For more than a decade, I’ve been watching online pharmacies grow in popularity, attaching themselves to veterinary practices across the country. And it’s no surprise that their rise has only accelerated in the wake of COVID-19. Quarantines and social distancing forced practices to think creatively—curbside care, telehealth, and contactless delivery became the norm. But in truth, the shift to online pharmacies had been building long before the pandemic.

From my experience, what I’ve seen over and over again is this: veterinary practices that embrace convenience as part of their service model win more loyalty from their clients. And online pharmacies are one of the clearest ways to deliver that convenience.

The Competition Isn’t Going Away

When I first began paying close attention to this space, the major concern was 1-800-PetMeds. Now, the landscape is much more crowded—Chewy, Petco, and even retail giants like Amazon are fully entrenched in pet medication and product delivery.

It can feel daunting, but here’s something I remind practices: these companies don’t have to be seen as the enemy. There’s a lot we can learn from them. What makes them successful is not just price point or product range—it’s how easy they make the process.

At the end of the day, clients want one thing above all else: convenience.

The Buying Power of Convenience

Think about your own habits. Personally, thanks to subscription services, I can’t remember the last time I ran out of vitamins or household items. They simply show up at my door, right when I need them. My dog food works the same way—delivered monthly through my veterinary practice’s online pharmacy.

Sometimes that means I wind up with more food than I need, but adjusting delivery preferences is just a few clicks away. The real benefit is peace of mind. I don’t have to think about running out. And that’s what clients are really buying—not just a product, but freedom from worry.

This is what companies like Chewy, Amazon, and Petco understand so well, and it’s why pet owners are drawn to them. The good news is, veterinary practices can deliver that same convenience—while pairing it with something big-box retailers can’t provide: trust, expertise, and continuity of care.

How Practices Can Get Started

This is where I often see practices hesitate. They worry about cost, logistics, or whether clients will actually use the service. From what I’ve seen, the reality is much simpler:

• Your online pharmacy integrates with your practice management software. Prescriptions can be written and fulfilled digitally, funneled directly to your online store.
• Automation makes the process easy for both sides. Clients get recurring deliveries. You don’t have to worry about managing a warehouse, delivery trucks, or staffing.
• Operating costs are built in. Yes, your profit margin on certain products may be slimmer than buying directly from a distributor—but the savings in time, team effort, increased sales and client retention more than make up for it.

It’s the same formula that makes Chewy and 1-800-PetMeds successful: eliminate friction, streamline fulfillment, and let convenience do the heavy lifting.

From Experience: What Works and What Doesn’t

What I’ve seen work well:

• Promotion and education. Clients won’t use a service they don’t know exists. Put signage in your exam rooms, add a button to your website homepage, and train your CSRs to mention it when a client checks out.
• Defaulting to convenience. Frame it as the “easy option.” For example: “Would you like me to set that up for home delivery so you don’t have to come back in?”
• Consistency. The practices that thrive don’t treat their online pharmacy as an afterthought. It’s integrated into every conversation about patient care.

What doesn’t work:

• Assuming clients will “just find it.” They won’t. If you don’t talk about it, they’ll go to Chewy.
• Focusing only on price. You probably can’t beat big-box retailers on cost alone. You can, however, beat them on trust, expertise, and the relationship you already have with your clients.

The Best Time Was Years Ago. The Second-Best Time Is Today.

If your practice is still waiting for a sign to launch an online pharmacy, this is it. The truth is, the best time to have started was years ago, when the first signs of consumer shift became clear. But the second-best time is right now.

Online shopping isn’t going anywhere. If anything, client expectations around convenience are only getting stronger. Every year that passes without an online pharmacy makes it harder to keep up with competitors like Chewy, Amazon, or even the practice down the street that already offers delivery.

The good news? It’s never too late to start. Clients are already accustomed to subscription services and doorstep deliveries in every other area of their lives. They’ll welcome that same convenience from the veterinary team they already know and trust.

And if you already have an online pharmacy, congratulations, you’ve cleared the first hurdle. Now the real work begins: promoting it, making it a part of every client interaction, and ensuring it becomes the “easy choice” for your pet owners.

Because in the end, the most valuable thing you can provide isn’t just medication or food—it’s peace of mind.