An online drugstore is a store which carries health and personal care items for sale online. Some online drugstores focus on pharmacy services, while others may carry a wide array of personal care products including makeup, soaps, and so forth. These stores provide their customers with mail-order delivery, which some people find very convenient.
Online drugstores which offer pharmacy services can fill prescriptions and mail them to the patient's house. Patients generally need to submit the prescription in some way, as for example by mail or by fax, and some pharmacies have arrangements with doctors or hospitals which allow them to call prescriptions in to the online drugstore directly. Once the prescription has been verified, it can be filled, and the patient can even request a consultation with a pharmacist by email, phone, or online chat in which the pharmacist directs the patient in the use of the medication and answers questions.
Patients can fill a prescription as a one-time need, or can opt to have a standing refill at an online pharmacy. The company will automatically send the prescription out as long as refills are available on the original script, and will send a notice when the patient is about to run out of refills. Like brick and mortar drugstores, an online drugstore also keeps records so that staff can watch out for drug interactions and other issues which may arise when patients change prescriptions or start taking new medications.
In addition to selling prescription drugs, an online drugstore can also carry over the counter medications for sale. While these medications are readily available, some people appreciate the convenience of mail order, or may find that the prices at an online pharmacy are better, making it an appealing location for shopping. Beauty items like makeup, soap, moisturizers, hair care products, and so forth can also often be found at an online drug store. Some also carry products from third party merchants to expand their selection, in which case these products will usually be shipped separately by the third party, rather than by the online drugstore itself.
Shipping charges at online drugstores vary. Some charge flat rates, while others will charge depending on the type of shipping selected and the distance. Many offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount, usually via a relatively slow shipping method. Express, courier, and overnight delivery options are available for patients who need medications in a hurry, although these will cost extra.