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Mail-order, retail pharmacies outpace chains in patient satisfaction
Driven by better digital access and satisfaction scores, patients are favoring mail-order, supermarket and mass merchandiser pharmacies over chain drugstores.
As neighborhood drug stores continue to close across the United States, patients are increasingly relying on prescriptions filled through mail-order, supermarkets and mass merchandisers, where they report higher satisfaction and greater convenience.
According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Pharmacy study, patient satisfaction with mail-order pharmacies rose 7 points to 697 (out of 1,000), while chain drugstores lagged at 643. Supermarkets and mass merchandisers, by comparison, earned significantly higher scores of 715 and 706, respectively.
"Chain drug store customers are significantly more likely than supermarket or mass market merchandiser pharmacy customers to say they 'definitely will' or 'probably will' switch pharmacies in the next 12 months," Christopher Lis, J.D. Power's managing director of global healthcare intelligence, said in a press release. "That openness to switching, combined with steadily increasing satisfaction scores at mail-order pharmacies, helps set the stage for a tipping point in the pharmacy space."
Growing demand for digital access
Mail-order customers rate digital tools such as websites, mobile apps and text notifications as the top reasons for their satisfaction, citing convenience and cost savings.
The report also highlights rising interest in digital pharmacies, with 63% of mail-order customers now saying they are "very" or "somewhat" interested -- a 5-point increase from 2024. And yet, 33% of all pharmacy customers report they are unaware of any digital pharmacy brands. Of the 67% who are aware, 58% recognize Amazon Pharmacy.
Satisfaction scores
Using the feedback from more than 14,000 customers, the following pharmacies were ranked on a 1,000-point scale measuring pharmacist trust, service quality and digital convenience:
Mail-order (average = 697)
- PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy (745).
- Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (740).
- Amazon Pharmacy (734).
Mass merchandisers (average = 706)
- Sam's Club (778).
- Costco (765).
Supermarkets (average = 715)
- Wegmans (764).
- Publix (760).
- H‑E‑B (756).
Chain drug stores (average = 643)
- Health Mart (759).
- Good Neighbor Pharmacy (732).
These satisfaction scores reflect a growing patient preference for pharmacies that prioritize digital accessibility and ease of use. To remain competitive, pharmacies must modernize their services and invest in expanded digital access to offer the kind of convenience patients now enjoy.
Alivia Kaylor is a scientist and the senior site editor of Pharma Life Sciences.
