WAG’s new site offers enhanced health options
DEERFIELD, Ill. —Walgreens’ top-to-bottom rejuvenation and rebranding campaign now extends to its much-visited Web site.
The chain unveiled a redesigned site Nov. 23, offering its customers a fresher image online and a broader, easier-to-access selection of healthy living and product resources. The new Walgreens.com also provides more shopping tools and services that the company said will make it easier for customers to shop online.
The relaunch of Walgreens.com has been a prime objective for the 7,105-store drug chain, in line with a top-to-bottom overhaul of its retail health mission, customer-centric merchandising presentation and go-to-market strategy. The new Web site is designed to make it easier for customers to manage their prescriptions online, and features “a selection of interactive tools to help consumers better understand and monitor their health,” the company said. The site also offers photo service enhancements and new mobile applications, Walgreens announced.
“We’ve integrated our content, products and services to offer customers a more holistic online solution,” explained Sona Chawla, SVP e-commerce. “We pride ourselves on having the most convenient locations throughout the United States, and now Walgreens is adding greater convenience for our growing numbers of customers who shop with us online.”
Among the enhancements:
Some new options under the pharmacy tab to make it easier for customers to order prescriptions and manage their prescription history. The system also can provide automatic e-mail refill reminders and refills. Under the expanded “Express Refills” feature, customers can enter a prescription number online for in-store pickup at their preferred Walgreens locations without logging in, and also can select a desired date and time for prescription pickup;
An online offering called “Walgreens Health Shops” that provides a wide selection of products, healthcare resources, care guides and calculators for heart risk and other symptoms. The interactive feature, part of the “Walgreens Healthy Living” marketing program, offers one-stop shopping for items, information and interactive tools covering allergy, blood pressure, diabetes, flu, heart health, pregnancy/new moms and weight loss;
A new tool that lets customers check the availability of products at local stores;
A Flash-based application, called Easy Image-Upload, which allows customers to add images to their online photo albums, making it easier to order prints, share photos and create personalized gifts. Photos and albums can be shared through e-mail and a wide variety of social media sites, including Facebook and MySpace; and
New mobile applications designed to bring the conveniences of Walgreens stores to any Webenabled mobile phone.
Walgreens.com now averages more than 13 million visits per month and is the most popular Web site among all drug store-based retailers, according to a study from Compete.com cited by the drug chain.