We often come across a question from novice businessmen: “How to open a pharmacy?”
We will try to answer briefly but succinctly and give step-by-step instructions.

In terms of profitability, the pharmacy business is one of the most rewarding (after trade in tobacco products, alcohol and food). The demand for medicines and related products is constantly growing. There are many reasons for this: from the deteriorating environment to the increasing interest of citizens in their own health. Such objective reasons, coupled with the skillful steps of the entrepreneur when opening a pharmacy and further developing the business, will undoubtedly lead to the desired result.

Features and prospects

If we analyze the average bill, a person spends approximately the same amount in a pharmacy as when paying in a supermarket. Such attractive statistics are a reason to become interested in the pharmacy business and get involved in it.

However, there is a strong belief that entering this market segment is extremely difficult. For some time it was like this:

• family business;
• the chances of overcoming administrative barriers are negligible;
• It is almost impossible to stay in business without numerous connections.

Now the situation is different. To succeed in the pharmacy business, the following resources are enough at the start:

• adequate initial capital;
• organizational skills;
• hard work;
• business activity.

Initially, you need to determine what form of organization you are ready to develop:

• pharmacy or small kiosk;
• pharmacy store;
• pharmacy of prepared drugs;
• industrial pharmacy;
• a pharmacy with the right to manufacture aseptic preparations (suspensions, emulsions, colloidal solutions that are not subject to hot sterilization).

As the names indicate, there are differences in organizational aspects. It is recommended to start with the first three options, and optimally - from a pharmacy of ready-made drugs. Several advantages:

• a wide range of functions (from selling easily accessible items to servicing prescriptions);
• developing in this range of rich experience;
• further expansion based on the experience gained (the first facility will become the head branch of the developing network).

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How to open a pharmacy - package of documents

What you need to open:

• license for retail sale of medicines;
• sanitary passport of the premises from the SES (complete with permission to use the premises as a pharmacy);
• permission from the Fire Service (the premises must comply with fire safety standards).

It will take 1.5 months at best to receive all these documents.

Choosing a form of trade organization

Which method of displaying goods should you prefer – closed or open? Fundamentally, the choice depends on the scale. In sparsely populated places with low traffic there is not much difference. In places with high traffic (at least 9-10 thousand people per day) the difference is significant:

What does it take to open from scratch?

The pharmacy business consists of such main parts as:

• premises;
• product range;
• service staff;
• machinery and equipment;
• software.

Premises requirements

There are two equal points of view on where it is best to locate a pharmacy facility:

• in places with intense customer flows (large shopping malls, near the metro, central city areas);
• in a residential area or area with a permanent local contingent (the denser the population and the higher the liveliness, the better).

If in the first case the target audience is a heterogeneous mass, then in the second it is people who prefer to visit the nearest pharmacy not far from their home. Moreover, prices are not so important (they may be higher than those of competitors), but rather the completeness of the assortment and the level of service.

What characteristics should the room have:

• an area of ​​at least 75-80 square meters (this includes a warehouse, a service room for staff, a toilet, an archive, a utility block, and the sales floor itself);
• at least a small office for the director and accountant;
• the floor should either be covered with linoleum with welded seams, or finished with floor tiles (for disinfection purposes, the floor must be washed frequently using chemical liquids);
• for storing medications, a sterile, clean separate room is required (taking into account different storage requirements for temperature, humidity and light);
• properly organized ventilation;
• alarm (fire, security, light and sound);

Rent or buy? Depends on factors such as:

1. your willingness to invest big money;
2. unconditional mindset for the long term;
3. plans for the number of branches (either it will be one large pharmacy center, or you want to “spread” many chain branded establishments around the city).

To begin with, it is advisable to rent a premises, having agreed with the landlord that monthly payments will remain unchanged for 1-2-3 years (that is, despite the level of inflation, the size of this expense item will be predictable and stable). Now compare:

Rent	Purchase
You need to pay rent monthly, and so on for many, many years, as long as your business continues to exist. In addition to rent, current utility bills are not canceled	monthly expenses relate only to current utility bills (electricity, water, heating, garbage removal, etc.)
all basic maintenance costs are borne by the owner of the premises	cosmetic and major repairs will fall on your shoulders
quick preparation of premises for the imminent launch of a pharmacy business	it will take a long and expensive time to move a residential apartment from the housing stock to the non-residential stock
if you want to change the type of activity or area, this can be easily done by stopping the rental of a specific premises	when changing the type of activity or area, the costs of the premises will burden your budget for a long time as “writing off fixed assets to cost”

equipment requirements

The purchase of equipment for a pharmacy will cost at least 5-8 thousand dollars (and this is according to the most conservative estimates). Here is a list of things you can’t do without when opening an establishment:

• showcases;
• cash registers;
• counters;
• racks;
• closed cabinets;
• safes for narcotic medicines and strictly controlled goods;
• refrigerators;
• ventilation units;
• computers;
• furniture for auxiliary purposes (tables, chairs, cabinets).

Please note that without the proper equipment it is impossible to obtain a pharmacy license.

Staff

Personnel requirements:

1. pharmacy manager – higher pharmaceutical education and specialized experience of at least 3 years;
2. Individual entrepreneur (the one who organized and owns the business) – also pharmaceutical education and specialized experience of at least 3 years;

An individual entrepreneur can compensate for his lack of pharmaceutical education by hiring a professional pharmacist with at least 5 years of experience in his specialty.

3. other employees (responsible for receiving, dispensing, manufacturing, destroying medicines) - having a graduate degree in the pharmaceutical profile is mandatory;
4. Cleaners and security guards are not required to meet the above requirements.

Advanced training occurs once every 5 years.

Match between staff and client audience:

• some customers come to the pharmacy based on the instructions of their attending physician (they clearly know what medicine they need to buy);
• others go to the pharmacy based on symptoms (professional consultation is required);
• The more competent and friendly the staff, the higher the conversion of visits. That is, buyers will leave with a purchase every time;
• The lack of suitable personnel in sight can easily be compensated by contacting a recruitment agency with a good reputation.

Range

Recommendations for filling the assortment:
• the wider and richer it is, the better - buyers have a choice of items and prices, which means that rarely does a guest leave without making a purchase;
• Don’t limit yourself to one distributor – use the services of several suppliers;
• take into account wholesale discounts - when opening a small-scale business, team up with other similar “colleagues” (small pharmacies) and receive significant discounts on a cooperative application;
• Since it is quite difficult to purchase at competitive prices, to attract customers, use another advantage - a variety of goods, courteous service, professional advice.

We should also talk about diversity:

• It is unacceptable to sell exclusively medicines and basic medical devices (blood pressure monitors, heating pads, thermometers). The fact is that the size of the trade margin for most of them is limited by law - from 20 to 40%.
• Include in your assortment related products, the list of which is huge (baby and diet food, nutritional supplements, hygiene products, cosmetics). Having purchased them at a minimum, sell them at any markup, as much as local market conditions allow.

Software

Today no one works using primitive technology or counts goods manually. Specialized software is used throughout:

• business transactions occur instantly;
• it is possible to process large information arrays (which is extremely important when the assortment includes hundreds, thousands of items);
• Accounting registers are automatically generated;
• reporting is also generated automatically;
• You can conveniently detail product groups by arrival/sale dates, prices, and destinations.

There are ready-made electronic solutions on the market, and they are usually universal. In special cases, software is created to order. What to choose? Compare:

ready-made software	Custom software
“pharmacy” programs are easily customized for a specific enterprise	if your accounting is somehow too complex, it is unlikely that standard software “like everyone else” will be able to support it
optimization can be done by representatives of the development company, although often the individual entrepreneur himself copes with this task without problems	in most cases, development is experimental in nature - subsequent improvements, polishing, and improvement are inevitable (and this takes time and risks slowing down your business processes)
the cost is most often low, since basic modules are popular and enable developers to reduce prices, thereby attracting new customers to their software	expensive, because it is exclusive (according to special requirements), in addition, updates will be required, and they will again require serious investments

Costs of opening a pharmacy

Expect to spend at least 1.2 million rubles at the initial stage. (figures do not include unforeseen expenses). Today the prices are as follows:

• 5-8 thousand dollars will be spent on minimal equipment;
• equipping the original premises in proper condition will cost approximately 10 thousand dollars, or even more;
• plus commercial equipment (racks, cabinets, display cases, refrigerators);
• plus advertising and promotion;
• first lease payments (before the start of revenue receipt);
• furniture, household equipment, office;
• payment of guaranteed salaries to staff at the beginning of the pharmacy;
• and, of course, the first purchases of goods.

Carefully calculate all costs based on the prices that are real in your city.

The profitability and payback rate of a pharmacy business are influenced by many factors:

• location of the object;
• permeability;
• the presence or absence of your competitors nearby;
• the amount of rent and other regular payments;
• purchase prices for goods;
• correct compilation of the assortment (the ability to forecast, analyze and adjust).

On average, the costs pay off in about six months to a year. Russian pharmacies have a profitability of about 10%. The number seems small. However, for far-sighted entrepreneurs, it is very convincing to confidently invest in the pharmacy business.

In the future, it makes sense to develop an entire pharmacy chain. This is really large-scale, stable and for many years.

In 99 cases out of 100, experienced financiers will answer the question: “Is it profitable, is it worth starting a pharmacy business?”, they will answer with a firm “Yes.”

Advertising and promotion

The promotion system is of great importance. What methods to promote depends on the size of the business:

• There is no point in advertising a small single point through TV, radio, or newspapers. For a local target audience, an attractive sign on the pharmacy itself, clear signs and periodic distribution in the nearby area, flyers, posters, booklets (distributed in stores, schools, and mailboxes) is enough;
• It is best to immediately begin actively promoting the first pharmacy points of the future network through TV, radio, newspapers (it is important to “highlight” the young brand, give it an impetus of recognition);
• Promotion on social networks, as well as advertising Internet portals and bulletin boards, brings good results.

article.

Alexander Kaptsov

Reading time: 10 minutes

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The pharmaceutical industry in Russia is actively growing and gaining momentum, which is associated with an increase in the incidence of diseases among citizens, as well as an increase in the number of private clinics. The pharmacy business has a classic life cycle curve: the products offered cannot become obsolete or go out of fashion. At the same time, there are many competitors in the industry. How to find your niche in the market and achieve quick payback? How to build a business plan and organize the work of a pharmacy without the name of a specialized education? We will introduce you to the intricacies of the pharmaceutical business.

Market analysis or is it promising to open a pharmacy in Russia?

In the period from 2012 to the present time, there has been an increase in the consumption of medicines in Russia. High demand is the main factor stimulating an increase in the number of pharmacy outlets in the country.

However, this is not the only reason to start working in this area:

• Firstly , medicines are essential goods, which will ensure that demand remains at a consistently high level even in years of crisis.
• Secondly , the pharmacy business is considered socially significant, which allows you to count on support from the state, which is important.
• Third , consumption of medicines in Russia now amounts to 68-69 dollars per capita per year, which is 2-3 times less than in developed countries of the world. This indicates that the market is not saturated.

Every year the number of pharmaceutical companies in Russia increases by 15-17%, while liquidated enterprises account for only 3-5% of the total number of pharmacies.

