Pharmacy business where to start. Step-by-step instructions: how to open a pharmacy. Opening your own pharmacy: step-by-step instructions




Medicines are a category of goods that is always needed. Whether people have money or not. Crisis in the country or calm economic situation. Unfortunately, no one is immune from the disease, so medications will be in demand in any situation. Pharmaceuticals in general and pharmacy business in particular is a fairly profitable undertaking. With proper organization of the matter.

In this article we will look at the main nuances of opening a pharmacy; We’ll find out how to open a pharmacy without pharmaceutical education; how to legally open an online pharmacy store; We will also pay attention to opening a veterinary pharmacy.

Before starting a pharmacy business, you need to think through many issues: from the type of pharmacy to the procurement of goods. This is where we will start our business.

1. Choosing a niche to open a pharmacy

The first thing to do is decide on the location of the pharmacy and its scale. You can open either a large store or a small kiosk. Moreover, if your future brainchild also involves the production of medicines, you will have to register with the tax service according to all the rules. A regular kiosk only sells prescription medications. But it must also be a “branch” of some large branch.

As for the location. An excellent option would be a remote residential area for several blocks. Often there are no pharmacies there. Many residents of such areas complain that they have to run far, for example, to get regular aspirin.

Large retail outlets can also be considered. Usually people visit them on weekends to purchase necessary goods for future use. But in this case, the pharmacy kiosk should be located in such a way that it is literally an “eyesore.” A potential client will see a stall and remember that he needed to buy some more medicine. Because each of us has a small list of medications that need to be replenished, but are too lazy to go to the pharmacy.

2. We are looking for premises for a pharmacy and purchasing equipment

It's good if you have your own room. Otherwise you will have to rent it. We are not talking about purchasing at this stage in principle - it is still unknown how our business will perform. As for rent, it is better to enter into an appropriate agreement for a long term. It will be more profitable this way.

For a pharmacy, according to standards, the premises must have an area of ​​at least 70 square meters. In this case, the main part will go to production rooms. You need to store the drugs somewhere, unpack them, and the sales floor itself will take up most of the space. Let's not forget about the staff room and utility block.

Now pharmaceutical equipment. When organizing your own pharmacy you will need:

  • Computer and cash register;
  • Cabinets for storing medicines;
  • Trade displays and racks;
  • Refrigerator for medicines;
  • Safe for storing medicinal drugs.

All relevant equipment must be registered with the Ministry of Health. Speaking of registration, before opening a pharmacy you need to obtain permission from such structures as Rospotrebnadzor and the Fire Inspectorate. The building must also be equipped with all necessary communications; fire and security alarms are required. Devices responsible for temperature and humidity control will also be needed.

3. Registration of pharmacy activities and obtaining a license to open a pharmacy

The pharmacy business begins with obtaining a license. It is this important paper, the process of obtaining which can take up to 45 days, that will give your business a real start.

The license is issued by Roszdravnadzor. And the package of documents on the basis of which it will be issued includes:

  • Constituent documents and application for issuance;
  • Registration documents from the tax service;
  • Documents for the building;
  • Information about personnel: work books and educational documents;
  • Equipment information;
  • Scheme of the licensing object;
  • Receipt of payment of the license fee.

You will need both originals and notarized copies of all documents.

Before applying for a license, it is necessary to register the future pharmacy with the tax authority. And this is the choice of OKVED and registration form.

Important! An individual entrepreneur who opens his own pharmacy must have a pharmaceutical education and work experience of at least five years as a pharmacist or three years as a pharmacist. What if there is no such thing? Then you need to do something a little differently, which we will discuss below.

4. Business plan is the key to a successful business

Any business must start with the necessary calculations. It is necessary to calculate all expenses, determine the payback period of the project and plan future profits.

Medicines are a fairly popular category of goods with a long shelf life. Therefore, usually the payback period for pharmacies does not exceed two years. Of course, with proper business organization.
In the future, you can open a second or even a third pharmacy store, which, due to lower prices for wholesale purchases, will lead to an increase in business profitability.

A business plan will also be necessary to apply to financial institutions for credit funds in case of shortage. If you don’t have enough knowledge to prepare your own pharmacy business plan, you can turn to intermediaries and buy a ready-made business plan.

5. Recruitment of working personnel for the pharmacy

A few words about the staff. A pharmacy is a specialized trading activity, so all personnel must have a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist. The pharmacist must not only know everything about medications, but also provide advice to the buyer in the process of purchasing medications.

By the way, this is a small marketing ploy practiced in some pharmacy stores. Often visitors to pharmacies come without a prescription, they do not know what drug they need and ask the pharmacist for advice. And since the main goal of any business is to make a profit, the staff of such pharmacies offer expensive analogues of cheap drugs. Of course this is wrong. According to the rules, the pharmacist must report cheap drugs. And also about the advantages of more expensive analogues. That is, you need to be a good psychologist to convince a client to buy more expensive medications instead of cheaper ones.

6. Purchasing goods for a pharmacy

And the last thing we need when opening a pharmacy is the product itself, medicine. You can purchase the latter both at pharmacy warehouses and from drug manufacturers. Cooperate with neighboring pharmacies - this way you can significantly reduce the price through bulk purchases.

If you open a pharmacy, this does not mean that you only need to sell medicines. There are many more useful products that consumers need. These include:

  • Food for children, diapers, other children's related products;
  • Personal care and cosmetic products;
  • Products from the “healthy nutrition” series;
  • Homeopathic medicines;
  • Other related products, such as blood pressure monitors, contraceptives or inhalers;
  • Products for optics.
7. Advertising, promotions and ways to promote a pharmacy

So, the pharmacy is open, now we need to attract visitors. For this we need an advertising campaign. It would be better to launch it a month before the opening of the pharmacy itself. Advertising banners on the building, leaflets, information about the imminent opening in the media - anything can be used.

Be sure to turn the opening day into a holiday: you need to declare yourself! Balloons, music, discounts, raffles and gifts - everything that visitors love so much.

Don't forget about promotions and discounts on other days. Systematically arrange discount days for certain product categories. You can also attract clients by providing various additional services. For example, free consultations or blood pressure measurements. And a free vision test will already guarantee that the visitor will purchase glasses here.

It is also worth monitoring the advertising market. Drug manufacturers are the largest advertisers, with their advertising contributing up to 26% of the total federal advertising budget. Consequently, those medications that are intensively advertised in the federal media will be in high demand.

For example, in 2017, the two most purchased drugs were Nurofen and Kagocel. Both drugs were heavily advertised throughout this year and were well known among consumers as, respectively, remedies for pain and colds.

How to open a pharmacy without pharmaceutical education

We have already mentioned above that all personnel, including the manager, must have a pharmaceutical education. Is it possible to open a pharmacy without it? It turns out it is possible! To do this, you need to select LLC as the business registration form. In this case, you will only be the owner of the pharmacy, and not its manager. And the latter will be a person with appropriate education and work experience.

But to open a production pharmacy, i.e. one in which medications are also manufactured, you are unlikely to succeed. You need to control your activities, but without the appropriate knowledge this will not work!

Ears, paws and tails: a pharmacy for our little brothers - a veterinary pharmacy

Today in large cities you will no longer surprise anyone with a hotel or even a cafe for animals. Why not open a pharmacy for animals? Our smaller brothers are not immune from diseases just like us. Of course, all the necessary drugs can be purchased locally, at a veterinary clinic or in pet stores, but the price there will be more expensive.

The requirements for opening a veterinary pharmacy are the same as for a regular pharmacy. But in addition to pharmaceutical education, staff must also have veterinary education with relevant work experience.

Another difference is the receipt of a certificate from the Union of Pet Business Enterprises. But to do this, you need to be prepared to undergo testing to confirm your classification. In general, not everything is as simple as it seems.

As for the area. Unlike a regular pharmacy, a space of 30 square meters will be enough for a pet pharmacy. Forty-five square meters will be needed by those entrepreneurs who plan to produce pills according to prescriptions.

What else? Oh yes, documents. The package of documents is the same, only we take it not to Roszdravnadzor, but to the State Agricultural Surveillance.

Before purchasing medications, do not forget to visit animal forums. Ask around what medications your shaggy friends most often need. Through the World Wide Web you can also find trusted suppliers based on consumer reviews.

