New Study Shows Mail-Order Satisfaction Rising as Retail Trust Slips

Pharmacists filling prescriptions by mail are winning over customers with responsive human support, and brick-and-mortar pharmacies are losing ground on trust and perceived value, according to a new JD Power study of more than 14,000 pharmacy customers.¹

“Customers continue to place tremendous value on access to pharmacists and knowledgeable staff, even as pharmacy experiences become more digital,” Meaghan Hafner, senior director of health care solutions at JD Power, told Drug Topics®. “The study shows that human interactions remain a key driver of satisfaction, particularly when customers have an opportunity to engage directly with pharmacy personnel. The strongest customer experiences occur when digital convenience is paired with meaningful human support.”

The 2026 study reveals that mail-order satisfaction has climbed to 699 on a 1000-point scale, a modest but significant gain fueled by enhanced digital convenience and live agent support. Conversely, brick-and-mortar establishments saw their satisfaction scores tumble by 7 points to 669, a decline the study attributes to eroding customer trust and a perceived lack of value.¹

READ MORE: Amazon Pharmacy Now Offering Same-Day Delivery for Ozempic Pill

The Digitization of Pharmacy

This divergence marks a digital tipping point for the industry, where the convenience of the home-delivery model is beginning to outweigh the historical dominance of the neighborhood pharmacy. Within these segments, the rankings highlight this shift in consumer loyalty; Amazon Pharmacy now leads the mail-order category, while Sam’s Club and H-E-B continue to dominate the mass merchandiser and supermarket sectors, respectively.^1,2

For pharmacists, this trend reflects a broader structural crisis facing physical drugstore locations. Brick-and-mortar pharmacies have been closing at an alarming rate throughout the 21st century, with major chains like Walgreens and CVS shuttering hundreds of stores and Rite Aid entering bankruptcy.²

Industry data shows that nearly 1 in 3 pharmacies operating in 2010 had closed by 2021, and thousands more have ceased operations in the years since. These closures create pharmacy deserts that limit access to preventative care, often leaving digital and mail-order services as the only viable options for patients in underserved areas.

Choosing Between Retail and Mail-Order Pharmacy

The choice between these 2 models often depends on the clinical nature of the prescription. Retail pharmacies remain the superior choice for acute, short-term needs such as antibiotics for an infection or immediate pain relief after an injury.^3,4

They are also essential for services that require physical presence, such as vaccinations for the flu or COVID-19, as well as hands-on training for medical devices like inhalers or auto-injectors. However, for chronic maintenance medications used to manage long-term conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol, mail-order pharmacies offer distinct advantages in 90-day supplies and automated refills.^3-5

This high-volume fulfillment often leads to better medication adherence because it removes the logistical hurdles of frequent physical trips to a store.^3,4

Economic pressures are also playing a decisive role in shifting patient behavior. Many insurance plans and Medicare Part D programs now offer financial incentives to steer members toward preferred mail-order partners.^4,5

For example, many plans allow patients to receive a 90-day supply via mail for the cost of only two 30-day retail copays, resulting in significant annual savings for those on multiple maintenance drugs.^3-5

What Do Brick-and-Mortar Pharmacies Need to Do to Survive?

“Trust remains foundational to the pharmacy relationship,” continued Hafner. “Customers want confidence that their pharmacist is knowledgeable, communicates honestly, and is acting in their best interests. As brick-and-mortar pharmacies work to improve customer satisfaction, strengthening trust through expertise, transparency, and customer-focused service represents one of the greatest opportunities for improvement.”

Although retail pharmacists can help patients navigate price comparisons or find coupons, they often struggle to compete with the discounted pricing and waived shipping fees inherent in the mail-order model.^4,5

To counter the risk of extinction, experts suggest that brick-and-mortar pharmacies must transform into integrated health and well-being hubs. This evolution involves moving beyond simple dispensing to offer diagnostic services, nutritional advice, and even genomic-based wellness products.⁶

By acting as gatekeepers to the broader health care ecosystem and mastering an omnichannel approach that blends physical presence with digital ease, retail pharmacists can rebuild the trust that is currently slipping.^1,6

The pharmacies that thrive will be those that successfully deliver a personal, empathetic touch alongside the effortless digital efficiency modern consumers now demand.¹

“Customers are not looking for a digital-only experience or an in-person-only experience. They value having multiple ways to engage, whether through an app, text message, website, or direct interaction with a pharmacist,” concluded Hafner. “The pharmacies delivering the strongest customer experiences are creating connected journeys that combine convenient digital tools with meaningful human support, allowing customers to interact however they prefer.”

Check out our coverage of last year’s report to see how the marketplace has evolved.

REFERENCES

1. Care & convenience: the new Rx for pharmacy satisfaction. News Release. JD Power. July 28, 2026. Accessed July 28, 2026.

2. Nowosielski B. Brick-and-mortar pharmacy satisfaction lags behind supermarket, mail order pharmacies. Drug Topics. July 30, 2025. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.drugtopics.com/view/brick-and-mortar-pharmacy-satisfaction-decreases-below-supermarkets-mail-order

3. Knitter A. Choosing between mail order and retail pharmacies. National Insurance Service. March 23, 2026. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://blog.nisbenefits.com/mail-order-retail-and-pharmacies

4. Frew L. Mail order vs. retail pharmacies: pros and cons. Healthline. March 11, 2026. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/mail-order-vs-retail-pharmacy

5. Exploring mail-order pharmacies: Can you save money by having prescriptions delivered? Informed Choice. November 12, 2025. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.informedchoice.com/insurance-blog/mail-order-pharmacies-save-money

6. Heese F, Metzler M. The future of brick-and-mortar pharmacy. Oliver Wyman Health. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/perspectives/health/2022/may/the-future-of-brick-and-mortar-pharmacy.html