How to infiltrate this promising and highly effective business? First, you will have to carefully study the market in the city in which it is planned to organize the first pharmacy.

1. Determine the guidelines for the sales policy

Sales policy is the procedure for a company to build sales channels for its products.

To understand how to sell a product in a particular city in the most effective way, you will need to compose detailed and data-supported answers to the following questions:

• What factors determine the demand for medicines in the city?
• How often do the needs of pharmaceutical buyers change?
• What new sales methods can a pharmacy organization apply?
• Which pharmacies are the main competitors of the pharmacy business?
• What part of the market is controlled by competing pharmacies?
• What is the subject of the most intense competition in this field of activity: price, quality, service?

Have you wondered where to get the information to conduct such a large-scale study? Go through competitors' websites, buyer forums, and online directories. It’s also worth visiting competitors’ outlets, and perhaps even getting the opinions of family and friends.

The information obtained will be sufficient to form an idea of ​​the market.

2. We evaluate competitors

It is better to present the study of competing firms in the form of a table that will reflect such parameters as:

• Location.
• Market share.
• Business reputation.
• Recognition.
• Volume of sales.

It is also advisable to mention the possible costs that a company may incur when entering the market. For each parameter, competing pharmacies will need to assign a score from 0 to 10.

3. We identify potential buyers

When researching the market, you will need to study not only your competitors, but also future clients.

To do this, the city's population should be divided into groups:

• 1 group – unemployed or working temporarily, usually as laborers.
• 2nd group – “gray collar” workers (industry, trade, transport), as well as pensioners.
• 3 group - “blue collar workers” (teachers, doctors, employees working either in the public or private sector of the economy) and “blue collar workers” (skilled industrial workers).
• 4 group – “white collar” workers (middle management, knowledge workers).
• 5 group – upper class (top managers, owners of their own small businesses and highly qualified specialists).

What proportion does each group occupy in the total population? Such information will allow you to create a “product line diagram”: in the same ratio, purchase expensive drugs, medium-priced drugs and cheap drugs.

4. Summing up

After the first two points of market research are completed, you can safely use the information received to:

• Determining the location of the new pharmacy.
• Formation of a product range.
• Determining ways to attract customers and sell medicines.
• Compiling a list of additional services for customers.

Important nuances of the pharmacy business for a new entrepreneur

Even an entrepreneur who is far from pharmaceuticals must understand that pharmacy organizations are far from identical in the nature of their work.

They can be roughly divided into two types:

1. Pharmacies of ready-made dosage forms.
2. Pharmacy laboratories preparing ointments and potions according to prescriptions.

If you are taking your first steps in the pharmaceutical industry, it is better to choose the first option.

An entrepreneur starting his activity in the pharmaceutical industry has many additional opportunities:

• Firstly , the social significance of a business allows you to present a business project to government agencies and receive subsidies or other assistance from the state. Some businessmen even practice the mechanism of public-private partnership (PPP): the company receives profit from the business, and the state receives a social effect in the form of providing citizens with medicines.
• Secondly , you can try to start a franchise business from a large pharmacy chain. In this case, you can get equipment, a customer base, suppliers, as well as favorable purchasing prices without extra effort.

Having secured the support of the state or major market players, your pharmacy automatically acquires a significant competitive advantage.

The range of pharmacy products should be formed not only from medical supplies. The shelves should also include nutritional supplements, healthy eating products, cosmetics, children's products and hygiene products.

The optimal number of drugs and consumables should be at least 3,000 types, even for a small pharmacy. A wide selection of products will ensure loyal customers, many of whom will become regular customers.

If you want to ensure effective management of the product range from the first days of the pharmacy, then it is advisable to have in the assortment such groups of drugs as:

1. Flux generators – medicines that are available in every pharmacy and are well known to customers, including from the point of view of the price factor (the markup is equal to the market average or lower): antiviral, painkillers, cold and flu medicines, etc.
2. Cash generators – lesser-known products, the trade margin for which may be slightly higher: drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases, allergy medications, etc.
3. Profit Generators – goods that customers need with a high markup and a significant level of sales: products for children, drugs for weight loss, restoration of potency, etc.
4. Purchase generators – goods that can generate “impulse demand” and have a high markup: cosmetics.
5. Image generators – ensure a positive reputation of the pharmacy organization: new pharmaceutical products of domestic and foreign production.

Another effective weapon in the fight against competitors can be the provision of a range of additional services - blood pressure measurement, doctor consultations, individual ordering of imported medicines.

Preparing the premises is the first milestone in creating a pharmacy

You can look for premises for a future pharmacy in any area of ​​the city. It seems most preferable to locate a business in crowded areas, near medical institutions or in residential areas.

The area of ​​a pharmacy that has a wide range of drugs should be at least 100-150 square meters.

They will need to place:

1. Trading halls.
2. Warehouse with a department for disassembling and sorting medicines.
3. Office of the head of the pharmacy department with a safe and necessary office equipment.
4. Office for providing additional services.
5. Utility rooms for staff.

When preparing the premises for work, special attention should be paid to energy supply and the condition of utilities.

License for a pharmacy business - how is it done?

After you are convinced that you have warehouse and retail equipment, refrigerators, a registered cash register, computer equipment and the necessary software, you can apply for a license.

To open a pharmacy, you will need to obtain permits, including permission from sanitary and fire inspections, as well as a license for pharmaceutical activities.

The license is issued for a period of five years, and the process of its registration takes about 45 days . It can cost from 50,000 to 100,000 rubles to obtain permits.

What equipment needs to be purchased for a pharmacy?

To organize the activities of a standard pharmacy, you will need to purchase the following types of equipment:

1. Trade equipment: display cases, racks, shelves.
2. Refrigeration equipment for storing certain types of drugs.
3. CCP registered legally.
4. Computer equipment: PC with special software installed.
5. Additional equipment: a sofa for customers to wait in line, telephones, chairs, furniture for utility rooms.

It is impossible to do without the use of modern computer technology and special programs that ensure effective accounting of inventory in the warehouse and cash.

Product display as a factor in the success of a pharmacy business

Product display plays an important role in shaping the success of a new pharmacy.

It should be built on the basis of practice-tested rules:

1. It is necessary to display medications in display cases in groups (antiviral drugs, remedies for gastrointestinal problems, vitamins, analgesics, etc.).
2. Certain groups of medicines must be periodically (once a month) rearranged from place to place so that the purchase of medicines from the same shelf from the buyer does not become automatic.
3. On prominent shelves and racks, you should place those medications that are most popular and well known to customers.
4. It is important to remember that the bottom shelves, which are poorly visible to customers, account for only 5% of sales in large pharmacies, so it is worth placing less popular and specific drugs there.
5. Visible blocks should be created on the shelves where products will be placed according to the assortment.

It is important to follow the rule of optimal customer movement in the pharmacy: 40% of the sales area is occupied by retail equipment, and 60% is allocated for the flow of customers.

Pharmacy staff – qualifications and experience

An important factor in promoting your pharmacy on the market and forming its favorable reputation in conditions of intense competition is qualified personnel.

Effective operation of a pharmacy organization requires hiring personnel of various categories, including:

1. Pharmacists.
2. Pickers.
3. Nurses.
4. Merchandisers.

The pharmacy must have a manager. In addition, you will need a cashier, security guards, and cleaners who may not have a pharmaceutical education.

In general, when recruiting, be guided by two important criteria:

• Professional education.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Additional requirements for employees include good knowledge of a wide range of medications, communication skills and goodwill.

How to take a stable position in the market?

It will be difficult for a new pharmacy to compete with players already existing in the market. The situation is especially difficult with large pharmacy chains. Wholesalers often provide large customers with a discount of up to 20%, and a small pharmacy can count on a discount of about 5%, which, of course, is reflected in the selling price of the product.

In this regard, a new pharmacy can gain a foothold in the market and achieve its payback only by using the following points.

Factors for forming a favorable reputation:

• Wide selection of goods.
• Qualified and friendly service.
• Possibility of ordering medications without leaving home.
• Convenient location.

Pharmacy advertising – is it appropriate?

Classical economic theory excludes the possibility of advertising essential goods. However, the pharmacy must attract the attention of potential buyers.

To do this, you can use the following advertising channels:

1. Placement in city print media.
2. Preparation of brochures distributed to customers directly at the pharmacy, as well as in nearby crowded places.
3. Installing a banner near the pharmacy or directly on its window.
4. Creation of “loyal customer” cards that will operate on a cumulative basis.

How much does it cost to open a pharmacy?

When it comes to the financial side of opening a new pharmacy, be prepared to cover the following expenses:

• Rental and renovation of premises – 200,000-300,000 rubles.
• Purchase of equipment – ​​500,000-600,000 rubles.
• Marketing activities – 60,000-70,000 rubles.
• Business registration – 50,000-100,000 rubles.
• Purchase of goods – 900,000-1,000,000 rubles.

The above costs are aimed at a medium-sized pharmacy organization. In total, a businessman will need about 2 million rubles to create it.

How to open an online pharmacy from scratch? These questions are asked by people who dream of becoming entrepreneurs in the medical field, but do not yet know how to realize their dream. Their desire is understandable, because the pharmaceutical market is developing every year, the demand for medicines is growing, and business in this segment brings in impressive profits.

• Advantages of selling medicines online
• What documents are needed to open an online pharmacy?
• Premises requirements for an online pharmacy
• What equipment will you need?
• What is more profitable to sell in an online pharmacy?
• We create a website for an online pharmacy
• Delivery and payment of medicines
• Feedback
• Registration and registration of business
• How much money do you need to open an online pharmacy?
• How much can you earn by selling medicines online?
• Possible risks
• Step-by-step plan for opening an online pharmacy
• Which OKVED code should I indicate when registering?
• Internet business opening technology

There are a large number of regular pharmacy points in all cities. But people need online pharmacies. This is due to the fact that some cannot leave the house, some simply do not have enough time, while others want to save on buying medicines.

Before opening a pharmacy on the Internet, an entrepreneur must carefully study all organizational aspects.

Advantages of selling medicines online

The main advantages of such a business:

• small initial investments in the creation and development of the organization;
• advertising costs significantly less than in the case of a regular pharmacy;
• customers can consult with an online specialist in the same way as with a pharmacist in a regular pharmacy.

What documents are needed to open an online pharmacy?

Who has the right to engage in pharmaceutical sales? This must be a person with a higher medical education who has experience in this field (at least three years). An ambitious citizen without certain knowledge is unlikely to be able to competently build a business in this area. But, in principle, he can only deal with administrative issues, and delegate the medical side to a person with the appropriate education.

It is most profitable to open an online pharmacy for an already operating regular pharmacy. To do this, it must have the following parameters:

• be a well-known network structure in one city or several;
• put up for sale (on the Internet) at least a thousand varieties of drugs;
• work 24 hours a day;
• have couriers on staff for delivery or an agreement with a courier service;
• offer goods at prices that are lower than in pharmacies.

These criteria are not mandatory, they are only desirable, in contrast to a license to trade in medicines, without which the company’s activities will be considered illegal.

One of the most important advantages of an online pharmacy is its 24-hour operating hours.

