With consumers increasingly using their handsets to shop, CVS/pharmacy has revamped its mobile site to make the entire CVS.com catalog available to shoppers.

In addition to being able to purchase items for the first time, the mobile site has been enhanced with additional new functionality such as the ability to redeem coupons and purchase photo prints for in-store pick up. The new site is part of CVS/pharmacy’s ongoing efforts to expand its mobile offerings to serve its customers better.

“We know our customers like to engage with us in all different ways including shopping in-store and online,” said said Erin Pensa, Erin Pensa, director of public relations for CVS/pharmacy, Woonsocket, RI. “Adding mobile purchasing gives them another option and allows shoppers to purchase what they need – and even refill prescriptions – while on the go.”

“CVS/pharmacy is committed to making the mobile experience for customers second to none,” she said. “With over one-third of American adults owning smartphones, CVS/pharmacy recognizes the importance of providing useful solutions to our customers, and we’ve worked to optimize and expand the mobile suite to accommodate this trend.”

More transactions
Mobile users can search the entire CVS.com catalog of over 25,000 products via the newly enhanced mobile site. This includes the ability to search for and purchase items in categories such as household, wellness or personal care and holiday gifts.

Additionally, the site features optimized print ordering and purchasing.

Users can also redeem coupons and offers and update their credit card and account information.

“Healthcare and wellness is with consumers 24/7,” said Bob Gold, CEO of Gold Mobile, Iselin, NJ.

“If you have an enterprise like CVS or anyone else at retail that is providing health and wellness products, whether pharmacy or OTC, people are thinking about all the time, so mobile is even more important,” he said.

“If you can prescribe and pick up and get reminders and related products that fall within your disease area and you can do that via a digital mechanism, that is sort of completing the loop.”

The new mobile enhancements follow previous upgrades that enable shoppers to use their phone’s GPS to find a nearby CVS/pharmacy store, check the weekly circular, find MinuteClinic locations, manage their ExtraCare Rewards accounts as well as scan and send prescription refills.

CVS/pharmacy operates over 7,300 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores.

Chain drugstores such as CVS/pharmacy and Walgreens have been aggressively adopting mobile strategies to help them connect with on-the-go customers and gain a larger share of their wallet.

“Our goal is to always improve the customer experience,” Ms. Pensa said. “We strive to provide affordable and easy to access all of our services, and these mobile innovations are another example of how CVS/pharmacy listens to customer feedback and encourages ExtraCare members to take advantage of the benefits and savings available to them.”

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York