Well, and, of course, the staff. It is desirable that he not only be highly qualified, but also treat animals with love. Often, pet owners treat them like their children. Therefore, it is important for them that their shaggy friend is given maximum attention and only an effective product is sold at a reasonable price. Only then will the client return again!

Online pharmacy as an alternative to a regular pharmacy

Entrepreneurs planning to open their own online pharmacy in Russia are faced with the fact that medicines, as a type of product, are included in the list of goods the free sale of which is prohibited. That is, medicines cannot be sold anywhere except in pharmacies.

And according to paragraph 5 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2007 N 612 (as amended on October 4, 2012) “On approval of the Rules for the sale of goods by remote means,” goods included in the above list are prohibited for sale by remote means. That is, by law in Russia it is prohibited to open an online pharmacy where medicines will be sold and paid for, as well as their subsequent delivery to the client.

But, the inquisitive reader will say, there are online stores on the Internet that sell medicines. Yes, I have. But they do not sell medicines; they help you reserve the necessary funds at the nearest pharmacy. That is, no distance selling, extremely convenient placement of a future order, thereby complying with the laws of the Russian Federation.

Therefore, when planning to open your own online pharmacy, you should understand that the website will be a way to pre-order medicine. Direct purchase and payment for the order must be made at the pharmacy. Therefore, on the one hand, the process of opening an online pharmacy is essentially no different from opening a regular pharmacy. You need to register your activities, obtain a license, and even look for premises. Everything is as it should be - after all, we are opening a regular pharmacy and its website.

On the other hand, the opening of an online pharmacy does not always need to be accompanied by the opening of your own pharmacy. Thus, you can create an information pharmacy portal that allows you to place pre-orders to existing pharmacy outlets. That is, information intermediation. The customer, using your online pharmacy, will book the necessary medications at the selected pharmacy, and buy and pay when visiting the pharmacy. The profit of such a site is generated from each paid order.

Summing up the pharmacy business

That's all the information about the pharmacy business. Then the choice is yours: will you limit yourself to opening a regular pharmacy or will you begin to “treat” our little brothers. Or maybe the best idea for you is to open a pharmacy on the World Wide Web. The main thing is to set a goal and take the right steps to achieve it. Good luck to you in your endeavor!

Availability of start-up capital, the desire to start your own business and minimal knowledge in the chosen field - that’s probably all you need to start a profitable business in a large metropolis. A budding entrepreneur will face pitfalls associated with the specifics of the work and unpleasant surprises; The main thing is not to get upset and strictly follow the developed plan, gradually increasing your audience coverage and increasing the pace of sales. One of the best options for creating a business from scratch is opening a pharmacy or pharmacy.

To register and conduct business activities related to the sale of medical drugs and devices, permitting documentation and certificates for each type of product are required, which greatly complicates the work process. Below are step-by-step instructions for opening a pharmacy from scratch and the approximate cost of the project. The final section lists the main difficulties that a businessman will have to face and gives advice on how to overcome them.

Is the pharmacy business profitable today?

The short answer to this question is yes.. An entrepreneur who has come up with the idea may go bankrupt due to the low demand for the product; the pharmacy owner certainly does not face such an outcome - at least as long as people are sick and need treatment and prevention. And this is not counting the huge range of cosmetics and dietary supplements sold in most pharmacies, opened from scratch or based on pre-existing ones, the demand for which is only growing over the years.

Important: and yet you should not hope to instantly conquer the target audience. Pharmacies or pharmacy points under a variety of brands are open in all corners of Russia, and therefore the first thing a businessman will face is fierce competition (even to the point of attempts to take him out of the market using near-criminal methods).

That is why it will be easier for an entrepreneur who has no experience in fighting or does not want to waste nerves, effort and a huge amount of time to find another, less “capricious” and dangerous type of business. But if the money has already been prepared, and the trade in medicines still seems tempting, you need to get down to business: following the detailed instructions given below, any owner of a pharmacy will be able to bring the project to its logical conclusion - the development of a stable flow of clients that generate income.

Benefits of owning a pharmacy:

  1. Constant guaranteed demand. Its reasons have been described above; There is no need to fear a decrease in the demand for the products offered in the foreseeable future - and even if this happens, the entrepreneur will always be able to switch to selling cosmetics and preventive medications.
  2. Legality. Many seem dubious to experienced people who have already had the good fortune to contact supervisory authorities; a pharmacy business, opened from scratch or purchased from the previous owner, upon receipt of all necessary licenses and certificates, is guaranteed to be legal; Another thing is unlawful actions of personnel, methods of combating which will be discussed in the penultimate section of the material.
  3. Simplicity. It doesn’t matter what the pharmacy does: exclusively purchasing and resale of drugs or own production; in both cases, the business owner will not have to rack his brains. All sold in Russian Federation medical preparations are produced using strictly defined technology and in mandatory undergo certification - the entrepreneur can only choose from the list. It is possible to develop your own medicinal substances, but such activity is associated with tedious bureaucratic difficulties and is not recommended for a beginner in the pharmacy business.
  4. Opportunity to earn money in an ethically justifiable way. It is unlikely that this factor will be decisive, but a businessman who approaches business responsibly will be pleased to know that his pharmacy brings real benefits - and besides, the more positive the impression of it among potential and current customers, the more profitable the business will be.

Important: The main disadvantages of opening a pharmacy from scratch are bureaucratic delays and the threat from permanently unstable domestic legislation. At any time, an entrepreneur may be faced with the need to pay a fine or answer to court, as well as loss of income due to an unexpected ban on the free sale of medicines.

Still, creating your own pharmacy business with the right approach is a profitable business based on a combination of factors. Where to start as an entrepreneur and how to prevent unexpected collapse is in the next section.

What is needed to open a pharmacy?

The first thing that is recommended for anyone who decides to open their own business is to prepare and. This document, which can be used even after the start of the project, combines tempting offers for potential creditors or investors and an algorithm of actions for the pharmacy owner. A business plan is especially important if not only the pharmaceutical business, but also the career of the entrepreneur himself starts from scratch: without proper commercial experience and the ability to check the intended goals, it will most likely end in failure.

Important: creating a pharmacy or pharmacy chain from scratch is quite an expensive undertaking, therefore, those available in abundance on the Internet will not be suitable. You can focus on ready-made structures, but the plan must be individual, taking into account local characteristics and closest competitors.

If the entrepreneur cannot write it himself, you can involve professionals in the matter; The more competently the business plan is drawn up, the greater the chance of the future pharmacy owner to receive additional financial assistance from investors and creditors.

The next step after creating the document is to search for funding sources. The need for them remains almost always and regardless of the aspiring entrepreneur’s own wealth. If, however, there is no need to take it, you can proceed to the next stage of the project - registration with government agencies.

Business registration

First of all, a new entrepreneur needs to contact the Federal Tax Service. This can be done either by visiting “your” Federal Tax Service office in person, or by filling out the unified form P21001 on the official tax portal; in addition, you will need to pay a state fee, amounting to 800 rubles for individual entrepreneurs, and 4 thousand rubles when opening a legal entity. Regardless of the chosen form, you can deposit money using a printed receipt or via the Internet using a convenient payment service.

Important: During the registration process, both individual entrepreneurs and legal entities are transferred to - complex. It is much more logical to choose one of the simplified systems - this can be done by submitting an appropriate application to the Federal Tax Service. As a result, a businessman will be able to pay not several different taxes, but only one, the rate of which depends on the sum of factors: the type of activity, the number of employees hired, gross income for the reporting period and the chosen taxation scheme.

