years of having it, that even though cheaper at times, mail order pharmacies weren't what I and my husband needed. I wanted a pharmacist that knew us, knew our meds, that we could ask questions of and warn us if needed. At one point one mail order pharmacy took over 3 weeks to send me my pills. When I called one day about it I was told I was 'next in line'. Sounds like my pills should have been out that day, yes? Nope. Another week and no pills and this time it was the weather's fault when PA had some rather nasty stuff. Considering we get more snow than just about any other place in the state other than in the mountains I laughed at that, especially as I had been shipping orders from my pattern business daily and they were being received on time by the buyers all over the USA. Finally my meds got here. And then some of my meds weren't filled at the same place, such as my MTX injectible. I had to call and tell them I needed it, assured them that someone would be home to accept delivery from UPS, etc. Well on this end the UPS dropped the box off inside the front door and would ring the doorbell as he left for his truck, and that was the extent of his handing it over directly to me, even though I had spent I don't know how long on the phone with the pharmacy for just that purpose.

Much easier to fill them at my local pharmacy. When our pharmacist left one pharmacy to go to CVS, we followed him. Most of the techs know me as well and the fact that by the time I make it back there in the store, I have to sit and rest so they ask me if I am ready to check out or do I need to rest some more - NOW THAT is SERVICE!!! Until I have that kind of relationship with a mail order pharmacy, I won't be using them again.