US Pharmacy Landscape Undergoing Major Shift as Customers Favor Mail-Order and Supermarkets Over Chain Drugstores

A new report, the 2025 U.S. Pharmacy Study by J.D. Power, reveals a significant change in how and where Americans fill their prescriptions. The study found that customer satisfaction is rising for mail-order services and supermarket pharmacies, while traditional chain drugstores are falling behind. This trend, accelerated by the closure of brick-and-mortar locations and the entry of major disruptors like Amazon, points to a potential tipping point in the pharmacy ecosystem.

The Rise of Convenience

The study’s key findings highlight that convenience and customer service are now the primary drivers of satisfaction.

Mail-Order Pharmacies: For the third consecutive year, this segment has seen a rise in customer satisfaction. Their success is attributed to the ease and speed of ordering and receiving prescriptions, which are the top two most impactful customer satisfaction indicators.
Mass Merchandisers and Supermarkets: These pharmacies are separating themselves from chain drugstores by excelling in core areas. They are perceived as having sufficient staff, building trust through their pharmacists, and making it easy to order and fill prescriptions quickly. This focus on the “people dimension” and efficient service is driving their success.

Why Chain Drugstores are Lagging

While customer satisfaction for chain drugstores remains stable, it lags significantly behind other formats. The most pronounced weakness identified in the study is their inability to effectively resolve customer problems and complaints, a performance gap of nearly 100 points compared to supermarkets.

Other factors contributing to this trend include:

Perceived high cost of medications.
Lack of sufficient staff, leading to longer wait times.
An overall less efficient digital experience compared to other industries.

The report suggests that chain drugstores need to improve their digital experience and streamline operations to remain competitive. Simply hiring more staff or lowering costs is not a viable, long-term solution, as customer satisfaction is a multidimensional issue.

Future Outlook

The continued adoption of digital solutions, driven by major players like Amazon Pharmacy, is expected to increase market share for mail-order and digital services. As brick-and-mortar locations close, more customers are being “forced” to switch pharmacies and are finding a more satisfying experience in these alternative channels. This trend suggests that over the next 3-5 years, digital and mail-order pharmacies will continue to evolve and grow, emphasizing their advantages in convenience, 24/7 access, and potentially lower prices due to reduced overhead costs.