Another issue that should be thought through in advance is the type of pharmacy being created from scratch or newly opened. There are five of them in total:

  1. Industrial pharmacy producing medicines of any spectrum of action(up to narcotic and psychotropic drugs, depending on available licenses). This is the most difficult to register, but also the most profitable enterprise, guaranteeing the owner the absence of small competitors and the opportunity to earn income not only from selling products to the public, but also from selling medicines to legal entities. When filling out form P21001 in this case, you must indicate the code according to the All-Russian Classifier of Species economic activity(OKVED 2) 24.42.1 - “Production of medicines.”
  2. Industrial pharmacy focused on the production of antiseptic (disinfecting) drugs. A business that is not as profitable, but also much simpler to set up, the main advantage of which is the ability to concentrate on several of the most popular types of products that are in demand at any time. To attract more customers, the company can produce antiseptic solutions in original packaging and in different forms - up to “travel”; Unlike medicines, here you can take liberties when designing packaging and experiment with forms - of course, strictly ensuring that the drug complies with current standards. The OKVED code for this type of business is the same as in the previous case.
  3. “Full-format” pharmacy, which sells finished medications. A much simpler variety, equally suitable for beginners and people who already have experience in the pharmaceutical field. If desired, you can combine the listed options: the same institution can both produce its own products and sell medicines manufactured by third parties. In the latter case, 52.31, 52.32 and 52.33 should be added to the already familiar OKVED code 24.42.1 (trade in pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic, perfume and cosmetic products, respectively).
  4. Pharmacy store or stall. This establishment takes up less space than a free-standing pharmacy, purchased, leased or built from scratch; it will be enough for an entrepreneur to draw up an agreement for the use of space in any shopping or shopping and entertainment center, subsequently not forgetting to regularly pay the rent; No more difficulties are expected with organizing a pharmacy store. Since it will not be possible to engage in the production of medicines in a small area and surrounded by other retail outlets, when submitting an application to the tax office, a novice businessman will only need to indicate the three codes listed above according to OKVED 2 - or only those of them that correspond to the concept of the store.
  5. Pharmacy. The most popular and most mobile form of pharmacy in recent times, which can be opened quickly, without attracting extra employees and with minimal use of your own or rented space. A fairly common practice is to open a pharmacy as an “add-on” to an industrial pharmacy - in this case, the entrepreneur will not need to obtain additional permits for a second pharmacy. OKVED 2 codes are the same as listed above; a businessman can indicate all three options or, if he does not plan to sell perfumes and cosmetics, only the first two.

Unlike most cases of starting a business, it is better to register a pharmacy as a legal entity - this will add solidity to the enterprise and will remove a number of issues when obtaining the right to sell psychotropic and narcotic substances. However, an individual entrepreneur can also sell medicines; the advantages of registering an individual entrepreneur to open a pharmacy are a minimum state duty and more flexible taxation schemes.

After submitting an application to the Federal Tax Service and receiving a positive response (and along with it - certificates), the entrepreneur must, in accordance with Russian Government Decree No. 416 “On Medicines” dated July 6, 2006, go through a number of other authorities:

  • sanitary and epidemiological service (SES);
  • Rospotrebnadzor;
  • Roszdravnadzor;
  • state fire supervision.

To obtain permission to open a pharmacy in the SES, an entrepreneur or his representative (in this case, it is necessary to issue a power of attorney in advance and have it certified by a notary) must submit the following documents:

  • application in the prescribed form - its form and sample filling can be found in Global network or ask directly when visiting the sanitary and epidemiological station;
  • passport or other document, in accordance with current legislation, suitable for identifying the applicant;
  • if the application is submitted through a representative - the latter’s passport and a notarized power of attorney giving the right to act on behalf of the businessman;
  • taxpayer identification number (TIN);
  • certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur or legal entity;
  • an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate relating to a building purchased or built from scratch;
  • if the pharmacy is located on rented space - a corresponding agreement between the entrepreneur (can also be concluded through an intermediary) and the lessor;
  • agreements with third parties, companies or individual entrepreneurs on premises maintenance, disinfection, medical examinations of employees, garbage removal, and so on;
  • explication and layout from BTI;
  • certificate of compliance of production conditions with standards;
  • other documents upon request - it is better to clarify the list in advance by calling the SES hotline or using a “local” number.

The next stages are a visit to Rospotrebnadzor, Roszdravnadzor and Gospozhnadzor. Having completed the formalities and received all the required permits and certificates, the owner of a pharmacy, built from scratch or bought from a less fortunate entrepreneur, can begin trading, not forgetting about the deadlines for renewing licenses - working on expired permits risks an administrative fine and sometimes criminal liability.

Advice: To avoid visiting the same authorities several times, a businessman is recommended to make copies of all documents in the required quantity in advance. They are not required to be certified by a notary, unless otherwise provided by law - only their physical presence is sufficient.

Selection of premises

If it is possible to register an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity without having a premises or area for a pharmacy, then in order to take the next steps it will certainly be needed - therefore, before contacting the SES or Gospozhnadzor, the businessman needs to choose the optimal location.

To set up a full-fledged pharmacy, you must have at least 75 square meters at your disposal; they will be equipped with workspaces, a manager’s office, an accounting department, a staff room, utility and utility rooms, a bathroom and an archive.

The minimum area for setting up a pharmacy kiosk or point is 13 square meters; Of course, it will not be possible to place the entire assortment on them, which means that visitors must have access to the full list of products - or the opportunity to get instant help from a specialist. We must not forget: the more comfortable the service and the faster the client can move on after completing business at the pharmacy, the more popular the institution will be and the more income it will bring to the owner.

Equipment purchase

The list of production equipment that should be in any pharmacy includes:

  • closed and open shelving;
  • cash registers;
  • terminals for working with plastic cards;
  • counters;
  • simple cabinets for storing medicines;
  • safes for storing medicines from special groups;
  • refrigerators;
  • other furniture and office equipment;
  • bathroom equipment, etc.

Advice: It also wouldn’t hurt to put a few chairs or benches and tables in the pharmacy hall for visitors. This will not only help them relax, but will also give the entrepreneur the opportunity to familiarize potential clients with the product range in more detail, including new products: booklets and models of medical and orthopedic equipment can be placed on the tables.

Also, to attract customers, it wouldn’t hurt to place electronic automatic blood pressure monitors and scales in the pharmacy building, which everyone can use for free: a person who drops in to check their health is likely to buy something to maintain it - or at least hand cream, shampoo, soap and others goods needed in the household.

Formation of assortment

There are no clear recommendations for creating an assortment for a pharmacy. If the company is engaged not only in sales, but also in production, it is quite logical to present the visitor with the full range of its products; if we are talking only about the sale of finished products, you should, if possible, combine all its types - from psychotropic and narcotic substances, available only by prescription, to cosmetic creams and masks: the opportunity to choose pleases any visitor, stimulating him to continue making purchases in this place.

The most popular medicines include:

  • broad-spectrum painkillers - emphasis should be placed on over-the-counter ones that are relatively safe even if the recommended dose is exceeded: few buyers will read the instructions before taking the pill;
  • cooling and warming ointments and gels for joints - as a rule, to ensure a decent choice, it is enough to present one or two expensive drugs and several of their cheap analogues in each segment;
  • ointments for the skin - the wider their range, the better for both buyers and entrepreneurs;
  • medications to normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract - as in the first point, more attention should be paid to over-the-counter medications;
  • antibiotics - it’s not worth putting all existing drugs on display, but the pharmacy’s reputation will be most positively impacted by its willingness to bring rare medicines to order.

Advice: It makes sense to place on the windows of a pharmacy, opened from scratch or purchased on a turnkey basis, not only special cosmetics, but also ordinary soaps, creams and shampoos. The client will still need to buy them in the store sooner or later, and it will be much more convenient for him to buy everything at once in one place, even if at first it seems a little unusual.

Search and attraction of personnel

According to current regulations, the head (director) of a pharmacy must have education as a pharmacist or pharmacist and work experience in the specialty for at least five and three years, respectively. Violation of these rules leads to administrative liability and the need to find another, more qualified employee. If the entrepreneur himself meets the specified parameters, he can appoint himself as a manager, thus saving on wages and contributions to state funds.

In addition, the staff of a non-industrial pharmacy must include:

  • pharmacist;
  • at least two pharmacists;
  • Chief Accountant;
  • premises cleaner;
  • driver;
  • security guard.

It goes without saying that to ensure the functioning of production, it is necessary to hire additional personnel: laboratory assistants, workers, and so on. Their number, as well as the required qualifications, depend on the orientation of the enterprise and the plans of the pharmacy owner for further growth of the distribution network.

Conducting an advertising campaign

The future success of the pharmacy largely depends on the quality of the organization of the first advertising campaign. As a rule, any reputational failure or oversight can be resolved with a new promotion - but why spend extra money if you can immediately attract a qualified expert?

It would not hurt to submit advertisements about the opening of a pharmacy in newspapers, radio and television channels, and also post them on the Internet. To complement the positive impression of potential clients, it is also recommended to use handouts (booklets, business cards), billboards and banners.