Premises requirements for an online pharmacy

Even an online pharmacy must have a separate room, equipped as a warehouse, the area of ​​which is at least 60 square meters. meters. This minimum is specified in legislative documents. In addition, the entire space (warehouse) must meet the requirements of the Ministry of Health regarding the material with which the walls are decorated, thermometers and other devices.

What equipment will you need?

Despite the fact that the business is virtual, the warehouse must be equipped with alarms: fire and security. It will cost you about 150 thousand rubles.

In addition, you will need:

• lockers;
• refrigerators;
• computers;
• chairs or armchairs;
• headphones with microphone.

A refrigeration unit costs about 35 thousand rubles. But it’s unlikely that one will be enough for you if you plan to sell a large number of goods online . Some costs can be avoided if online pharmacists work remotely, as do managers who take orders from customers. In extreme cases, you will have to rent an office, purchase computer equipment, chairs and other office supplies.

What is more profitable to sell in an online pharmacy?

An online pharmacy usually has a large turnover, so management purchases goods in large quantities (about 10 thousand names of drugs) from different suppliers, drawing up more than 10 supply agreements. At first, when a business is started from scratch, this is hardly feasible. Therefore, it is better for such enterprises to stop at 1000 types of medicines that they can order.

We create a website for an online pharmacy

The most important thing in a virtual pharmacy is the website. It must attract the attention of customers. But before developing it, you need to complete several steps:

1. Register a domain– choose a memorable name for the pharmacy.
2. Buy hosting– it will be needed to store all the files of your site on a specific server.

To create a website, you need to have the knowledge of a programmer and web designer, so it is better to hire specialists who will do this work for you. Then they will help you promote your web resource for a fee. The cost of a good website starts from 30 thousand rubles, and prices for its promotion vary depending on the professionalism of SEO specialists.

If you didn’t regret it and paid a decent amount for your website to a good specialist, then the first clients will visit your resource within three months. But this is possible when the domain has already been used by someone else. If it is new (domain name), then clients will begin to appear no earlier than six months from the date the site was launched.

The owner of the enterprise must supervise the work of web designers and site layout designers so that the project meets all requirements. The main thing is that the web resource should be convenient and have feedback. An online pharmacy will be profitable if:

• opposite each medicine there will be a description and photograph;
• clients will be able to leave their messages, reviews and comments;
• each product from the list will open in a separate tab;
• Products can be ordered not only through a shopping cart on the Internet, but also by telephone.

According to statistics, it is known that accessible communication with pharmacists via online chat is a big plus, increasing sales by almost 30 percent.

Delivery and payment of medicines

As mentioned above, delivery must be made within 24 hours. This is the main advantage of online pharmacies over standard ones. But at the same time, you need to determine from what minimum order amount delivery is free. This bonus attracts potential clients.

Another important issue is payment. Customers should not experience inconvenience when placing an order, so you need to use all available methods of accepting funds from customers:

• cash upon delivery (to courier);
• payment using virtual money Webmoney;
• non-cash payment (credit card);
• payment to a bank account.

The founder should think about pricing. Naturally, the cost of medicines on the Internet should be lower than in regular pharmacies. But prices that are too low can make customers suspicious, just as prices that are too high. Marketers recommend organizing promotions and setting discounts to attract new customers.

Feedback

To help customers ask their medication-related questions, hire a pharmacist. He will be able to answer questions in an online chat. It is desirable that a trained person can always be in touch using a hotline and social networks. The specialist must explain to everyone the characteristics of the drugs, help them make the right choice, and recommend medications, taking into account the customer’s illness.

Registration and registration of business

An entrepreneur who wants to open an online pharmacy from scratch and more must register the business as a limited liability company. This is the most suitable form of management for this type of enterprise. Also, the organization will not be able to carry out legal activities without a license to trade pharmaceuticals. Without a pharmacist who has a medical education and three years of work experience, the company will not be given permission to operate. Therefore, the owner must meet these parameters himself or hire such a person to work.

How much money do you need to open an online pharmacy?

In addition to the fact that you will have to purchase equipment for the warehouse, pay rent and purchase goods, you also cannot do without monthly expenses. These include:

• accounting services (15 thousand rubles);
• office rent (RUB 20 thousand) – if necessary;
• Internet services (1 thousand rubles);
• advertising (2-5 thousand rubles);
• website promotion (15 thousand rubles).

The owner needs to expect that he will have to spend 100 thousand rubles per month. for needs, not counting goods.

How much can you earn by selling medicines online?

A good income will be ensured if the online pharmacy has a high level of turnover. You need to remember that the first clients will appear only within six months after the launch of the site. Therefore, count on the fact that you need to stock up on money for the first months (500-600 thousand rubles).

Payback period – 2 years.

Possible risks

You shouldn't start doing this if you don't have a passion for it. Also, a great risk faces those who do not initially have a financial “cushion” for the first six months. Naturally, in places with problematic Internet access, there is no point in opening an online pharmacy. Another important point is that prices for medicines on the Internet should be lower than usual. If you can't stick to this, then you shouldn't start a business in this area.

Any business does not tolerate insecure and unfocused people. Therefore, you need to know for sure whether you can cope with an online pharmacy. Try to sell a batch of goods. If you can sell it in a short amount of time and at an affordable price, then order a new batch of a larger size.

Step-by-step plan for opening an online pharmacy

Selling goods via the Internet is gradually replacing the classical model. Currently, many entrepreneurs use online sales as additional income, being the owners of traditional retail outlets. Already existing online pharmacies are just beginning to develop. That is why this market niche is practically free. To trade medicines online you will need:

• Draw up a clear business plan that will become an entrepreneur’s “handbook”;
• Register as an individual entrepreneur;
• Obtain a special trading license;
• Conclude a cooperation agreement with the pharmacist;
• Rent space for a warehouse (you can legally sell medicine only if you have a properly registered warehouse);
• Create a website: you should turn to real professionals who will not only develop an Internet resource, but also help promote it on the Internet;
• Fill the website with products, develop a pricing policy.

Which OKVED code should I indicate when registering?

When registering an activity, OKVED class 31 and 32, 47 codes are indicated, which allow trading in pharmaceutical goods and medical devices and selling online.

Internet business opening technology

You can implement a project for the online sale of medicines only if you have a special tool for business - a website. It must meet the consumer’s requirements: provide a detailed description of the drugs, have a specified cost. The resource interface should be understandable for the average user. It would be great if the online pharmacy had not only a description of the drugs, but also their images. In addition, the portal can be supplemented with different sections, for example, customer reviews.

You can increase the demand for drugs online by providing telephone consultations. A sales specialist must understand the drugs and be able to convince of the need for a purchase unobtrusively.

Proper pricing plays an important role in the success of the business: the cost of drugs should not be significantly underestimated (at a low price, the buyer begins to doubt the quality of the drugs).

When opening an online pharmacy, it is advisable to develop a bonus program.

How to open a pharmacy. Step-by-step instruction

HOW TO OPEN A PHARMACY. STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION.

In this article, you can learn step by step how to open a pharmacy yourself and consider the option of opening a pharmacy as a franchise with a starting capital of 1,500,000 rubles.

The pharmaceutical retail business in Russia is quite profitable: medicines, medicines, as well as health and beauty products are always in demand. However, opening your own pharmacy or pharmacy is not so easy; for this you need to figure out how to open a pharmacy from scratch, study the features of the drug range, the state of the pharmaceutical market and the demand for the most popular drugs, find pharmaceutical suppliers with competitive prices, and organize advertising well pharmacies at the place of its organization. Therefore, for young businessmen and entrepreneurs, the best option for opening a pharmacy would be to work under a franchise; this method has a lot of significant advantages.

Features of the “pharmacy” business

• This industry is in close contact with the state, which in this case plays the role of “carrot and stick”: on the one hand, it imposes legislative requirements in comparison with other industries, on the other, it allocates funds from the budget for the development of the industry
• The pharmacy industry is characterized by stable high demand (provided the pharmacy itself is well located)
• Pharmacies have special requirements for personnel, goods and pricing by the state and regulatory authorities
• In this industry there is practically no “status” consumption (or conspicuous consumption) of most goods (drugs and medical equipment), this does not apply to cosmetics
• There is quite a lot of competition in the pharmacy niche, but it can be overcome with the proper formation of an assortment matrix and price positioning

Approximate costs. Payback

Opening a turnkey pharmacy with goods can range from 1,500,000 rubles to infinity.

A brief overview of pharmacy business franchises

Among the leaders in this area:

1. “Sovetskaya Pharmacy” is a developed federal pharmacy chain in the “close to home” format in the economy price category. Close location near densely populated areas, a wide range of drugs and related pharmaceutical products, affordable low prices, a flexible system of discounts, the availability of bonus programs, a system for booking and ordering drugs through the Internet site www.sites of professional pharmacists are the main reasons for the popularity of the network among the population. Today, more than 215 branches already operate in 58 regions of Russia, both in cities with a population of over a million and in rural areas. The franchise offers favorable terms of cooperation: assistance in purchasing goods at wholesale prices from manufacturers, discounts on medicines, accounting. If you want to open a pharmacy as a franchise, this is the most attractive and profitable option.

RUB 1,500,000

2. “Rigla” offers advanced development technologies and long-term prospects, guarantees the supply of medicines at reduced prices. The network operates in 49 regions of the country and is popular.

The cost of opening a pharmacy franchise is from RUB 2,500,000

3. “Evalar” is a chain of private pharmacies that offers a wide selection of its own drugs based on medicinal herbs. Standard franchising conditions include advertising support, staff training, legal and financial advice.

The cost of opening a pharmacy franchise is from 1,000,000 rub.

4. “Pharmacy 36.6” is one of the largest chains in Russia. The franchise includes marketing support, assistance in forming the assortment, organizing procurement, and conducting training sessions for staff.

The cost of opening a pharmacy is dandy from RUB 2,500,000

At approximately the minimum, the main expenses will be:

If you are going to open a premium pharmacy, you can safely multiply all expenses by two or three times.

How soon will your investment pay off after opening a pharmacy?

The fastest-paying pharmacy organizations (read more about the types below) are considered to be pharmacies, where all the basic (in-demand) medications are always available. If you choose a good location, a pharmacy can pay for itself in six months to a year.

A “classical” pharmacy takes longer to pay for itself: in general, more requirements are placed on it, even partial fulfillment of which requires financial investments. With a convenient location and a competent pricing and assortment policy, the pharmacy will pay for itself in about a year and a half (this is an average figure; location in a crowded shopping center can speed up the process significantly).

Regulations

Regulatory documents regulating pharmacy commercial activities

Basic steps. Opening our own pharmacy

• Determine the type of pharmacy (pharmacy or pharmacy)
• We are registering a legal entity (registration of LLC or JSC)
• Register with the tax office
• We select premises taking into account maximum traffic (pedestrian and vehicular)
• We purchase the necessary commercial and medical equipment
• Installing the software
• Obtaining a license and relevant permits
• We are recruiting staff (pharmacy manager and pharmacists)
• We form an assortment matrix
• We purchase “products” for sale and formulate a pricing policy
• Opening a pharmacy and promoting your business

What kind of pharmacy are you planning to open?

