PHARMACEUTICALS 7IXEMP 2EREKIV 0MX[SRE ;SPǺI (right) and Assistant Retail Manager Ashontae Goater (left)
Pharmacy launches online e-commerce store
Par-La-Ville Pharmacy has developed an extensive website for online purchase, and islandwide delivery of products and prescriptions
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re-pandemic, online e-commerce RƵHULQJV IURP ORFDO EXVLQHVVHV ZHUH mostly limited to a simple static holding page providing name, address and contact details. The set-up costs, recurring PDLQWHQDQFH IHHV VWDƵ UHVRXUFHV DQG time to develop a full-blown e-commerce website for a small business to serve a small local population made the endeavor ƶVFDOO\ GRXEWIXO 3OXV WKHUH LV FRPSHWLWLRQ from giant overseas online stores such as Amazon who stock vast arrays of inventory and deliver to your home in just a few days. ,Q HDUO\ WKH GHYDVWDWLQJ HƵHFWV of the pandemic were felt both here and overseas. Lockdowns, quarantines, and work from home orders resulted in less customers visiting brick and mortar stores in Bermuda. A decision had to be made “to be or not to be”, or in this case “to e-commerce or not to e-commerce”. Par-La-Ville Pharmacy Retail Manager,
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.LWZRQD :ROƵH DQG $VVLVWDQW 5HWDLO Manager, Ashontae Goater ‘took arms against a sea of troubles’ and started to upload Par-La-Ville Pharmacy store products to the company’s website www.pharmacy.bm. Customers can now browse more than 3,000 items held in inventory on-island, and delivered for free island-wide for orders over $50, and with a $5 delivery charge for orders under $50. 0V :ROƵH VD\V ţ:H WKRXJKW DERXW RQO\ RƵHULQJ D OLPLWHG VHOHFWLRQ RI WRS VHOOHUV but decided on building our whole physical inventory online as best we can. We are only a small company and team, so it was a lot of hard work, but our loyal customers really appreciate the result.” Ms. Goater says “We will keep building the online inventory, adding new products as they arrive. There are challenges with supply chain and lot of our suppliers are out of stock on some items, but we try our
EHVW WR RƵHU RXU FXVWRPHUV DOWHUQDWLYHV and if the item ordered is not in-stock, we will call and suggest something else.” Ms. Goater adds “In addition to front of store items, our website also allows you to UHƶOO \RXU SUHVFULSWLRQ PHGLFDWLRQ DQG KDYH it delivered. Vulnerable, elderly patients welcome this option, and this has also proved popular for busy executives, and parents who are trying to balance home schooling their children with working from home.” Medication delivery is free island-wide regardless of cost. Simply visit www.pharmacy.bm and click on SUHVFULSWLRQ UHƶOOV 7KHUH LV D VLJQ XS VWDJH IRU ƶUVW WLPH XVHUV DQG D KHOSOLQH DYDLODEOH for those who have questions or need guidance: 296-5511. Things didn’t end too well for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, so to quote from another Shakespeare play with a more RSWLPLVWLF ƶQLVK Š$OOšV ZHOO WKDW HQGV ZHOO š Health & Beauty Winter 2021/22