For certain categories of citizens who have a special love for various promotions, immediately after the opening of a pharmacy, you can arrange several days of discounts (or issue individual discount cards for them with a minimum percentage that does not ruin the businessman). This kind of event should be announced on the Internet, for example on the pages of a pharmacy in in social networks, or you can launch a separate series of ads that complement the main one.

How much does it cost to open a pharmacy from scratch?

It is impossible to name the exact cost of opening a pharmacy from scratch: it depends not only on prices in a particular region, but also on the entrepreneur’s ability to establish relationships with suppliers and basic luck.

In the most general case, to launch a pharmacy with an area of ​​75 square meters you will have to invest:

  • rental costs - 300–500 thousand rubles (first installment);
  • renovation and decoration of the premises without redevelopment - 1.5–2 million rubles;
  • equipment, including safes and refrigerators - 2–4 million rubles;
  • office equipment and software, including special ones, - 1–2 million rubles;
  • paperwork - about 100 thousand rubles for all possible cases;
  • starting advertising campaign - 100–200 thousand rubles;
  • other expenses - up to 1 million rubles.

Thus, to open a regular pharmacy, you will need to spend about 6 million rubles; the amount required to launch your own industrial pharmacy, due to the high cost of equipment and difficulties with registering a business, increases by an order of magnitude. However, as already mentioned, the income from such a business will be significantly higher.

Opening a pharmacy from scratch - pitfalls

Two pitfalls when starting a pharmacy from scratch, namely bureaucratic difficulties and high cost, have already been written above. It is impossible to fully combat them: the entrepreneur can only use connections, if any, optimize costs and try not to violate current legislation. Of course, there can be no talk of selling medicines that have not passed certification - this is not only illegal, but also completely unethical.

But it is possible and necessary to deal with another complication (violation of job descriptions by staff). The quality of customer service should be monitored using installed cameras with a listening function, as well as by regularly visiting the hall while employees are working.

The sale of “special” medications without a prescription can be suppressed not only through preventive conversations and observation, but also by hiring uninterested employees - for example, representatives of security agencies. Of course, such a precaution involves additional expenses - but in the long run it is more profitable than losing money or even losing business due to unscrupulous employees.

Let's sum it up

You can open from scratch either a production or a free-standing pharmacy, store or pharmacy. In all cases, it is necessary to begin registering a business by going to the tax office and filling out the universal form P21001. In the future, the businessman will need to obtain permits from the SES, Rospotrebnadzor, Roszdravnadzor, Gospozhnadzor and other authorities.

The minimum area of ​​premises for a “full-format” pharmacy is 75 square meters; for a pharmacy - 13 square meters. Among the hired employees there must be two pharmacists and a pharmacist, as well as cleaners, drivers and security guards. The first advertising campaign should begin before the pharmacy opens; During the event, you can announce various discounts and holiday promotions that can attract the maximum number of visitors.

The pharmacy business is one of the most successful. Ecological deterioration, the content of harmful substances in food, illiterate medical care and other factors lead a person to the pharmacy. Caring for the health of others brings decent income to the owner.

Features of the pharmacy business

Flaws:

  • The need for large initial capital. A large investment is associated with large costs for renting and finishing the premises, equipment, collecting documentation and necessary certificates.
  • Pharmacy staff must be trained pharmacists.
  • Low profitability at first and decline in demand in the summer season.
  • The cost of many drugs is controlled by the state.

Advantages of selling medical drugs:

  • great demand is the main advantage of this business;
  • the opportunity to offer the client related products (thermometers, glucometers, tonometers, etc.);
  • the ability to sell non-medicinal drugs (vitamins, biological food supplements);
  • good bonuses when working with merchandisers.

The advantages and disadvantages of the activity depend on the type of establishment: pharmacy, pharmacy or kiosk. Each type has its own requirements for the premises, and a corresponding license for the right to operate is issued. Thus, a pharmacy kiosk does not have the right to sell prescription drugs. This significantly reduces the profitability of this business. But there are also fewer regulatory requirements; for example, there is no need for a warehouse.

The most profitable option is usually a pharmacy. Its payback with a well-chosen location is a little more than six months. But a pharmacy is a structural unit; it can be activated only after opening a pharmacy, the requirements for which are much higher.

Where to begin?

Starting a pharmacy business is not easy. To manage a pharmacy, a higher education in the specialty “pharmacist” or a diploma in pharmacist is required. Work experience also matters - 3 years for a pharmacist and 5 years for pharmaceutical education. In the absence of one, it is impossible to become the head of a pharmacy business (or you need to look for a hired director).

Capital

The minimum contribution when opening a small pharmacy with the necessary equipment is 1.5-2 million rubles. This amount is enough to purchase equipment and goods, draw up documents and pay rent. The first six months of operation of a new pharmacy are considered a critical period in terms of profitability. Then the business reaches a stable point of profitability.

The amount of initial investment mainly depends on the region. Opening a pharmacy in the capital requires large expenses (for renting premises, etc.), so the above minimum will not be enough here.

Documentation

To open a pharmacy, you need to prepare a package of papers:

  • sanitary passport of the premises from the sanitary and epidemiological station;
  • certificate from the fire inspection;
  • a license that allows you to sell medications;
  • resolution for registration with the tax authorities.

Opening a pharmacy franchise

Franchising is the easiest way to start a pharmacy business. Partnership work with a large chain of pharmacies is often carried out under a franchising agreement. The contract establishes the necessary rules (room area, types of services, work features) that must be followed.

Advantages of operating a pharmacy as a franchise:

  • work under a well-promoted brand, advertising costs will be minimal;
  • assistance to the network in obtaining permission to operate and study in business;
  • cooperation with reliable suppliers;
  • competitive prices of drugs.

To work under a franchise you need to register as. The network provides assistance in obtaining a license to sell medicines under a franchising agreement.

Before making a choice, collect detailed information about the networks, compare the terms of contracts, the popularity and profitability of a commercial concession.

We often come across a question from novice businessmen: “How to open a pharmacy?”
We will try to answer briefly but succinctly and give step-by-step instructions.

In terms of profitability, the pharmacy business is one of the most rewarding (after trade in tobacco products, alcohol and food). The demand for medicines and related products is constantly growing. There are many reasons for this: from the deteriorating environment to the increasing interest of citizens in their own health. Such objective reasons, coupled with the skillful steps of the entrepreneur when opening a pharmacy and further developing the business, will undoubtedly lead to the desired result.

Features and prospects

If we analyze the average bill, a person spends approximately the same amount in a pharmacy as when paying in a supermarket. Such attractive statistics are a reason to become interested in the pharmacy business and get involved in it.

However, there is a strong belief that entering this market segment is extremely difficult. Until some time it was like this:

  • family business;
  • the chances of overcoming administrative barriers are negligible;
  • It is almost impossible to stay in business without numerous connections.

Now the situation is different. To succeed in the pharmacy business, the following resources are enough at the start:

  • adequate initial capital;
  • organizational skills;
  • hard work;
  • business activity.

Initially, you need to determine what form of organization you are ready to develop:

  • pharmacy or small kiosk;
  • pharmacy store;
  • pharmacy of prepared drugs;
  • industrial pharmacy;
  • a pharmacy with the right to manufacture aseptic preparations (suspensions, emulsions, colloidal solutions that are not subject to hot sterilization).

As the names indicate, there are differences in organizational aspects. It is recommended to start with the first three options, and optimally - from a pharmacy of ready-made drugs. Several advantages:

  • a wide range of functions (from selling easily accessible items to servicing prescriptions);
  • developing in this range of rich experience;
  • further expansion based on the experience gained (the first facility will become the head branch of the developing network).

If you have a passion for the land, then a strawberry growing business is something that can be fun and bring you good money as an entrepreneur. Details in.

Automatic car washing stations, how to promote a business quickly and with a good profit: .

Is an individual entrepreneur an individual or a legal entity? Answers and explanations.

How to open a pharmacy - package of documents

What you need to open:

  • license for retail sale of medicines;
  • sanitary passport of the premises from the SES (complete with permission to use the premises as a pharmacy);
  • permission from the Fire Service (the premises must comply with fire safety standards).

It will take 1.5 months at best to receive all these documents.

Choosing a form of trade organization

Which method of displaying goods should you prefer – closed or open? Fundamentally, the choice depends on the scale. In sparsely populated places with low traffic there is not much difference. In places with high traffic (at least 9-10 thousand people per day) the difference is significant:

What does it take to open from scratch?