By the nature of their activities, commercial pharmacy organizations can be divided into:

Pharmacies There are production and finished dosage forms

Pharmacies also come in production and finished dosage forms

It is also worth mentioning another type of pharmacy organization - remote sales pharmacies. We are talking about pharmacies (online pharmacies) that accept customer orders by phone or via the Internet and then create orders for collection at pharmacies.

According to the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations” #553 dated July 27, 2010, pharmacy organizations are divided into types:

Pharmacy (with open or closed display):

• pharmacy of finished dosage forms
• industrial pharmacy
• industrial pharmacy with the right to manufacture aseptic medications

Pharmacy point (with open or closed display):

Functions

Pharmacies perform the following functions:

Informative

• Consulting customers on the use and storage of medicines and medical devices
• Informing employees of medical institutions, social security, etc. about available medicines and products, new products, etc.

Manufacturing of medicines and preparations

• Manufacturing of medicines and drugs according to doctors’ prescriptions and requirements/applications of healthcare institutions
• In-pharmacy procurement and packaging of medicines and products, herbal raw materials (in accordance with the approved regulations) with subsequent sale

Implementation

• Sales of finished medicines and preparations (including homeopathic) without prescriptions and according to doctors’ prescriptions, as well as according to the requirements/applications of medical institutions
• Dispensing medicines at discounts, as well as free of charge to certain groups of the population - in case of concluding agreements with health authorities, medical institutions, insurance companies (in accordance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation)
• Sales of factory-made medicinal plant raw materials
• Sales of disinfectants, as well as personal hygiene items and products
• Sales of medical products (medical equipment, care items for patients and children, diagnostic tools, etc.)
• Sales of optics and optics care products
• Sales of mineral waters, medicinal, dietary and baby food products
• Sales of cosmetic products
• Release of goods through a rental point
• Providing first aid

Pharmacy

The pharmacy also sells ready-made medications with and without prescriptions, with the exception of psychotropic, narcotic, poisonous and potent drugs; it is also possible to dispense medications free of charge or at a discount; it is also possible to manufacture medications and package them with subsequent sale.

The main difference between the point and the pharmacy:

It is prohibited to sell psychotropic, narcotic, poisonous and potent drugs; it will not be possible to set up a rental point for medical equipment and rehabilitation equipment

How to open a pharmacy

• Registration
• Payback period
• Taxation
• OKVED codes
• Licensing

Registration Payback period Taxation OKVED codes Licensing

Pharmacy registration

The only special “point” when registering a pharmacy organization is that you must receive from the local government a “Decision to open a new pharmacy establishment” (in other words, a “License”).

If we are talking about opening a legal entity, then this can easily be done by a person who does not have a special education. However, he is obliged to hire a manager who has a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist.

Legal features

A franchise means that you acquire the right to use a trademark, service marks, trade secrets and other exclusive rights belonging to the copyright holder in your business activities. The user bases his business on the business reputation of the copyright holder and undertakes to comply with his requirements. The rights and obligations of the parties when purchasing a franchise are governed by the Commercial Concession (Subconcession) Agreement. Essentially, you get step-by-step instructions on how to start your own pharmacy business from scratch.

Please note: some unscrupulous entrepreneurs operate without a registered trademark. It is worth considering that in this case they do not bear any responsibility for their actions, and the agreement for the provision of services is not an agreement for the purchase of a franchise.

List of required documents

To open a pharmacy or pharmacy without medical care, you must register as an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur) if you have a pharmaceutical education and work experience as a pharmacist for more than 5 years, or open an LLC that does not require you to have a pharmaceutical education to run a pharmacy business. Along with the Commercial Concession Agreement, a number of documents are required:

• pharmaceutical license giving the right to sell medicines. You can get it from the licensing department of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation at the place where the pharmacy is opened. As a rule, if you intend to open a pharmacy under a franchise, the copyright holder offers its assistance in obtaining a turnkey pharmaceutical license within 60 days;
• After you have found premises for a pharmacy and entered into a lease agreement for a certain period, you will need permits from supervisory services: fire inspectorate, sanitary and epidemiological station. All documents must be completed correctly, the franchisor can also help you with this;
• Documents confirming work experience and length of service, as well as personnel qualifications, will be required. A pharmacist must have specialized education, be able to answer customer questions and provide competent professional advice on the availability of drugs in the pharmacy.

Payback period

There are no special requirements for registering a pharmacy organization as a legal entity. Both individual entrepreneurs (IP) if they have a pharmaceutical education, and legal entities (LLC, JSC) registered with the tax authorities in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation have the right to engage in pharmaceutical activities.

The only special “point” when registering a pharmacy organization is that you must receive from the local government a “Decision to open a new pharmacy establishment” (in other words, a “License”).

What else should you consider if you decide to open a pharmacy? If we are talking about an individual entrepreneur, to work in the pharmaceutical field, you must have a higher education and real work experience of at least 3 years (in your specialty) or secondary education (pharmaceutical) and work experience of at least 5 years.

In simple words, an individual entrepreneur who intends to register a pharmacy organization in his name must have a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist.

Taxation

Tax is understood as a mandatory, individually gratuitous payment levied on organizations and individuals in the form of alienation of funds belonging to them by right of ownership, economic management or operational management for the purpose of financial support for the activities of the state and (or) municipalities.

The provisions of Articles 8 and 333.16 and subparagraph 36 of paragraph 1 of Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, in their constitutional and legal meaning in the system of current legal regulation, mean that the state duty is the only and sufficient payment for the performance by a state body of legally significant actions, which equates to the issuance of documents , including driver’s licenses (Determination of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation dated March 1, 2007 N 326-O-P).

A pharmacy organization (pharmacy) is both a retail trade enterprise, an enterprise that provides services to the public (for example, rental services for medical devices), and a manufacturing enterprise (a manufacturing pharmacy that produces medicines according to doctors’ prescriptions).

The main regulatory documents defining the specifics of accounting and taxation of pharmacies:

— Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated July 27, 2010 N 553n “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations”

— Federal Law No. 99-FZ dated May 4, 2011 “On licensing of “Certain types of activities”

— Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 22, 2011 N 1081 Moscow “On licensing of pharmaceutical activities”

— Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 865 "On state regulation of prices for drugs included in the list of vital and essential drugs"

— Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated March 4, 2003 No. 80 “On approval of the industry standard “Rules for the dispensing (sale) of medicines in pharmacies. Basic provisions. OST 91500.05.0007-2003"

Based on Article 4 of Law No. 61-FZ, a pharmacy organization is understood as an organization, a structural unit of a medical organization that carries out retail trade in medicines, storage, manufacture and dispensing of medicines for medical use in accordance with the requirements of Law No. 61-FZ.

At the same time, in pursuance of Law N 61-FZ, Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated July 27, 2010 N 553n “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations” (hereinafter referred to as Order N 553n) approved the following types of pharmacy organizations: pharmacy (finished dosage forms, production, production with the right to manufacture aseptic medicinal products), pharmacy point, pharmacy kiosk. Thus, in order to determine the pharmacy organizations that have the right to apply in the period from September 1, 2010 to January 1, 2011, the taxation system in the form of a single tax on imputed income should be guided by the provisions of Law No. 61-FZ and Order No. 553n.

Article 17. General conditions for establishing taxes and fees

1. A tax is considered established only if the taxpayers and elements of taxation are determined, namely:

object of taxation;

the tax base;

taxable period;

tax rate;

tax calculation procedure;

procedure and deadlines for tax payment.

Article 18. Special tax regimes

1. Special tax regimes are established by this Code and are applied in cases and in the manner provided for by this Code and other acts of legislation on taxes and fees.

Special tax regimes may provide for a special procedure for determining the elements of taxation, as well as exemption from the obligation to pay certain taxes and fees provided for in Articles 13 - 15 of this Code.

2. Special tax regimes include:

2) simplified taxation system;

3) taxation system in the form of a single tax on imputed income for certain types of activities

Mode element	UTII	USNO
Taxpayers	1. Taxpayers are organizations and individual entrepreneurs carrying out business activities subject to a single tax on the territory of a municipal district, city district, federal cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, in which a single tax has been introduced. Art. 346.28, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}	Taxpayers are organizations and individual entrepreneurs that have switched to a simplified taxation system and apply it in the manner established by Chapter 26.2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Consultant Plus}
Income	Not standardized	An organization has the right to switch to a simplified taxation system if, based on the results of nine months of the year in which the organization submits a notice of transition to a simplified taxation system, income determined in accordance with Article 248 of this Code does not exceed 45 million rubles. Art. 346.12, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Number of employees	Organizations and individual entrepreneurs cannot apply if the average number of employees for the tax (reporting) period, determined in the manner established by the federal executive body authorized in the field of statistics, exceeds 100 people;	Organizations and individual entrepreneurs cannot apply if the average number of employees for the tax (reporting) period, determined in the manner established by the federal executive body authorized in the field of statistics, exceeds 100 people; Art. 346.12, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Sales area	No more than 150 sq.m.	Not standardized
Object of taxation	1. The object of taxation for the application of a single tax is the imputed income of the taxpayer. Consultant Plus}	The objects of taxation are: income; income reduced by expenses. 2. The choice of the object of taxation is carried out by the taxpayer himself, with the exception of the case provided for in paragraph 3 of this article. The object of taxation may be changed by the taxpayer annually. The object of taxation may be changed from the beginning of the tax period if the taxpayer notifies the tax authority about this before December 31 of the year preceding the year in which the taxpayer proposes to change the object of taxation. During the tax period, the taxpayer cannot change the object of taxation. Art. 346.14, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
The tax base	The tax base for calculating the amount of a single tax is the amount of imputed income, calculated as the product of the basic profitability for a certain type of business activity, calculated for the tax period, and the value of the physical indicator characterizing this type of activity. Art. 346.29, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}	Article 346.18. Tax base 1. If the object of taxation is the income of an organization or individual entrepreneur, the tax base is recognized as the monetary value of the income of the organization or individual entrepreneur. 2. If the object of taxation is the income of an organization or individual entrepreneur, reduced by the amount of expenses, the tax base is recognized as the monetary value of income reduced by the amount of expenses. Art. 346.18, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (ConsultantPlus)
Taxable period	Section 346.30. Tax period The tax period for the single tax is a quarter. Art. 346.30, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}	Article 346.19. Taxable period. Reporting period 1. The tax period is a calendar year. 2. Reporting periods are the first quarter, six months and nine months of the calendar year. Art. 346.19, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Tax rate	Section 346.31. Tax rate The single tax rate is set at 15 percent of the amount of imputed income. Art. 346.31, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}	Section 346.20. Tax rates 1. If the object of taxation is income, the tax rate is set at 6 percent. 2. If the object of taxation is income reduced by the amount of expenses, the tax rate is set at 15 percent. The laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation may establish differentiated tax rates ranging from 5 to 15 percent, depending on the categories of taxpayers. (as amended by Federal Law No. 224-FZ of November 26, 2008) Art. 346.20, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)
Tax calculation procedure	The tax base for UTII is imputed income (IIT), which is calculated using the formula: UT = BD * FP * K1 * K2 Calculation of UTII in 2012 is made according to the formula: UTII = VD * NS NS - tax rate equal to 15%. The calculated amount of tax can be reduced, but not more than 50% by the amount of: - paid insurance premiums for pension, social (disability, maternity, accident), medical insurance for the period; - the amount of benefits paid for temporary disability; - the amount of fixed insurance payments paid by the individual entrepreneur for himself. DB - basic profitability - conditional income for the month, which is established for each type of activity. The amount of basic profitability is approved per unit of physical indicator that characterizes the type of activity. FP is a physical indicator in units depending on the type of activity, for example, the number of vehicles, area (in sq. m), employee, etc. K1 - correction factor - deflator coefficient, set for each year by the Ministry of Economic Development. For 2012 it is 1.4942. K2 - adjustment factor - takes into account the specifics of doing business. Its size is established by local representative bodies.	Section 346.21. Procedure for calculating and paying tax 1. Tax is calculated as a percentage of the tax base corresponding to the tax rate. Consultant Plus} 3.Taxpayers who have chosen income as an object of taxation, at the end of each reporting period, calculate the amount of the advance tax payment based on the tax rate and actually received income, calculated on an accrual basis from the beginning of the tax period until the end of the first quarter, half-year, nine months, respectively. taking into account previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments. Art. 346.21, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} 4. Taxpayers who have chosen income reduced by the amount of expenses as an object of taxation, at the end of each reporting period, calculate the amount of the advance tax payment based on the tax rate and actually received income reduced by the amount of expenses calculated on an accrual basis from the beginning of the tax period to the end of the first quarter, half year, nine months, respectively, taking into account the previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments. (as amended by Federal Law No. 101-FZ of July 21, 2005) 5. Previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments are counted when calculating the amounts of advance tax payments for the reporting period and the amount of tax for the tax period.
Procedure and deadlines for tax payment	Section 346.32. Procedure and deadlines for payment of the single tax 1. Payment of the single tax is made by the taxpayer based on the results of the tax period no later than the 25th day of the first month of the next tax period. 2. The amount of the single tax calculated for the tax period is reduced by taxpayers by the amount of insurance contributions for compulsory pension insurance, compulsory social insurance in case of temporary disability and in connection with maternity, compulsory medical insurance, compulsory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases , paid (within the limits of calculated amounts) for the same period of time in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation when taxpayers pay remuneration to employees employed in those areas of the taxpayer’s activity for which a single tax is paid, as well as for the amount of insurance premiums in the form of fixed payments paid individual entrepreneurs for their insurance, and for the amount of temporary disability benefits paid to employees. In this case, the amount of the single tax cannot be reduced by more than 50 percent. (as amended by Federal Laws dated July 21, 2005 N 101-FZ, dated July 22, 2008 N 155-FZ, dated July 24, 2009 N 213-FZ) 3. Tax returns based on the results of the tax period are submitted by taxpayers to the tax authorities no later than 20 the th day of the first month of the next tax period. Art. 346.32, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)	7. The tax payable at the end of the tax period is paid no later than the deadline established for filing a tax return for the corresponding tax period in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 346.23 of this Code. (as amended by Federal Laws dated July 21, 2005 N 101-FZ, dated July 22, 2008 N 155-FZ) Advance tax payments are paid no later than the 25th day of the first month following the expired reporting period. Art. 346.21, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)
Tax return	At the end of the tax period, taxpayers-organizations submit a tax return to the tax authorities at their location. (as amended by Federal Law No. 155-FZ of July 22, 2008) Tax returns based on the results of the tax period are submitted by taxpayer organizations no later than March 31 of the year following the expired tax period. Art. 346.23, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)

