Prescription Pharmaceutical Marketing

In the above figure the payment process of prescription drugs in the retail industry of U.S has been depicted. Differential pricing of drugs in the market has been a major feature of the industry. As the cash payers who purchased their prescription drugs at the retail stores pays higher prices and the institutional buyers pays less for the prescription drugs than did the retail outlets. This market segmentation among buyers of prescription drugs has caused a constitutional change in the health care market. Thus, it can be concluded that the pricing structure of prescription drugs in the retail drug store industry of U.S is mainly based on the buying power, institutional structure and market forces (Frank, 2013).

Consumer Taste and Preferences

They are categorized into two distinct categories; manufacturers of brand name drugs and manufacturers of generic drugs. Manufacturers of drugs manage the actual distribution of drugs from manufacturing facilities to drug wholesalers and ultimately, to retail pharmacy chains. Wholesale distributors are the manufacturers’ largest purchasers. Manufacturers’ supplies quantity of drugs which equals the demand of the products (Follow the Pill: Understanding the U.S. commercial pharmaceutical supply Chain, 2005). Besides this, they play a critical role in stimulating the demand for drug products by promoting and marketing products, which are to be sold at retail outlets. They engage in direct consumer advertising, and also administer patient assistance programs, to provide drugs at nominal cost to low income

GNC utilizes their plants primarily for the production of proprietary products. Their manufacturing operations are designed to ensure low-cost production of a variety of products of different quantities, sizes and packaging configurations while maintaining strict levels of quality control. Their manufacturing procedures are designed to promote consistency and quality in their finished goods. They conduct sample testing on raw materials and finished products, including weight, purity and micro bacterial testing. Their manufacturing facilities also service wholesale operations, including the manufacture and supply of proprietary and third-party brand products to Rite Aid, Sam's Club, PetSmart and www.drugstore.com. They use available capacity at these facilities to produce products for sale to third-party