The pharmacy business consists of such main parts as:

  • premises;
  • product range;
  • service staff;
  • machinery and equipment;
  • software.

Premises requirements

There are two equal points of view on where it is best to locate a pharmacy facility:

  • in places with intense customer flows (large shopping malls, near the metro, central city areas);
  • in a residential area or area with a permanent local contingent (the denser the population and the higher the liveliness, the better).

If in the first case the target audience is a heterogeneous mass, then in the second it is people who prefer to visit the nearest pharmacy not far from their home. Moreover, prices are not so important (they may be higher than those of competitors), but rather the completeness of the assortment and the level of service.

What characteristics should the room have:

  • an area of ​​at least 75-80 square meters (this includes a warehouse, a service room for staff, a toilet, an archive, a utility block, and the sales floor itself);
  • at least a small office for the director and accountant;
  • the floor should either be covered with linoleum with welded seams, or finished with floor tiles (for disinfection purposes, the floor must be washed frequently using chemical liquids);
  • for storing medications, a sterile, clean separate room is required (taking into account different storage requirements for temperature, humidity and light);
  • properly organized ventilation;
  • alarm (fire, security, light and sound);

Rent or buy? Depends on factors such as:

  1. your willingness to invest big money;
  2. unconditional mindset for the long term;
  3. plans for the number of branches (either it will be one large pharmacy center, or you want to “spread” many chain branded establishments around the city).

To begin with, it is advisable to rent a premises, having agreed with the landlord that monthly payments will remain unchanged for 1-2-3 years (that is, despite the level of inflation, the size of this expense item will be predictable and stable). Now compare:

Rent Purchase
You need to pay rent monthly, and so on for many, many years, as long as your business continues to exist. In addition to rent, current utility bills are not canceledmonthly expenses relate only to current utility bills (electricity, water, heating, garbage removal, etc.)
all basic maintenance costs are borne by the owner of the premisescosmetic and major repairs will fall on your shoulders
quick preparation of premises for the imminent launch of a pharmacy businessit will take a long and expensive time to move a residential apartment from the housing stock to the non-residential stock
if you want to change the type of activity or area, this can be easily done by stopping the rental of a specific premiseswhen changing the type of activity or area, the costs of the premises will burden your budget for a long time as “writing off fixed assets to cost”

equipment requirements

The purchase of equipment for a pharmacy will cost at least 5-8 thousand dollars (and this is according to the most conservative estimates). Here is a list of things you can’t do without when opening an establishment:

  • showcases;
  • cash registers;
  • counters;
  • shelving;
  • closed cabinets;
  • safes for narcotic medicines and strictly controlled goods;
  • refrigerators;
  • ventilation units;
  • computers;
  • furniture for auxiliary purposes (tables, chairs, cabinets).

Please note that without the proper equipment it is impossible to obtain a pharmacy license.

Staff


Personnel requirements:

  1. pharmacy manager – higher pharmaceutical education and specialized experience of at least 3 years;
  2. Individual entrepreneur (the one who organized and owns the business) – also pharmaceutical education and specialized experience of at least 3 years;
  3. An individual entrepreneur can compensate for his lack of pharmaceutical education by hiring a professional pharmacist with at least 5 years of experience in his specialty.

  4. other employees (responsible for receiving, dispensing, manufacturing, destroying medicines) - having a graduate degree in the pharmaceutical profile is mandatory;
  5. Cleaners and security guards are not required to meet the above requirements.

Advanced training occurs once every 5 years.

Match between staff and client audience:

  • some customers come to the pharmacy based on the instructions of their attending physician (they clearly know what medicine they need to buy);
  • others go to the pharmacy based on symptoms (professional consultation is required);
  • The more competent and friendly the staff, the higher the conversion of visits. That is, buyers will leave with a purchase every time;
  • The lack of suitable personnel in sight can easily be compensated by contacting a recruitment agency with a good reputation.

Range

    Recommendations for filling the assortment:
  • the wider and richer it is, the better - buyers have a choice of items and prices, which means that rarely does a guest leave without making a purchase;
  • Don’t limit yourself to one distributor – use the services of several suppliers;
  • take into account wholesale discounts - when opening a small-scale business, team up with other similar “colleagues” (small pharmacies) and receive significant discounts on a cooperative application;
  • Since it is quite difficult to purchase at competitive prices, to attract customers, use another advantage - a variety of goods, courteous service, professional advice.

We should also talk about diversity:

  • It is unacceptable to sell exclusively medicines and basic medical devices (blood pressure monitors, heating pads, thermometers). The fact is that the size of the trade margin for most of them is limited by law - from 20 to 40%.
  • Include in your assortment related products, the list of which is huge (baby and diet food, nutritional supplements, hygiene products, cosmetics). Having purchased them at a minimum, sell them at any markup, as much as local market conditions allow.

Software

Today no one works using primitive technology or counts goods manually. Specialized software is used throughout:

  • business transactions occur instantly;
  • it is possible to process large information arrays (which is extremely important when the assortment includes hundreds, thousands of items);
  • Accounting registers are automatically generated;
  • reporting is also generated automatically;
  • You can conveniently detail product groups by arrival/sale dates, prices, and destinations.

There are ready-made electronic solutions on the market, and they are usually universal. In special cases, software is created to order. What to choose? Compare:

ready-made software Custom software
“pharmacy” programs are easily customized for a specific enterpriseif your accounting is somehow too complex, it is unlikely that standard software “like everyone else” will be able to support it
optimization can be done by representatives of the development company, although often the individual entrepreneur himself copes with this task without problemsin most cases, development is experimental in nature - subsequent improvements, polishing, and improvement are inevitable (and this takes time and risks slowing down your business processes)
the cost is most often low, since basic modules are popular and enable developers to reduce prices, thereby attracting new customers to their softwareexpensive, because it is exclusive (according to special requirements), in addition, updates will be required, and they will again require serious investments

Costs of opening a pharmacy

Expect to spend at least 1.2 million rubles at the initial stage. (figures do not include unforeseen expenses). Today the prices are as follows:

  • 5-8 thousand dollars will be spent on minimal equipment;
  • equipping the original premises in proper condition will cost approximately 10 thousand dollars, or even more;
  • plus commercial equipment (racks, cabinets, display cases, refrigerators);
  • plus advertising and promotion;
  • first lease payments (before the start of revenue receipt);
  • furniture, household equipment, office;
  • payment of guaranteed salaries to staff at the beginning of the pharmacy;
  • and, of course, the first purchases of goods.

Carefully calculate all costs based on the prices that are real in your city.

The profitability and payback rate of a pharmacy business are influenced by many factors:

  • location of the object;
  • permeability;
  • the presence or absence of your competitors nearby;
  • the amount of rent and other regular payments;
  • purchase prices for goods;
  • correct compilation of the assortment (the ability to forecast, analyze and adjust).

On average, the costs pay off in about six months to a year. Russian pharmacies have a profitability of about 10%. The number seems to be small. However, for far-sighted entrepreneurs, it is very convincing to confidently invest in the pharmacy business.

In the future, it makes sense to develop an entire pharmacy chain. This is really large-scale, stable and for many years.

In 99 cases out of 100, experienced financiers will answer the question: “Is it profitable, is it worth starting a pharmacy business?”, they will answer with a firm “Yes.”

Advertising and promotion

The promotion system is of great importance. What methods to promote depends on the size of the business:

  • There is no point in advertising a small single point through TV, radio, or newspapers. For a local target audience, an attractive sign on the pharmacy itself, clear signs and periodic distribution in the nearby area, flyers, posters, booklets (distributed in stores, schools, and mailboxes) is enough;
  • It is best to immediately begin actively promoting the first pharmacy points of the future network through TV, radio, newspapers (it is important to “highlight” the young brand, give it an impetus of recognition);
  • Promotion on social networks, as well as advertising Internet portals and bulletin boards, brings good results.

article.

How to open a pharmacy. Step-by-step instruction

HOW TO OPEN A PHARMACY. STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION.

In this article, you can learn step by step how to open a pharmacy yourself and consider the option of opening a pharmacy as a franchise with a starting capital of 1,500,000 rubles.

The pharmaceutical retail business in Russia is quite profitable: medicines, medicines, as well as health and beauty products are always in demand. However, opening your own pharmacy or pharmacy is not so easy; for this you need to figure out how to open a pharmacy from scratch, study the features of the drug range, the state of the pharmaceutical market and the demand for the most popular drugs, find pharmaceutical suppliers with competitive prices, and organize advertising well pharmacies at the place of its organization. Therefore, for young businessmen and entrepreneurs, the best option for opening a pharmacy would be to work under a franchise; this method has a lot of significant advantages.

