Category Management
A larger product range generates more turnover and profit. This is how Apostore solutions pay for themselves in your inner-city pharmacy
Using Apostore solutions generates added value. Thanks to more efficient processes, a more extensive product range and larger storage capacities, the annual net turnover rises by up to eight percent, as our customers' experience shows. And it has a positive effect on the operational result. It can grow by up to 18 percent depending on the growth in sales, despite the additional costs for the broader product range and higher operating costs. The added value of investing in an Apostore machine amounts to up to EUR 26,000 per year after the deduction of all costs.
Benefit no. 1: More variety for your customers
With an Apostore machine you can expand and differentiate your range considerably. You can provide your customers with a significantly greater variety than before and, for example, define priorities for your individual positioning. This is particularly useful in highly competitive inner-city locations.
Use Apostore solutions to raise your pharmacy's unique profile and attractiveness even further. And at the same time, the efficient processes in the back office mean that you and your team have more time for your most important task: providing detailed, individual advice to your customers.
The growth of the product range is not only the result of the large storage capacity of our machines. Our flexible gripping technology also allows the storage of round, cylindrical or cellophane wrapped packages. This has a positive effect on your OTC product range.
Even the products requiring cooling can be stored in our machines. Our machines have an air-conditioning option. This way you can also increase your stocks in a targeted manner with your Apostore machine.
Benefit no. 2: Fully automated stock maintenance and inventory
The Apostore stock is always clean and tidy. Just with one mouse click and the integrated ApoClean cleans all shelves without anybody from your team spending valuable time on doing so. This is valuable time that you can now devote to advising your customers. If necessary, ApoClean also rearranges the stock and puts everything into order. Because this is a fully automated feature, it can be scheduled for the weekend or evening hours.
This user-friendly stock and product range maintenance has a positive effect on the ordering system. The number of tours to the wholesalers is reduced. This in turn increases your purchasing conditions and at the same time reduces your operational costs. In other words, you benefit in two ways.
Also, you no longer have to rely on manual labour for your inventory. Just one mouse click suffices and you get a precise overview: product stock by category, number of packages by category, expiration dates, stock value per item and total stock value.
This valuable data will ensure that you are perfectly organised. This means that you will always know exactly which products are selling well and which are not, how much capital is invested, how your costs are developing and how you can optimise or improve, if necessary. Based on this readily available key data, you gain important information for your entrepreneurial resilience.
Extending the product range: An example
With an Apostore A2000 the product range of a highly frequented pharmacy in an inner city location can be increased by half from 4000 to 6000 products. Theoretically, it is even possible to increase the stock to over 7000 products. But customer experience has shown that for a well-stocked product range availability is more important for economic success than an extremely differentiated product range.
As a result, our customers make use of the large storage capacity of the machines in order to optimise their stocks of successful OTC products. Simultaneously, you can of course also continue to keep some stock in drawers.
Increased operational result
An average German pharmacy generates net sales of EUR 2,315,000 per annum according to the latest ABDA figures for 2018. This amounts to a gross profit of EUR 555,000 per annum after deducting the cost of sales (EUR 1,760,000).
After deduction of payroll costs ( EUR 247,000) and other expenses (EUR 170,000), the taxable operating result is EUR 144,000.
This operating result can be considerably improved with the use of Apostore solutions. This also applies if costs for the material use and other expenses increase. Almost EUR 12,000 should be budgeted for maintenance and energy costs of the machine.
If the turnover increases by only five percent (and the expenditure on goods increases by the same amount), the operating result grows by seven percent to a total of EUR 154,000. If turnover increases by eight percent, the increase amounts to as much as 18 percent. The operating result then will amount to EUR 170,000.