Lu Zhenwang, an independent Internet expert and chief executive officer of the Shanghai-based Wanqing Consultancy, said that the nation's pharmaceutical market is valued at more than 1 trillion yuan ($162.5 billion) annually, but OTC drugs only account for 20 percent of the total.
"The prices of OTC medicines are usually not very high. If you include the delivery cost, the medicines you buy online may even be more expensive than those you buy at local pharmacies," Lu said, adding that the market also excludes those with acute conditions who cannot wait for delivery.
Qiao Yu, an analyst with IT consultancy Analysys International, said those with chronic diseases are often elderly people who are not tech-savvy enough to place orders online in any case. And some people may also shy away from buying drugs online because they worry that insurance will not cover the bill.
Despite these challenges, many e-commerce companies and pharmaceutical retailers still see online medicine as a strategic sector. "With the continuation of medical reform, there's hope that the government will allow the sale of prescription drugs online, which will quickly make the market more dynamic," Qiao said.
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