Features of the “pharmacy” business

  • This industry is in close contact with the state, which in this case plays the role of “carrot and stick”: on the one hand, it imposes legislative requirements in comparison with other industries, on the other, it allocates funds from the budget for the development of the industry
  • The pharmacy industry is characterized by stable high demand (provided the pharmacy itself is well located)
  • Pharmacies have special requirements for personnel, goods and pricing by the state and regulatory authorities
  • In this industry there is practically no “status” consumption (or conspicuous consumption) of most goods (drugs and medical equipment), this does not apply to cosmetics
  • There is quite a lot of competition in the pharmacy niche, but it can be overcome with the proper formation of an assortment matrix and price positioning

Approximate costs. Payback

Opening a turnkey pharmacy with goods can range from 1,500,000 rubles to infinity.

A brief overview of pharmacy business franchises

Among the leaders in this area:

1. “Sovetskaya Pharmacy” is a developed federal pharmacy chain in the “close to home” format in the economy price category. Close location near densely populated areas, a wide range of drugs and related pharmaceutical products, affordable low prices, a flexible system of discounts, the availability of bonus programs, a system for booking and ordering drugs through the Internet site www.sites of professional pharmacists are the main reasons for the popularity of the network among the population. Today, more than 215 branches already operate in 58 regions of Russia, both in cities with a population of over a million and in rural areas. The franchise offers favorable terms of cooperation: assistance in purchasing goods at wholesale prices from manufacturers, discounts on medicines, accounting. If you want to open a pharmacy as a franchise, this is the most attractive and profitable option.

RUB 1,500,000

2. “Rigla” offers advanced development technologies and long-term prospects, guarantees the supply of medicines at reduced prices. The network operates in 49 regions of the country and is popular.

The cost of opening a pharmacy franchise is from RUB 2,500,000

3. “Evalar” is a chain of private pharmacies that offers a wide selection of its own drugs based on medicinal herbs. Standard franchising conditions include advertising support, staff training, legal and financial advice.

The cost of opening a pharmacy franchise is from 1,000,000 rub.

4. “Pharmacy 36.6” is one of the largest chains in Russia. The franchise includes marketing support, assistance in forming the assortment, organizing procurement, and conducting training sessions for staff.

The cost of opening a pharmacy is dandy from RUB 2,500,000

At approximately the minimum, the main expenses will be:

If you are going to open a premium pharmacy, you can safely multiply all expenses by two or three times.

How soon will your investment pay off after opening a pharmacy?

The fastest-paying pharmacy organizations (read more about the types below) are considered to be pharmacies, where all the basic (in-demand) medications are always available. If you choose a good location, a pharmacy can pay for itself in six months to a year.

A “classical” pharmacy takes longer to pay for itself: in general, more requirements are placed on it, even partial fulfillment of which requires financial investments. With a convenient location and a competent pricing and assortment policy, the pharmacy will pay for itself in about a year and a half (this is an average figure, the location is in a crowded mall can speed up the process significantly).

Regulations

Regulatory documents governing pharmacy commercial activities


Basic steps. Opening our own pharmacy

  • Determine the type of pharmacy (pharmacy or pharmacy)
  • We are registering a legal entity (registration of LLC or JSC)
  • Registering with the tax office
  • We select premises taking into account maximum traffic (pedestrian and vehicular)
  • We purchase the necessary commercial and medical equipment
  • Installing the software
  • Obtaining a license and relevant permits
  • We are recruiting staff (pharmacy manager and pharmacists)
  • We form an assortment matrix
  • We purchase “products” for sale and formulate a pricing policy
  • Opening a pharmacy and promoting your business

What kind of pharmacy are you planning to open?

By the nature of their activities, commercial pharmacy organizations can be divided into:

Pharmacies There are production and finished dosage forms

Pharmacies also come in production and finished dosage forms

It is also worth mentioning another type of pharmacy organization - remote sales pharmacies. We are talking about pharmacies (online pharmacies) that accept customer orders by phone or via the Internet and then create orders for collection at pharmacies.

According to the Order of the Ministry of Health and social development RF "On approval of types of pharmacy organizations" #553 dated July 27, 2010, pharmacy organizations are divided into types:

Pharmacy (with open or closed display):

  • pharmacy of finished dosage forms
  • industrial pharmacy
  • industrial pharmacy with the right to manufacture aseptic medications

Pharmacy point (with open or closed display):

Functions

Pharmacies perform the following functions:

Informative

  • Consulting customers on the use and storage of medicines and medical devices
  • Informing employees of medical institutions, social security, etc. about available medicines and products, new products, etc.

Manufacturing of medicines and preparations

  • Manufacturing of medicines and drugs according to doctors’ prescriptions and requirements/applications of healthcare institutions
  • In-pharmacy procurement and packaging of medicines and products, herbal raw materials (in accordance with the approved regulations) with subsequent sale

Implementation

  • Sales of finished medicines and preparations (including homeopathic) without prescriptions and according to doctors’ prescriptions, as well as according to the requirements/applications of medical institutions
  • Dispensing medicines at discounts, as well as free of charge to certain groups of the population - in case of concluding agreements with health authorities, medical institutions, insurance companies (in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation)
  • Sales of factory-made medicinal plant raw materials
  • Sales of disinfectants, as well as personal hygiene items and products
  • Sales of medical products (medical equipment, care items for patients and children, diagnostic tools, etc.)
  • Sales of optics and optics care products
  • Sales of mineral waters, medicinal, dietary and baby food products
  • Sales of cosmetic products
  • Release of goods through a rental point
  • Providing first aid

Pharmacy

The pharmacy also sells ready-made medications with and without prescriptions, with the exception of psychotropic, narcotic, poisonous and potent drugs; it is also possible to dispense medications free of charge or at a discount; it is also possible to manufacture medications and package them with subsequent sale.

The main difference between the point and the pharmacy:

It is prohibited to sell psychotropic, narcotic, poisonous and potent drugs; it will not be possible to set up a rental point for medical equipment and rehabilitation equipment

How to open a pharmacy

  • Registration
  • Payback period
  • Taxation
  • OKVED codes
  • Licensing

Registration Payback period Taxation OKVED codes Licensing

Pharmacy registration

The only special “point” when registering a pharmacy organization is that you must receive from the local government a “Decision to open a new pharmacy establishment” (in other words, a “License”).

If we are talking about opening a legal entity, then this can easily be done by a person who does not have a special education. However, he is obliged to hire a manager who has a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist.

Legal features

A franchise means that you acquire the right to use a trademark, service marks, trade secrets and other exclusive rights belonging to the copyright holder in your business activities. The user bases his business on the business reputation of the copyright holder and undertakes to comply with his requirements. The rights and obligations of the parties when purchasing a franchise are governed by the Commercial Concession (Subconcession) Agreement. Essentially, you get step-by-step instructions on how to start your own pharmacy business from scratch.

Please note: some unscrupulous entrepreneurs operate without a registered trademark. It is worth considering that in this case they do not bear any responsibility for their actions, and the agreement for the provision of services is not an agreement for the purchase of a franchise.

List of required documents

To open a pharmacy or pharmacy without medical care, you must register as an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur) if you have a pharmaceutical education and work experience as a pharmacist for more than 5 years, or open an LLC that does not require you to have a pharmaceutical education to run a pharmacy business. Along with the Commercial Concession Agreement, a number of documents are required:

  • pharmaceutical license giving the right to sell medicines. You can get it from the licensing department of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation at the place where the pharmacy is opened. As a rule, if you intend to open a pharmacy under a franchise, the copyright holder offers its assistance in obtaining a turnkey pharmaceutical license within 60 days;
  • After you have found premises for a pharmacy and entered into a lease agreement for a certain period, you will need permits from supervisory services: fire inspectorate, sanitary and epidemiological station. All documents must be completed correctly, the franchisor can also help you with this;
  • Documents confirming work experience and length of service, as well as personnel qualifications, will be required. A pharmacist must have specialized education, be able to answer customer questions and provide competent professional advice on the availability of drugs in the pharmacy.