VALUE ADDED TAX

Elements of taxation for value added tax (VAT) are established by Chapter 21 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Pharmacy organizations, with the exception of organizations that have the right to be exempt from taxpayer obligations in accordance with Article 145 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation or have switched to the simplified tax system or UTII, are payers of value added tax.

The object of taxation for industrial pharmacies and pharmacies operating under sales contracts are operations for the sale of goods - medicines, medical devices and other goods permitted for sale through pharmacy chains.

For pharmacies providing services (commission trade services, rental services for medical products) - operations for the sale of services.

The tax base is determined as:

- the cost of goods sold based on prices determined in accordance with Article 40 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, taking into account excise taxes (Article 154 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

— revenue from the sale of services (commission — for pharmacies operating under a commission agreement).

For tax purposes, the VAT tax base includes advance payments for future deliveries of goods at estimated rates - 10/110 and 18/118 (for example, prepayment to health care facilities for goods) (Article 162 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

The moment of determining the tax base is fixed in the accounting policy of the enterprise (Article 167 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). In pharmacies, like retail enterprises, the moment of shipment coincides with the moment of payment, therefore, most often in the accounting policy of pharmacies, for VAT tax purposes, the date of occurrence of the obligation to pay tax occurs as the goods (services) are shipped.

Tax rates:

At a rate of 10% in accordance with subparagraph 4 of paragraph 2 of Article 164 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the following is taxed:

— sales of medicines, including medicinal substances, including in-pharmacy production;

— sales of medical products;

— sales of baby and dietary food products, goods for children, such as toys, diapers.

Codes of types of products taxed at a rate of 10%, in accordance with the All-Russian Classifier of Products, as well as the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity, are determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

For food products and goods for children, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the codes by Decree No. 908 dated December 31, 2004 “On approval of lists of codes for types of food products and goods for children subject to value added tax at a tax rate of 10 percent” (as amended on March 23 .2005). For medicines and medical products, in the absence of a corresponding Decree of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Taxes of the Russian Federation in its Letter of January 28, 2002 No. VG-6-03/99, in order to apply a tax rate of 10%, proposes to be guided by the codes of the All-Russian Classifier of Products listed in the Letter of the State Tax Service of the Russian Federation and Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated 04/10/1996 No. ВЗ-4-03/31н, 04-03-07 “On the procedure for exemption from value added tax of medical products”, registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation 05/07/1996 No. 1081.

Some groups of goods and services that are sold through the pharmacy chain are exempt from tax in accordance with Article 149 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, these are:

— the most important and vital medical equipment according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 17, 2002 No. 19;

— prosthetic and orthopedic products, raw materials and materials for their manufacture and semi-finished products for them;

- technical means, including motor vehicles, materials that can be used exclusively for the prevention of disability or rehabilitation of disabled people according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 21, 2000 No. 998 (as amended on May 10, 2001);

— glasses (except for sunglasses), lenses and frames for glasses (except for sunglasses) according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 28, 2001 No. 240;

— services of pharmaceutical organizations for the manufacture of medicines.

A few words about services for the manufacture of medicines (VAT is not assessed), the so-called tariffs for the manufacture of medicines. According to clause 1.4.3. Methodological recommendations for practical and scientific workers No. 98/124 “On intradepartmental primary accounting of medicines and other medical products in retail pharmaceutical (pharmacy) network organizations of all organizational and legal forms located on the territory of the Russian Federation” (approved by the Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation on May 14 .1998), the price of a medicine manufactured within a pharmacy consists of the pharmacy cost of medicinal ingredients, including distilled water, if it is included in the prescription, the cost of pharmaceutical glassware, the cost of auxiliary materials (stoppers, caps, labels, etc. .), as well as the tariff for the manufacture of medicine. Sales of such drugs manufactured within a pharmacy will be subject to VAT at a rate of 10%. In practice, it is most often impossible to separate out the tariff for the manufacture of medicine and apply the benefit, because in this case, it is not possible to ensure separate accounting for the sale of goods, which are taxed at different rates. In clause 6.17.1. Methodological recommendations for the application of Chapter 21 “Value Added Tax” of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Ministry of Taxes of the Russian Federation dated December 20, 2000 No. BG-3-03/447 (as amended on September 17, 2002), explains the application of tariff benefits:

— “When exempting from taxation the services of pharmacy organizations for the manufacture of medicines, it should be borne in mind that these organizations must have a license, and they are provided on the basis of agreements with legal entities (in particular, with hospitals) for the manufacture (in-pharmacy manufacture) of medicines from the customer’s raw materials (clause 6.17.1 introduced by Order of the Ministry of Taxes and Taxes of the Russian Federation dated September 17, 2002 No. VG-3-03/491).”

Operations for the sale of all other goods in pharmacies are subject to VAT at a rate of 18% (these are parapharmaceuticals, medical equipment not included in the List of vital and necessary equipment, repellents, dietary supplements, mineral waters and other goods permitted for sale through the pharmacy chain ).

— When applying different tax rates, the tax base is established separately for each type of goods (work, services) (Article 153 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). Warehouse computer programs used in pharmacies (for example, “Apteka-2000”, “M-Apteka”, etc.) provide separate accounting for the sale and receipt of goods.

— When calculating VAT to be included in the budget, tax deductions should be taken into account.

Tax amounts presented to the taxpayer in respect of goods (work, services) are subject to deductions if the following 4 conditions are met:

— The goods must be capitalized, services must be provided;

— Goods (services) must be paid for, and VAT must be highlighted as a separate line in the payment documents;

— Goods (services) are purchased to carry out transactions recognized as objects of taxation in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation;

— It is necessary to have correctly executed invoices issued by sellers of goods (services) with the VAT amount allocated in them.

The tax period is set as a calendar month.

If monthly during a quarter the revenue from the sale of goods (services) excluding VAT does not exceed one million rubles, the tax period is established as a quarter (Article 163 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

Tax payment is made based on the results of each tax period based on actual sales no later than the 20th day of the month following the expired tax period (Article 174 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). In this case, the taxpayer is obliged to submit a tax return to the tax authority at the place of his registration.

OKVED codes

Main code:

OKVED code 52.31— Retail trade of pharmaceutical products
- production of medicines by pharmacies

Additional codes:

OKVED code 24.42.1— Production of medicines
This grouping includes:
— production of medicinal products (medicines) consisting of a mixture of two or more components for use for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes, not packaged or packaged in dosage forms or in packaging for retail sale
– production of psychotropic substances and narcotic drugs (finished forms)
This group does not include:
— production of microorganism cultures, see OKVED code 24.41
— production of toxins, see OKVED code 24.41
— preparation of human and animal blood for use for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes, see OKVED code 24.41
- production of soap containing small amounts of medicinal additives, see OKVED code 24.51.3

OKVED code 51.18.1— Activities of agents specializing in the wholesale trade of pharmaceutical and medical products, perfumes and cosmetics, including soap
This group also includes:
— activities of agents in the wholesale trade of medical equipment and orthopedic products

OKVED code 51.46— Wholesale trade of pharmaceutical and medical goods, medical equipment and orthopedic products

OKVED code 51.70- Other ratailing
This grouping includes:
- specialized wholesale trade not included in previous groups
- wholesale trade in goods of a universal range without any specific specialization

OKVED code 52.12— Other retail trade in non-specialized stores
This grouping includes:
- retail trade of a universal assortment of goods in which food products, including drinks, and tobacco products do not predominate
- activities of stores selling a universal range of goods, including clothing, furniture, household electrical goods, hardware, cosmetics, jewelry, toys, sporting goods, books, newspapers, magazines, etc.

OKVED code 52.32— Retail trade of medical goods and orthopedic products
This group also includes:
— retail trade in medical equipment products

OKVED code 52.33— Retail trade in cosmetics and perfumery products

Licensing

How to obtain a license to open a pharmacy?

