فعالیت بازاریابی در بخش داروخانه جامعه – بررسی حوزه Marketing activity in the community pharmacy sector – A scoping review

Introduction Marketing activities are pivotal for the successful implementation of a new product or services into the market.1, 2 Community pharmacies can use marketing activities to bridge the divide between themselves and their potential market. In many countries, community pharmacies provide medications as well as professional healthcare services to the public. It would then be important to ensure that the public is aware of what the community pharmacy provides. This is not restricted to the Australian market; pharmacies worldwide also require marketing to their market base. The regulation of the community pharmacy sector varies widely between countries and jurisdictions. In the U.S., there is a relatively deregulated and privatised system whereby ownership of a pharmacy is not restricted to a pharmacist.3 In the United Kingdom, only a pharmacist or a body corporate under the responsibility of a pharmacist may register a pharmacy, yet non-pharmacists are able to have a pecuniary interest.4, 5 In Australia, only a pharmacist may have a pecuniary interest in a pharmacy.6 Yet, in other countries such as Denmark, all pharmacies are owned by the Association of Danish pharmacies controlled by the state.7 Despite such diversity in community pharmacy regulatory models, the underlying role of providing medications and services remains constant. This role relies fundamentally on consumer patronage. Consumer patronage is the intentions of consumers to visit a pharmacy, this behaviour by consumers is crucial for continued function of the pharmacy business. Pharmacy businesses target marketing activities towards their potential consumer base. Marketing is the “activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large”.8 Part of the marketing process is the development of an integrated marketing plan to deliver an intended value to its target market.1 As such, pharmacy businesses can adjust elements of the marketing mix to develop value for their customers.1 Marketing to a customer base to influence their behaviour is done so as to meet an objective.1, 9 Often, the objective is the generation of revenue. Marketing strategies are designed as a set stimuli to influence the behaviours of consumers.9 Consumer behaviour can be defined as the overt actions of consumers or the “behaviour of the consumer or decision maker in the market place of products and services”.