Payback period

There are no special requirements for registering a pharmacy organization as a legal entity. Both individual entrepreneurs (IP) if they have a pharmaceutical education, and legal entities (LLC, JSC) registered with the tax authorities in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation have the right to engage in pharmaceutical activities.

The only special “point” when registering a pharmacy organization is that you must receive from the local government a “Decision to open a new pharmacy establishment” (in other words, a “License”).

What else should you consider if you decide to open a pharmacy? If we are talking about an individual entrepreneur, to work in the pharmaceutical field, you must have a higher education and real work experience of at least 3 years (in your specialty) or secondary education (pharmaceutical) and work experience of at least 5 years.

In simple words, an individual entrepreneur who intends to register a pharmacy organization in his name must have a diploma as a pharmacist or pharmacist.

Taxation

Tax is understood as a mandatory, individually gratuitous payment levied on organizations and individuals in the form of alienation of their property, economic management or operational management Money for the purpose of financial support for the activities of the state and (or) municipalities.

The provisions of Articles 8 and 333.16 and subparagraph 36 of paragraph 1 of Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, in their constitutional and legal meaning in the system of current legal regulation, mean that the state duty is the only and sufficient payment for the performance by a state body of legally significant actions, which equates to the issuance of documents , including driver’s licenses (Determination of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation dated March 1, 2007 N 326-O-P).

A pharmacy organization (pharmacy) is both a retail trade enterprise, an enterprise that provides services to the public (for example, rental services for medical devices), and a manufacturing enterprise (a manufacturing pharmacy that produces medicines according to doctors’ prescriptions).

The main regulatory documents defining the specifics of accounting and taxation of pharmacies:

— Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated July 27, 2010 N 553n “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations”

— Federal Law No. 99-FZ dated May 4, 2011 “On licensing of “Certain types of activities”

— Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 22, 2011 N 1081 Moscow “On licensing of pharmaceutical activities”

— Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 865 "On state regulation of prices for drugs included in the list of vital and essential drugs"

— Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated March 4, 2003 No. 80 “On approval of the industry standard “Rules for the dispensing (sale) of medicines in pharmacies. Basic provisions. OST 91500.05.0007-2003"

Based on Article 4 of Law No. 61-FZ, a pharmacy organization is understood as an organization, structural unit medical organization engaged in retail trade in medicinal products, storage, manufacture and dispensing of medicinal products for medical use in accordance with the requirements of Law No. 61-FZ.

At the same time, in pursuance of Law N 61-FZ, Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated July 27, 2010 N 553n “On approval of types of pharmacy organizations” (hereinafter referred to as Order N 553n) approved the following types of pharmacy organizations: pharmacy (finished dosage forms, production, production with the right to manufacture aseptic medicinal products), pharmacy point, pharmacy kiosk. Thus, in order to determine the pharmacy organizations that have the right to apply in the period from September 1, 2010 to January 1, 2011, the taxation system in the form of a single tax on imputed income should be guided by the provisions of Law No. 61-FZ and Order No. 553n.

Article 17. General conditions for establishing taxes and fees

1. A tax is considered established only if the taxpayers and elements of taxation are determined, namely:

object of taxation;

the tax base;

taxable period;

tax rate;

tax calculation procedure;

procedure and deadlines for tax payment.

Article 18. Special tax regimes

1. Special tax regimes are established by this Code and are applied in cases and in the manner provided for by this Code and other acts of legislation on taxes and fees.

Special tax regimes may provide for a special procedure for determining the elements of taxation, as well as exemption from the obligation to pay certain taxes and fees provided for in Articles 13 - 15 of this Code.

2. Special tax regimes include:

2) simplified taxation system;

3) taxation system in the form of a single tax on imputed income for individual species activities

Mode element UTII USNO
Taxpayers 1. Taxpayers are organizations and individual entrepreneurs carrying out business activities subject to a single tax on the territory of a municipal district, city district, federal cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, in which a single tax has been introduced. Art. 346.28, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} Taxpayers are organizations and individual entrepreneurs that have switched to a simplified taxation system and apply it in the manner established by Chapter 26.2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Consultant Plus}
Income Not standardized An organization has the right to switch to a simplified taxation system if, based on the results of nine months of the year in which the organization submits a notice of transition to a simplified taxation system, income determined in accordance with Article 248 of this Code does not exceed 45 million rubles. Art. 346.12, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Number of employees Organizations and individual entrepreneurs cannot apply if the average number of employees for the tax (reporting) period, determined in the manner established by the federal executive body authorized in the field of statistics, exceeds 100 people; Organizations and individual entrepreneurs cannot apply if the average number of employees for the tax (reporting) period, determined in the manner established by the federal executive body authorized in the field of statistics, exceeds 100 people; Art. 346.12, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Sales area No more than 150 sq.m. Not standardized
Object of taxation 1. The object of taxation for the application of a single tax is the imputed income of the taxpayer. Consultant Plus} The objects of taxation are: income; income reduced by expenses. 2. The choice of the object of taxation is carried out by the taxpayer himself, with the exception of the case provided for in paragraph 3 of this article. The object of taxation may be changed by the taxpayer annually. The object of taxation may be changed from the beginning of the tax period if the taxpayer notifies the tax authority about this before December 31 of the year preceding the year in which the taxpayer proposes to change the object of taxation. During the tax period, the taxpayer cannot change the object of taxation. Art. 346.14, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
The tax base The tax base for calculating the amount of a single tax is the amount of imputed income, calculated as the product of the basic profitability for a certain type of business activity, calculated for the tax period, and the value of the physical indicator characterizing this type of activity. Art. 346.29, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} Article 346.18. Tax base 1. If the object of taxation is the income of an organization or individual entrepreneur, the tax base is recognized as the monetary value of the income of the organization or individual entrepreneur. 2. If the object of taxation is the income of an organization or individual entrepreneur, reduced by the amount of expenses, the tax base is recognized as the monetary value of income reduced by the amount of expenses. Art. 346.18, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (ConsultantPlus)
Taxable period Section 346.30. Tax period The tax period for the single tax is a quarter. Art. 346.30, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} Article 346.19. Taxable period. Reporting period 1. The tax period is a calendar year. 2. Reporting periods are the first quarter, six months and nine months of the calendar year. Art. 346.19, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus}
Tax rate Section 346.31. Tax rate The single tax rate is set at 15 percent of the amount of imputed income. Art. 346.31, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} Section 346.20. Tax rates 1. If the object of taxation is income, the tax rate is set at 6 percent. 2. If the object of taxation is income reduced by the amount of expenses, the tax rate is set at 15 percent. The laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation may establish differentiated tax rates ranging from 5 to 15 percent, depending on the categories of taxpayers. (edited) Federal Law dated November 26, 2008 N 224-FZ) Art. 346.20, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)
Tax calculation procedure The tax base for UTII is imputed income (IIT), which is calculated using the formula: UT = BD * FP * K1 * K2 Calculation of UTII in 2012 is made according to the formula: UTII = VD * NS NS - tax rate equal to 15%. The calculated amount of tax can be reduced, but not more than 50% by the amount of: - paid insurance premiums for pension, social (disability, maternity, accident), medical insurance for the period; - the amount of benefits paid for temporary disability; - the amount of fixed insurance payments paid by the individual entrepreneur for himself. DB - basic profitability - conditional income for the month, which is established for each type of activity. The amount of basic profitability is approved per unit of physical indicator that characterizes the type of activity. FP is a physical indicator in units depending on the type of activity, for example, the number Vehicle, area (in sq. m), employee, etc. K1 - correction factor - deflator coefficient, set for each year by the Ministry of Economic Development. For 2012 it is 1.4942. K2 - adjustment factor - takes into account the specifics of doing business. Its size is established by local representative bodies. Section 346.21. Procedure for calculating and paying tax 1. Tax is calculated as a percentage of the tax base corresponding to the tax rate. Consultant Plus} 3.Taxpayers who have chosen income as an object of taxation, at the end of each reporting period, calculate the amount of the advance tax payment based on the tax rate and actually received income, calculated on an accrual basis from the beginning of the tax period until the end of the first quarter, half-year, nine months, respectively. taking into account previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments. Art. 346.21, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) (Consultant Plus} 4. Taxpayers who have chosen income reduced by the amount of expenses as an object of taxation, at the end of each reporting period, calculate the amount of the advance tax payment based on the tax rate and actually received income reduced by the amount of expenses calculated on an accrual basis from the beginning of the tax period to the end of the first quarter, half year, nine months, respectively, taking into account the previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments. (as amended by Federal Law No. 101-FZ of July 21, 2005) 5. Previously calculated amounts of advance tax payments are counted when calculating the amounts of advance tax payments for the reporting period and the amount of tax for the tax period.
Procedure and deadlines for tax payment Section 346.32. Procedure and deadlines for payment of the single tax 1. Payment of the single tax is made by the taxpayer based on the results of the tax period no later than the 25th day of the first month of the next tax period. 2. The amount of the single tax calculated for the tax period is reduced by taxpayers by the amount of insurance contributions for compulsory pension insurance, compulsory social insurance in case of temporary disability and in connection with maternity, compulsory medical insurance, compulsory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases , paid (within the limits of calculated amounts) for the same period of time in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation when taxpayers pay remuneration to employees employed in those areas of the taxpayer’s activity for which a single tax is paid, as well as for the amount of insurance premiums in the form of fixed payments paid individual entrepreneurs for their insurance, and for the amount of temporary disability benefits paid to employees. In this case, the amount of the single tax cannot be reduced by more than 50 percent. (as amended by Federal Laws dated July 21, 2005 N 101-FZ, dated July 22, 2008 N 155-FZ, dated July 24, 2009 N 213-FZ) 3. Tax returns based on the results of the tax period are submitted by taxpayers to the tax authorities no later than 20 the th day of the first month of the next tax period. Art. 346.32, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012) 7. The tax payable at the end of the tax period is paid no later than the deadline established for filing a tax return for the corresponding tax period in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 346.23 of this Code. (as amended by Federal Laws dated July 21, 2005 N 101-FZ, dated July 22, 2008 N 155-FZ) Advance tax payments are paid no later than the 25th day of the first month following the expired reporting period. Art. 346.21, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)
Tax return At the end of the tax period, taxpayers-organizations submit a tax return to the tax authorities at their location. (as amended by Federal Law No. 155-FZ of July 22, 2008) Tax returns based on the results of the tax period are submitted by taxpayer organizations no later than March 31 of the year following the expired tax period. Art. 346.23, “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part Two)” dated 05.08.2000 N 117-FZ (as amended on 02.10.2012)