To open a pharmacy in Russia, you must obtain a license. Otherwise, the activity of selling medicines will be considered illegal. If you decide to open a pharmacy as a franchise, then many franchisees help newcomers obtain a license and are willing to advise.

What is the procedure for obtaining a license to open a pharmacy?

To begin with, we note that the premises for the pharmacy must already be selected and purchased or leased, since the license is issued specifically for a specific facility. When all repair work is completed and legal requirements are met, you must fill out an application for a license (a sample is issued by the Ministry of Health). Next, you pay the fee, submit an application, go through an inspection, learn about the decision made and pick up the license itself. It sounds quite simple, but in reality all these actions require several months.

The nuances of obtaining a license to open a pharmacy

There are several types of pharmacy establishments in our country - a pharmacy, a point and a kiosk. The main difference between them all is that some prescription drugs can only be sold in pharmacies, that is, you cannot buy, for example, a psychotropic drug prescribed by a doctor at a pharmacy kiosk. At the same time, in practice, pharmacy points and kiosks pay for themselves faster, but by law they cannot be opened until a pharmacy is organized. That is, they become an addition to the existing main place of sale of medicines. Licenses for each designated type of pharmacy establishment are different.

It is also necessary to consider the location of medications and the assortment. Medicines containing narcotic substances must be stored separately from others. Likewise, poisonous drugs. The pharmacy's assortment must include first aid medications.

Requirements for premises for a pharmacy

To obtain a license to open a pharmacy, you need to find a premises that will meet all of the following requirements:

1. Equipping the premises with refrigerators for storing medicines, as well as special furniture;
2. The presence of a separate room in which all equipment for wet cleaning necessary for the floor and walls is stored;
3. There are no protrusions or recesses at the junctions of ceilings and walls;
4. There must be ceramic tiles on the floor;
5. If there are hollow plasterboard partitions in the room, they must be removed, otherwise a license to open a pharmacy will not be issued;
6. Materials used in repairs must be certified, this also applies to building materials;
7. At the entrance there is a high-quality shoe mat, which should be cleaned regularly (at least daily);
8. It is necessary to regulate the level of natural light through the use of devices and devices that prevent direct sunlight from entering the room. Showcases are also equipped with protective equipment;
9. Requirements have been established for the temperature regime, as well as for the level of humidity and exhaust air - they must be taken into account;
10. An entrance group for people with disabilities must be equipped;
11. The minimum room area is 18 square meters. meters, and it should be located in a permanent building. An exception is a pharmacy in a medical or preventive complex - its area can start from 8 square meters. m.

What are the requirements for pharmacy employees?

1. There is a strict ban on hiring foreign citizens, that is, only citizens of the Russian Federation can work in the pharmacy (this even applies to cleaning staff);
2. Pharmaceutical education is mandatory for a manager. If it is higher, then three years of experience is sufficient; if it is intermediate, then five years of experience and a specialist certificate are required;
3. All pharmacists must have certificates of accreditation;
4. Each pharmacist must regularly improve their qualifications (at least once every five years);
5. A health certificate is required.

Requirements for pharmacy equipment

To obtain a license to open a pharmacy, you must also choose the right equipment. The latter must be registered with the Ministry of Health. All equipment used must have certificates of conformity, and in addition, service agreements must be concluded in advance. If any of these points are not observed, the issuance of a license to open a pharmacy will most likely be refused. Documentation for installed equipment and its maintenance will need to be provided during the on-site inspection (occurs after review of the application).

How long does it take to get a license to open a pharmacy?

It is difficult to estimate the exact time it will take to obtain a license. However, the law sets a maximum of 45 days. Before submitting an application for a license, it is already necessary to purchase all the equipment, prepare the premises, hire qualified personnel, enter into service agreements, etc. In general, all formalities need to be resolved. Therefore, the total period for opening a pharmacy can be about three months, in some cases it can stretch for six months. From the moment of registration of the pharmacy, the certificate itself is issued within three days.

How long is a license to open a pharmacy valid?

According to the new rules, the issued license is unlimited. This law was introduced quite recently; before this, a license was issued only for five years. However, renewal of the license will still be necessary if the pharmacy is reorganized, its name or legal address changes, as well as some passport data of the individual entrepreneur, including his place of residence.

Is it possible to open a pharmacy without obtaining a license?

According to the law, opening a pharmacy without a license is prohibited. If the owner nevertheless takes this step, then both the owner and the employees bear responsibility for conducting activities without a license. Such a business will be forcibly closed, in addition, if the owner received licenses, but somehow violated the prescribed operating conditions, the pharmacy may also be closed.

In case of gross violations, the owner is subject to a fine of 4,000 to 8,000 rubles; another option is arrest for 90 days. For legal entities, the fine ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles. The fine imposed on legal entities ranges from one hundred to two hundred thousand rubles, or arrest for 90 days is possible.

Pharmacy premises

Primary requirements

How to choose the right premises to open a pharmacy

The importance of the location chosen for the pharmacy cannot be underestimated. The success of the entire business ultimately depends on the correctness of this decision. Therefore, in this article we will talk about what to look for when choosing a premises if you decide to open a pharmacy.

Choosing a premises for opening a pharmacy - the main points that you should pay attention to:

Throughput and projected turnover. These two indicators are related: the higher the traffic, the higher the expected turnover of goods in most cases;
Compliance with the format (different premises are required for a pharmacy and a pharmacy kiosk);
Premises converted to non-residential use. Many potentially attractive premises may not be available for rent or purchase for opening a pharmacy because they have not yet been converted to non-residential use. If the premises were once an apartment - even if there has been a grocery store in its place for almost a decade - it will be impossible to obtain a license to open a pharmacy here;
Area from 18 sq. meters. If a point of sale is planned in a medical dispensary, then the minimum area of ​​the premises is reduced to 8 square meters. meters.

How to assess the attractiveness of a specific location for opening a pharmacy?

High traffic area. This category includes facilities where the traffic volume exceeds 400 people per hour;
Low traffic areas. These are mainly residential areas where the main traffic occurs in the morning and evening. Experts cite a figure of 300 people per hour, starting from which a place can be considered potentially profitable;
Shopping complexes. They can be located in different areas - both with high traffic and with low traffic, this is not so important. Internal traffic and the popularity of the shopping center itself are important, since even if it is located outside the city, traffic in it can be created specifically by visitors from other areas.

Opening a pharmacy in a high traffic area

What is high traffic? This is a traffic capacity of 400 people per hour. Of course, this only applies to large cities. In addition, this traffic is most often created by residents of other areas; the share of locals may not exceed ten percent.

If we talk about the capital, then it is worth considering completely different figures. Traffic of even 500 people is extremely low for Moscow, however, for example, for Chelyabinsk it is a good indicator.

Where to open a pharmacy to maximize traffic? It is largest in the area of ​​stops and intersections, at metro exits, as well as markets, large banks, and popular shopping centers.

The cross-country ability needs to be calculated; for this you can hire a special employee who will provide honest data. It is important to evaluate the traffic in both the morning and evening, as well as on weekends. Traffic is assessed between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Depending on the data obtained, you can also determine the optimal operating time of the pharmacy.

If it is not possible to accurately calculate traffic, then to open a pharmacy you can use a simplified scheme: count the number of people passing by during 20-minute periods of time. It is imperative to take measurements from noon to one o'clock in the afternoon, as well as from 5 to 6 o'clock in the evening. The figure obtained in 20 minutes is multiplied by three. When carrying out calculations, children and declassed elements are not taken into account.

If you plan to open a pharmacy in another city, then it is quite difficult for the owner to assess the prospects of the location. To obtain objective indicators, panoramic photographs of the entire adjacent territory and the entrance to the proposed point will be required. The ideal option is on-site video surveillance. It is necessary to accurately assess the potential success of a location for opening a pharmacy, since even in central areas there may be places with minimal, insufficient traffic.

Quality of traffic when opening a pharmacy

Pedestrian flow may vary, for example, in some places the traffic can be extremely high, but the pharmacy’s attendance is unsatisfactory. What does this indicator depend on? It depends on why these people came to this place in the first place. Maybe they work in a nearby shopping center? Or are they walking along the boulevard? If they return home from work through this place, these are potential clients of the pharmacy. If they simply transfer from one transport to another, then, most likely, these are not your clients.

The demography of the flow is also of great importance. For example, near universities, traffic is almost always very high, while young people do not make significant purchases - their average bill is insignificant. At the same time, traffic during the daytime can exceed 1000 people!

The ideal composition of the flow is women from 25 to 60 years old. The more of this group there is in traffic, the more promising the location for opening a pharmacy.

What is the average amount of traffic that will visit the pharmacy? About 6-8%. This figure is only approximate and can be equal to 2% if the place is located, for example, at the exit to the metro, where 2000 people can pass through in an hour.

Opening a pharmacy: important features of the design of the entrance area of ​​the premises

The design of a pharmacy's façade directly affects its traffic. So, the presence of a large number of steps is always a repulsive factor. Speaking in numbers, starting from the fourth stage, each stage reduces the number of visitors by 0.5-1%. Heavy, thick doors repel visitors, so the door should be transparent and easy to open.

Opening a pharmacy: average bill criterion

The location of a pharmacy directly affects its average bill. Within the same city, the average bill in pharmacies with the same traffic can differ significantly. On central streets the average check is usually higher than, for example, in a residential area.

How to determine the approximate size of the average check? According to the indicators of other pharmacies located in the center. As a rule, the flow of clients here is approximately the same in terms of their solvency (we do not take into account pharmacies located in premium segment shopping malls). It should also be taken into account that on average only 9 out of 10 customers make a purchase, since some will come in just to find out the price, warm up, wait for transport, etc.

When choosing a place to open a pharmacy, also evaluate whether there is a serious competitor nearby. In any case, he opened his pharmacy earlier and already has loyal customers, so his presence will influence sales. Even if a competitor is 5 minutes away, you will receive only 80% of the profit that you would have had if there were no competitors at all. This calculation is rough, for example, if you stand closer to the stop than your competitor, “process” the flow well, you can practically not take into account the presence of another pharmacy nearby.

Is it worth opening a pharmacy in a residential area?

What is the catchment area of ​​one pharmacy? Usually defined within 450 meters. To open a pharmacy, you should not consider areas with a population of less than 2.5 thousand people. Ideal if the area has high-rise buildings.

What other points are worth considering? The number of entrances to the area, if there are no more than two and there is a stop located next to the potential location for the pharmacy, is an ideal option. If there are cafes, markets, grocery stores nearby, placing a pharmacy in this place will be the right decision.

When choosing a premises for a pharmacy, it is worth considering dozens of other parameters - we have listed only a few important points. In addition, if you are planning to open a pharmacy as a franchise, then each franchisee will have their own requirements for the premises; it is worth finding out about them initially and choosing the premises in accordance with them.

Features of work organization

• Equipment
• Staff
• Range
• Price policy
• Advertising

List of necessary equipment for opening a pharmacy

What equipment is needed to open a pharmacy? To answer that question, you need to know what the format of the pharmacy is. To summarize, all pharmacy equipment can be divided into two types. The first is demonstration, which is necessary for the correct presentation of goods. The second type of equipment is specialized, the need for which is explained by the profile of the point of sale. This includes refrigerated cabinets, safes in which prescription drugs, laboratory equipment, cash registers, counters, etc. will be stored.

