Amazon Goes Into Drugstore.com Business

By George Anderson

In its ever-expanding quest to be all things retail to all consumers, Amazon launched a beta test of a new health and personal care storefront (click
here to browse) on its site Wednesday with Drugstore.com, Vitamin Shoppe and other companies handling order fulfillment.

The new storefront will offer a full range of health and beauty care products, but will not include prescription medications or contact lenses.

Amazon is offering customers who make a minimum required dollar purchase of shaving and oral care products from Braun/Oral-B, Panasonic, and Remington gift certificates up to
$50 off future purchases made through the site. The offer is good through December 31.

Moderator’s Comment: What are your thoughts on Amazon’s Health and Personal Care store beta test and its continuing expansion into other product categories?

We have to admit being early skeptics of Amazon’s plans to expand its product categories.

We must also say that we see little downside for Jeff Bezos and company with Amazon’s recent beta tests of its health and personal care and gourmet food
shops. Costs to operate the stores will be low and sales will be incremental. [George
Anderson – Moderator]