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 Drugstore.com (DSCM) (Page 2)
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| Author | Topic: Drugstore.com (DSCM) |
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scripter |
posted 10-11-1999 12:53 PM
 
Last week Merck and CVS signed a deal to collaborate in selling prescription drugs and drugstore products online. It will be interesting to see if the offline giants can keep up with Drugstore.com and the other web startups. |
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daffy |
posted 09-16-1999 01:46 PM
I was referring to both Amazon the stock and Amazon the company. Regarding your question, I think only a small part of Amazon's strong stock price is due to its VC-like investments. Most of it is due to the perception that Amazon will be the online Wal-Mart. |
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smario |
posted 09-16-1999 09:49 AM
daffy, when you say everyone's looking for the next Amazon, are you referring to stock performance? I may be totally wrong here, but isn't the reason Amazon's stock has continued to do so well is their venture capitalist mindset? Sure they sell a nice selection of cheap products, but most of the cash has been coming from other ventures they've invested in either pre- or post-public. So to truly find the next Amazon, you would not only need to find a first-mover, but one that is willing to invest in other similar companies as well. Or you would need to find a late-entry company with incredible management able to take it to the next level of an 'Amazon' type VC company. I just don't think another run of the mill online consumer goods company is that exciting. Does this make sense? |
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daffy |
posted 09-15-1999 05:58 PM
Everyone's looking for the next Amazon. And considering Amazon has invested in DSCM, it's logical to think that maybe DSCM could be the Amazon of online pharmacies. But it won't be. No one will be. There are too many companies in this space (Soma.com, PlanetRx.com, More.com, YourPharmacy.com, DrugEmporium.com, with more probably in the works) and no one has the large first-mover advantages it takes to own a niche. |
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happyguy |
posted 08-24-1999 02:40 PM
humanity, I do agree that if they do have customer service under control they can get the other pieces of the puzzle much more easily. The only problem is one that other internet companies have had trouble with, and that is scaling their operations to grow with their sales and usage. If they can do that, based on Mr Cool's testimony, I might do it. Eventually they'll probably have products that my local drugstore won't have. I know this may seem like a small point, but some people get embarassed by the medications or other products they need. If they only have to tell it to a computer then they might be more likely to do it that way. |
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humanity |
posted 08-24-1999 02:25 PM
Ah mrcool, I think though that your experience is a mark of future success for Drugstore.com. You mentioned that it was fast, easy, and smooth. It seems to me that Drugstore.com has the hardest part figured out - dependability and service. Price and products are real easy to change - they can always get economy sizes in the future or drop prices to stay competitive. But the hardest thing to master is customer service, and if they are doing positively in that area, everything else will fall into place. I bet you would use Drugstore.com again if you found that they had your price and product, because you know now they can and will follow through. |
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mrcool |
posted 08-24-1999 09:58 AM
Well, I used my certificate. The transaction went pretty smoothly, the site is easy to use, the items arrived quickly, etc. But I wasn't impressed by the prices. They were cheaper than the corner drugstore but more expensive than my local Target. Also, they don't have 'economy' sized items (ex. 500 vitamin C tablets), and the selection wasn't as good as a drugstore. I probably won't use the site again, unless they send me another free gift certificate. |
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mrcool |
posted 08-12-1999 05:12 PM
I also got one of those gift certificates. After I use it I'll report my shopping experience here... |
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smario |
posted 08-12-1999 05:04 PM
newguy - 1, smario - nothing. Now that's making me eat my words. |
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JHirsch |
posted 08-12-1999 10:14 AM
newguy, That's a nice letter and it may get some cross selling from Amazon. If Amazon continues to push drugstore.com then it will certainly help. I have to agree with smario that partnership with rite-aid is much more useful because of the ability for prescriptions. Repeatedly filling prescriptions for people and sending them directly to their house would be quite profitable. The people save a trip to the store. Of course, drugs have an amazing price/weight ratio and price/volume ratio which is a great for anything sent in the mail. Jake |
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newguy |
posted 08-12-1999 09:15 AM
smario (and others who doubt the importance of the Amazon backing), I just got this email, thought you might be interested: Dear Amazon.com Customer, Because you've purchased health, mind, or body books in the past, we thought you would be interested in our new partner, drugstore.com. There are several reasons why drugstore.com is the leading online store for health, beauty, and wellness items, but rather than explain them all, we'd like to give you this $15 gift certificate so Please follow the link below to your $15 drugstore.com gift certificate. Use it to pick up toothpaste, cosmetics, herbal Enjoy shopping and please feel free to let us know what you think. Sincerely, P.S.: Sorry, this gift doesn't cover tax, shipping or prescription items. |
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banka |
posted 08-04-1999 09:30 AM
The Amazon partnership is powerful, but it's a mixed blessing, because under the arrangement, Drugstore.com isn't allowed to sell advertising to or link to any company that competes with Amazon. And as Amazon continues to grow, more and more companies will fit this description. |
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InvestorGuide Weekly Administrator |
posted 08-02-1999 09:57 AM
More on the Drugstore.com IPO: http://www.wired.com/news/news/business/story/20986.html |
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newguy |
posted 07-30-1999 12:04 PM
Amazon does link to Drugstore.com from its home page, but it's not a very prominent link (it's on the left side toolbar, about halfway down). You're right that Amazon isn't doing much to help Drugstore.com yet, but Amazon has 8M+ customers, and when Drugstore.com has the infrastucture in place to handle that kind of traffic, Amazon (with a 44% stake) is going to be more than happy to push these customers en masse to Drugstore.com. The RiteAid deal is good too, but if DSCM succeeds, I think we'll look back and see its relationship with Amazon as the critical success factor. |
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smario |
posted 07-29-1999 01:04 PM
I believe that it's the partnership with Rite-aid, and not Amazon, that can make Drugstore.com a powerhouse. What can Amazon bring them? Next to nothing...i don't even think there is a link on Amazon's website. All they did was invest money in Drugstore.com. Yet the Rite-Aid partnership allows Drugstore.com to sell prescription medicine, something the other online health/drug companies are lacking. That is the key, not Amazon. |
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