Equipment for pharmacy kiosk

A pharmacy kiosk is most often a small room (from eight square meters) that sells over-the-counter medications.
Equipment for a pharmacy kiosk must include display cases and/or a cash register display, closed shelving and a refrigerated cabinet. The average market price of this equipment starts from 50 thousand rubles. It is worth considering that the amount stated is calculated per unit for each item. If, for example, two refrigerated cabinets are required, then the cost of the equipment will increase to approximately 70 thousand rubles (the average cost of a refrigerator for a pharmacy is 20,000 rubles).

Equipment for a pharmacy

The minimum area of ​​the premises to open a pharmacy is 25 square meters. meters, if we are talking about a point located in a hospital or health care facility. If a pharmacy is located in an ordinary residential building, then the minimum area for it is 40 square meters. meters. In this case, you need to organize a separate entrance, a fire alarm, a place for unloading medications, etc.

What equipment will be needed?

1. To store medicines, you need refrigerators that will maintain temperatures from 2 to 14 degrees (cost about 20,000 rubles);
2. For medications that do not require refrigeration, you will need steel cabinets (the price for one starts at about 5,000 rubles);
3. Counters, as well as display cases (average market cost of a pharmacy display case - 8,000 rubles) and island pyramids (cost - from 13,000 rubles);
4. To equip the cash register area, you need a special counter (its cost starts from about 7,000 rubles);
5. Furniture for staff - wardrobes, lockers, etc. Can be purchased at a regular furniture store;
6. A safe in which prescription drugs will be stored. Mandatory - with a mechanical or combination lock. The safe can be any size.

The cost of equipping a pharmacy will depend on the area of ​​the premises. The larger it is, the more display cases, cabinets and other elements will be required.

Advice: it is better to place in showcases those goods whose sale is most profitable. It is optimal to place expensive drugs and medical equipment at eye level of the buyer (height from the floor - about one and a half meters).

Equipment for prescription and production pharmacies

If a pharmacy produces medicines, it should have separate rooms - a washing room, as well as a room for assistants and distillation. The latter is often combined with a sterilization room in which drugs that require intravenous administration are prepared. In addition, in this case, an aseptic block is also needed.

What equipment is needed?

The same as for a pharmacy - display cases, a safe for prescription drugs, refrigerators, furniture for staff, a cash register, etc. In addition, you will also need to purchase all the necessary laboratory equipment. This includes dishes, scales, a pharmaceutical table with special sections, filtering devices, sterilization cabinets, etc. There are two types of sterilizers for pharmacies - steam or air; all the necessary tools and equipment can be purchased from specialized manufacturers. The difference in price in this case can be very large and depends on the models, as well as the newness of the equipment.

To equip a pharmacy where medications will be produced, you will have to pay a relatively larger amount than to open a regular pharmacy. According to statistics, in this case, the cost of equipment for a pharmacy pays off within a period of one and a half to three years, subject to a competent promotion strategy.

A little advice: be careful when choosing pharmacy shelves. In some cases, the load on a shelf can be twenty to thirty kilograms, so structures that can withstand this weight are needed.

So, the cost of pharmacy equipment varies greatly depending on the type of point. The biggest expense involves opening a pharmacy where medications will be produced. However, in the future, it is from this pharmacy outlet that the maximum profit can be extracted. Remember also that you can open a pharmacy kiosk only if you have an already functioning classic pharmacy.

How to choose the right staff for a pharmacy

According to statistics, in Russia there is one pharmacy for every 3,000 people. Therefore, the demand for qualified employees to work in pharmacies is very high.

If we talk about the best prospects for pharmacists, then university graduates strive to get a job either in the largest networks or in Western companies that are ready to offer them the best conditions.

Headhunters in the pharmaceutical market often use a strategy of searching for fast-training personnel rather than the most experienced ones. The demand for experienced specialists is already very high, and finding an employee who can quickly absorb practical information is very promising. Moreover, if you pair him with an experienced specialist who is ready to teach. In addition, when applying this strategy, you can save a lot, since employees with little experience easily agree to relatively low salaries. To protect themselves and recoup the costs of training, owners often sign an agreement with such candidates, under which pharmacists are required to remain in this pharmacy for several years.

How are pharmacy staff selected?

There are two main ways to recruit employees for a pharmacy. The first is internal, that is, a specialist who is already working in the network is promoted. The second is external, which means searching for a new employee who has not previously worked in a given pharmacy or chain. The advantage of the first method is that the employee has already settled into the team; in addition, it is easier for him to start performing new duties. External selection allows you to gain access to the widest variety of personnel and, possibly, find a unique specialist who will bring greater profit to the pharmacy. At the same time, there is always a risk that the employee will not fit into the team.

If we talk about the moment of opening a pharmacy, then, of course, only external selection of specialists is used. In this case, the entrepreneur also has two options. The first is to contact recruitment agents. The second is to search for employees yourself. However, the realities of the Russian headhunter market in the pharmaceutical segment are such that cooperation with recruitment agencies is not always effective, and the cost of intermediary services can be very significant.

Requirements for staff in a pharmacy

At its core, a pharmacist is a salesperson, but very high demands are placed on his education. A person without appropriate specialized education cannot be a pharmacist. In addition, in accordance with the law, pharmacists must undergo recertification every five years.

It is common practice in the pharmacy industry to hire senior students, as they are more willing to accept difficult working conditions, such as night shifts.

If you are planning to hire a specialist with experience, then be sure to call his past jobs. Find out how the employee performed, whether there were any scandals with his participation or other unpleasant situations. Recommendations play a huge role when choosing an employee for a pharmacy, especially when it comes to management positions.

What questions to ask at an interview?

It is important to find those employees who will be more motivated than others to work for you. On the other hand, be prepared to interest potential key specialists with your proposal. To understand how interesting a person is to work in a given pharmacy or chain, be sure to ask the question about what exactly attracted him to a particular point? Also, ask about how the employee sees themselves at different intervals.

Since a pharmacy employee has direct access to prescription drugs, it is important to clarify the reasons for his departure from previous jobs, as well as to use the services of third-party organizations that are ready to check the candidate’s reliability. The latter is not unusual for pharmacy owners, as just one employee with a particular addiction or “vulnerable” personal qualities can negatively impact the success of the entire business.

A common practice for pharmacies is a probationary period for each employee. Pharmacists' uniforms often include a microphone to assess communication skills as well as sales ability. You can send secret shoppers to the employee to be able to assess the competence and patience of the pharmacist.

The nature of a pharmacist's work requires regular health checks. He requires a medical record, regular examinations by a dermatovenerologist are required, he must be tested for STDs, undergo fluorography, and also every ten years - a diphtheria vaccination, as a result - a physician's conclusion about his fitness to work in a pharmacy.

When opening a pharmacy, it is worth choosing the most successful candidates and, after starting their work, constantly monitoring their activities. Employees whose shifts produce the most sales are the most promising; it is worth investing in their subsequent training.

In what cases should a pharmacist be fired?

There are a few basic things that are unforgiving in the pharmacy industry. If a direct complaint has been received against an employee, it is worth studying it carefully. If a pharmacist is impatient, rude, or has poor knowledge of the product range, he can damage the reputation of the entire pharmacy chain. A negative review on the Internet about a pharmacist can cause a significant reduction in sales of a particular outlet. Therefore, each such situation should be considered separately. Sometimes a bad-mannered employee should be fired.

Another reason for looking for a new employee at a pharmacy is identified shortages. Write-offs of prescription or high-cost drugs should be closely monitored. Therefore, unscheduled inventories should be carried out as often as possible. If they show a shortage of drugs, it means there is an unreliable employee on staff.

Some drug manufacturers or distributors negotiate with local pharmacists to carry their products. Monitor such situations; if the pharmacist agreed to such a deal, look for a new employee to take his place.

Why do valuable specialists leave?

Imagine that you have found a really good specialist and have already opened your own pharmacy. However, at some point this valuable employee warns you of his desire to quit. If we are talking about the initial stages of work, most often such a situation arises due to difficulties with adaptation. Therefore, it is very important to create the right atmosphere within the team, for which it is necessary to initially determine the psychological compatibility of personnel. One difficult, unpleasant employee in personal communication can cause the dismissal of other, possibly more valuable personnel. Therefore, in a pharmacy it is necessary to monitor not only the quality of customer service, but also the internal atmosphere in the team.

So, having decided to open a pharmacy, you will need to choose which specialists are preferable for you - those already with extensive experience and corresponding salary requirements, or young employees who need additional training. By forming a good team with a pleasant atmosphere within the team, you will create the basis for the pharmacy to quickly recoup all investments in itself and begin to make a profit!

How to properly build a pricing policy in a pharmacy

Trade turnover, pharmacy profit, customer interest - all this depends on competent pricing. As a rule, pharmaceutical establishments with above-average prices have less chance of success, unlike those that offer their products at a reasonable price.

Modern approaches to determining prices

Most often, in modern pharmacies, pricing is based on three models:

1. Decentralized, in which price setting falls on the shoulders of managers. In simple terms, they have to determine prices “by eye,” guided solely by their own experience.
2. Partially decentralized, differing from the previous one only in that a certain set of goods is subject to pricing rules. And all other positions in this regard depend on the heads of pharmacies.
3. Centralized, in which pricing rules are dictated by the management of the pharmacy chain for the entire range.

Determining the final cost

The optimal pricing system takes into account three aspects:

• competitiveness;
• ensuring maximum profit;
• high customer loyalty.

If we talk about the main factors that influence the final cost of medicines, then these primarily include surcharges that arise on the way from the manufacturer to the pharmacy. And it looks something like this:

1. Manufacturer's starting price.
2. Packaging costs up to 25% of the starting price.
3. Tax duties.
4. Markup from one or more intermediaries.
5. Other expenses already incurred in the pharmacy (premises rent, labor costs, utilities, etc.).

In addition, when setting the price, the exchange rate is taken into account (relevant for imported medicines) and the number of intermediaries. As a rule, pharmacy chains are able to afford to buy goods directly from manufacturers, while small organizations have to work with intermediaries, purchasing drugs at exorbitant prices.

How to create an effective pricing system

When medicines are delivered directly to the pharmacy, other factors begin to interfere in the formation of their cost: the type of buyers, assortment, level of competition and the category of the organization itself. Taking these features into account, an effective pricing system is created in several stages:

1. A portrait of the average buyer is determined. To do this, research is conducted to identify the main characteristics of the client generating income. The process takes into account the solvency of people, their requirements for service, gender, age, etc. It should be noted that for pharmacies located in residential areas, the issue of pricing is very acute, since the buyers are basically the same. Therefore, for successful development, you need to adhere to competitors’ prices or set even lower prices for goods.
2. The main competitors are identified. At this stage, the pricing policies of other pharmacies are analyzed, and groups of medications are identified that will become the basis for comparing markups. As a rule, for walk-through pharmacies located in the city center, competitors are pharmaceutical organizations located on the path of customers. And for residential areas - nearby pharmacy points.
3. The commodity core is highlighted. In this case, marker positions (the most in demand) are identified, which form the core of the assortment. Simply put, a list of medications is created that generates the main income for the pharmacy.
4. The reaction of buyers to price changes is assessed. After a competitive analysis, the direction of price movement is determined, taking into account the specifics of the organization itself. At the initial stage, it is recommended to gradually change the cost of goods in the range of 5-10%, and after assessing the reaction of customers, you can move on to a markup of 3-5%.
5. Actions are planned. In practice, loyalty programs are expensive, and not all pharmacies can afford them. However, it is worth thinking about attracting customers with the help of promotions and discount cards, but without damaging the organization itself.

Pricing Methods

Almost always, pricing methods depend on its goals. If increasing profits is at the forefront, then it is recommended to adopt the following methods:

1. Pricing based on customer psychology.

When setting the price of medicines, it is necessary to take into account the price perception of buyers. Many experts advise sticking to odd numbers. For example, customers will perceive 9.99 rubles more loyally than 10 rubles. The difference is only one penny, but it plays a very big role.

1. Pricing based on company prestige.

Many people are willing to pay not only for the product, but also for the name of its manufacturer, if it is prestigious. So, for aspirin from a foreign company that is popular, you can put a higher markup, and buyers will perceive this as normal. However, you need to have firm confidence in the worthy reputation of the drugs in order to avoid unpleasant questions from clients.

1. Competition based pricing.

This method is very simple as it does not require tedious work with demand curves. In addition, it is considered the most optimal solution in conditions where buyers react extremely sharply to price levels. When choosing this method, it is enough for a pharmaceutical organization to adhere to the prices of its closest competitors.

Refusal of unclaimed goods

Ideally, illiquid stock balances should not exceed 10-15% of the total quantity of available goods. They need to be constantly monitored and a list of medications that are purchased extremely rarely (for example, 1 unit per month) must be periodically compiled. After this, such drugs must be excluded from the range, since they negatively affect the profitability of the pharmaceutical organization. Of course, with this approach, you can lose some customers and reduce the range a little, but such sacrifices will certainly be worth it.

Conclusion: how to open a pharmacy? or... Pharmacy franchise?

Industry affiliation, high competition and lack of experience dictate to entrepreneurs very serious requirements for the question “How to open a profitable pharmacy?”

Open a pharmacy- a labor-intensive, complex process that involves serious time and financial investments.

However, such a business pays off quickly enough and brings a stable income: medicines, as was said at the very beginning, will always be bought.

If you're ready to open a pharmacy, but the prospect of spending a huge amount of time and effort doesn't sound too appealing, you may want to consider a pharmacy franchise.

Pharmacy franchise- the so-called symbiosis of big business and a start-up enterprise, which allows beginning businessmen to invest their funds in creating a guaranteed profitable and quickly payback business.

Franchise benefits

The main advantages of such an organization of business activities are as follows:

1. The reputation of a popular pharmacy chain brand will help attract customers without special expenses for advertising and business promotion - it’s simple and profitable.

2. The risks of failures and “getting bumps” are reduced, since proven business solutions and modern retail sales technologies are used, work is carried out according to an open, streamlined scheme and clear business processes.

3. There is no need to waste time searching for suppliers of pharmacy products and selecting products that are in demand - the franchisor will do this for you.

4. Training in key business processes and implementation of an automation program in a pharmacy will help you understand all the subtleties and nuances when opening a pharmacy.

5. It is easier and faster to obtain a pharmaceutical license based on the support of the franchisor and his experience in opening pharmacies.

6. The payback period for a pharmacy franchise is from 6 to 12 months, subject to strict adherence to the rules and recommendations of the franchisor.

Thus, by purchasing a pharmacy franchise, you receive the right to use a well-known brand of a pharmacy chain, a good business and image reputation, a ready-made business plan for the development of a pharmacy business, recommendations for decorating a pharmacy sales area and selecting a drug assortment, and contacts of pharmaceutical suppliers and distributors. You will need to independently find a suitable premises located on the first line of houses in a high-traffic area with high pedestrian and vehicular traffic and meet the requirements of the franchise agreement, purchase the necessary medical equipment, and recruit professional pharmacists and pharmacists. You can open a pharmacy under a franchise both in a big city and in rural areas, for example in a small village or village. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to open a pharmacy without investments and financial investments.

"Sovetskaya Pharmacy": the best franchising offer for pharmacies

The main advantage of a pharmacy franchise is the relatively low startup cost and quick return on investment. This is the optimal solution for those who are deciding how to open a pharmacy from scratch and still have no idea how much expenses will be required to develop a pharmacy business.

The pharmacy chain offers high-quality and in-demand products at manufacturer prices within the budget price segment. The average bill is 500-700 rubles. The annual turnover of the network is 3,500,000,000 rubles. Cooperation provides a number of advantages:

• . minimum payback period - from 8 months to a year;
• . purchases on favorable terms from wholesale prices from manufacturers and official distributors;
• . a wide range of medicinal and pharmaceutical products (more than 60,000 items), including ordering rare drugs;
• . full support at all stages of doing business, good PR support when opening a franchise pharmacy;
• . the possibility of opening an online pharmacy and booking medications via the Internet with further purchase of medications at prices below market prices.

The minimum requirements for an entrepreneur are:

• . the entrance fee is only 999 rubles;
• . no pharmaceutical education required;
• . registration of a legal entity is required;
• . investment amount is about 1,500,000 rubles;
• . minimum room area - from 30 square meters, location on the ground floor, in a high traffic area.

“Soviet Pharmacy” is the best solution for those who are going to start their own business and open a pharmacy as a franchise.

There was a time when pharmacies in Russia were exclusively family businesses. But now, for a number of reasons, it is difficult for one ordinary family to run a pharmacy. Competition in this area is too high, and administrative barriers are difficult to overcome. But for those who have sufficient initial capital, business skills, experience and perseverance, the answer to the question “How to open a pharmacy?” it won't be too difficult. The procedure for opening a pharmacy implies the following approximate plan of your actions.

Have you decided to open a pharmacy? Where to begin?

First of all, let’s decide who needs to be registered as if a pharmacy is being opened from scratch. If you have a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist, then you can register as an individual entrepreneur. If it is not there, then you need to register a Limited Liability Company, CJSC or OJSC.

Here is a list of some regulations and laws that regulate this type of activity:

• N 61-FZ “On the circulation of medicines”;
• Regulations on licensing of pharmacological activities;
• Order N 553 “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations.”

According to the last of the listed documents, you can open one of the following types of pharmacy:

• production;
• production, with the right to manufacture aseptic products;
• pharmacy of prepared drugs;
• pharmacy kiosk or store;
• Pharmacy.

The first two types of enterprises must be registered under a code from the “Manufacture of Medicines” group. For the rest, group 52 (52.3, 52.31 – 33) is suitable.

If you are not going to open the production of pharmaceuticals, choose the type of business organization from the last three. Of these, the pharmacy of finished medicines has the widest range of functions that a kiosk and a store do not have. For example, only there you can sell prescription drugs.

Opening a pharmacy is also correct from the point of view of further business expansion: it will also be the central office, on the basis of which you can subsequently open pharmacy points.

Documents required to open a pharmacy

The number of documents that you will need to submit to various authorities to open a pharmacy is amazing. The list of these documents can be found in the “Regulations on licensing of pharmacological activities” dated December 22, 2011. In brief:

• you need to coordinate the opening of the enterprise with the SES and obtain permission to use a specific premises and a sanitary passport for the new pharmacy;
• you must obtain permission from the fire department;
• obtain a license for the retail sale of medications.

To collect this list of documents in order to open a pharmacy, according to the most conservative estimates, and with all the effort and resources, it will take one and a half months.

Form of trade organization

At the planning stage, you need to decide on the form of organization of your pharmacy. Namely, whether the display of goods will be closed (when all the goods are behind the counter) or open (when the goods are available, as in a supermarket).

Open display requires well-organized control, but also increases sales by 20 - 30%. But this only happens if the area where the pharmacy is located is highly trafficked. If traffic is less than 10,000 people per day, then an open display will not lead to a significant increase in sales.

Recruitment

The manager must be a certified pharmacist with at least three years of experience. This specialist is the key figure in your business. He will carry out procurement, which means success depends on the effectiveness of his actions. The selection of a pharmacy manager must be approached with extreme care.

All other employees of your enterprise, with the exception of cleaners (who are registered as nurses), must have a pharmaceutical education. Every five years, all employees must undergo recertification.

Selecting a room

Let's talk about opening an ordinary pharmacy in a residential area of ​​the city, a so-called discounter. So, where and what do you need to open a pharmacy? For such a business you need to rent an area of ​​at least 80 sq. m., which will be distributed approximately as follows:

• sales area – 2/3 of the premises;
• administrative premises – approx. 15 sq. m;
• utility rooms (for receiving, storing, unpacking medications);
• utility block – 2 sq. m.

The premises are subject to strict requirements for opening a pharmacy. Naturally, they must be connected to electricity and water supply, supply and exhaust ventilation, etc. All rooms must form an isolated block. In addition, where pharmaceutical drugs are stored, sensors must be installed to monitor air parameters. And all premises, without exception, must be equipped with an alarm system: both fire and security, and light and sound.

When making repairs, remember that it should involve wet cleaning of the room and the use of disinfection. The floor in the pharmacy should be tiled or covered with linoleum with welded seams.

These are only part of the requirements that are necessary to open a pharmacy. As you can see, just bringing the rented premises into proper shape will require tens of thousands of dollars in investment.

Equipment: what is needed to open a pharmacy?

Equipment also requires shelving, locked cabinets, refrigerators, safes for storing narcotic drugs, not to mention a counter and cash registers. Equipment for a small pharmacy can cost from 5 to 8 thousand dollars.

Product and markups on it

The state regulates the pricing policy of pharmacies, setting fixed trade markups for medications. The markup for different items ranges from 20 to 40%. But this does not apply to related, hygiene and other similar products. Therefore, if you have already decided what you need to open a pharmacy, but the size of the sales area allows it, you should definitely allocate space for shelves with such goods. They can significantly increase the profitability of the entire enterprise.

Place: where and how to open your own pharmacy?

A feature of the pharmacy business in general is that the demand for medicines does not decrease significantly, even when prices increase. But this only works if the pharmacy is located in the right place.

Studies show that people usually buy medicines on the way home, and certainly within walking distance from home. This means: the buyer will not look for a new pharmacy for the opportunity to save a few rubles.

In practice, this means only one thing: a lively, walk-through place is the key to the success of a pharmacy business.

Pharmacy business profitability

Is it profitable to open a pharmacy? This question worries all entrepreneurs who decide to start a pharmacy business.

The profitability of pharmacies in Russia is about 10%. That's not a lot. But for ambitious entrepreneurs this business is still traditionally attractive. What's the secret? It is simple: truly high profitability and high incomes are shown by developed pharmacy chains. The more stores, pharmacies and kiosks a network unites, the higher the profitability of the enterprise. Creating such a structure is a worthwhile goal for an experienced businessman.

How much does it cost to open a pharmacy?

The approximate amount of investment for opening one pharmacy or pharmacy store will be from 1.7 to 2 million rubles. It is difficult to predict the payback time of a pharmacy enterprise without specific data. But the pharmacy business, even if it slowly pays for itself, is still worth the effort spent on it. After all, a constantly high and stable demand for medicines is the main component of your successful business.