VALUE ADDED TAX

Elements of taxation for value added tax (VAT) are established by Chapter 21 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Pharmacy organizations, with the exception of organizations that have the right to be exempt from taxpayer obligations in accordance with Article 145 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation or have switched to the simplified tax system or UTII, are payers of value added tax.

Object of taxation for industrial pharmacies and pharmacies operating under sales and purchase agreements are operations for the sale of goods - medicines, medical devices and other goods permitted for sale through pharmacy chains.

For pharmacies providing services (commission trade services, rental services for medical products) - operations for the sale of services.

The tax base is determined as:

- the cost of goods sold based on prices determined in accordance with Article 40 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, taking into account excise taxes (Article 154 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

— revenue from the sale of services (commission — for pharmacies operating under a commission agreement).

For tax purposes, the VAT tax base includes advance payments for future deliveries of goods at estimated rates - 10/110 and 18/118 (for example, prepayment to health care facilities for goods) (Article 162 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

The moment of determining the tax base is fixed in the accounting policy of the enterprise (Article 167 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). In pharmacies, like retail enterprises, the moment of shipment coincides with the moment of payment, therefore, most often in the accounting policy of pharmacies, for VAT tax purposes, the date of occurrence of the obligation to pay tax occurs as the goods (services) are shipped.

Tax rates:

At a rate of 10% in accordance with subparagraph 4 of paragraph 2 of Article 164 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the following is taxed:

— sales of medicines, including medicinal substances, including in-pharmacy production;

— sales of medical products;

— sales of baby and dietary food products, goods for children, such as toys, diapers.

Codes of types of products taxed at a rate of 10%, in accordance with the All-Russian Classifier of Products, as well as the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity, are determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

For food products and goods for children, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the codes by Decree No. 908 dated December 31, 2004 “On approval of lists of codes for types of food products and goods for children subject to value added tax at a tax rate of 10 percent” (as amended on March 23, 2005 .). For medicines and medical products, in the absence of a corresponding Decree of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation in its Letter dated January 28, 2002 No. VG-6-03/99, in order to apply a tax rate of 10%, suggests following the codes All-Russian classifier products listed in the Letter of the State Tax Service of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated April 10, 1996 No. ВЗ-4-03/31н, 04-03-07 “On the procedure for exemption from value added tax on medical products”, registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on May 7, 1996 No. 1081.

Some groups of goods and services that are sold through the pharmacy chain are exempt from tax in accordance with Article 149 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, these are:

— the most important and vital medical equipment according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 17, 2002 No. 19;

— prosthetic and orthopedic products, raw materials and supplies for their manufacture and semi-finished products for them;

- technical means, including motor vehicles, materials that can be used exclusively for the prevention of disability or rehabilitation of disabled people according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 21, 2000 No. 998 (as amended on May 10, 2001);

— glasses (except for sunglasses), lenses and frames for glasses (except for sunglasses) according to the List approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 28, 2001 No. 240;

— services of pharmaceutical organizations for the manufacture of medicines.

A few words about services for the manufacture of medicines (VAT is not assessed), the so-called tariffs for the manufacture of medicines. According to clause 1.4.3. Methodological recommendations for practical and scientific workers No. 98/124 “On intradepartmental primary accounting of medicines and other medical products in retail pharmaceutical (pharmacy) network organizations of all organizational and legal forms located on the territory of the Russian Federation” (approved by the Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation on May 14 .1998), the price of a medicine manufactured within a pharmacy consists of the pharmacy cost of medicinal ingredients, including distilled water, if it is included in the prescription, the cost of pharmaceutical glassware, the cost of auxiliary materials (stoppers, caps, labels, etc. .), as well as the tariff for the manufacture of medicine. Sales of such drugs manufactured within a pharmacy will be subject to VAT at a rate of 10%. In practice, it is most often impossible to separate out the tariff for the manufacture of medicine and apply the benefit, because in this case, it is not possible to ensure separate accounting for the sale of goods, which are taxed at different rates. In clause 6.17.1. Methodological recommendations for the application of Chapter 21 “Value Added Tax” of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Ministry of Taxes of the Russian Federation dated December 20, 2000 No. BG-3-03/447 (as amended on September 17, 2002), explains the application of tariff benefits:

— “When exempting from taxation the services of pharmacy organizations for the manufacture of medicines, it should be borne in mind that these organizations must have a license, and they are provided on the basis of agreements with legal entities (in particular, with hospitals) for the manufacture (in-pharmacy manufacture) of medicines from the customer’s raw materials (clause 6.17.1 introduced by Order of the Ministry of Taxes and Taxes of the Russian Federation dated September 17, 2002 No. VG-3-03/491).”

Operations for the sale of all other goods in pharmacies are subject to VAT at a rate of 18% (these are parapharmaceuticals, medical equipment not included in the List of vital and necessary equipment, repellents, dietary supplements, mineral waters and other goods permitted for sale through the pharmacy chain ).

— When applying different tax rates, the tax base is established separately for each type of goods (work, services) (Article 153 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). Warehouse computer programs used in pharmacies (for example, “Apteka-2000”, “M-Apteka”, etc.) provide separate accounting for the sale and receipt of goods.

— When calculating VAT to be included in the budget, tax deductions should be taken into account.

Tax amounts presented to the taxpayer in respect of goods (work, services) are subject to deductions if the following 4 conditions are met:

— The goods must be capitalized, services must be provided;

— Goods (services) must be paid for, and VAT must be highlighted as a separate line in the payment documents;

— Goods (services) are purchased to carry out transactions recognized as objects of taxation in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation;

— It is necessary to have correctly executed invoices issued by sellers of goods (services) with the VAT amount allocated in them.

The tax period is set as a calendar month.

If monthly during a quarter the revenue from the sale of goods (services) excluding VAT does not exceed one million rubles, the tax period is established as a quarter (Article 163 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

Tax payment is made based on the results of each tax period based on actual sales no later than the 20th day of the month following the expired tax period (Article 174 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). In this case, the taxpayer is obliged to submit a tax return to the tax authority at the place of his registration.

OKVED codes

Main code:

OKVED code 52.31Retail pharmaceutical products
- production of medicines by pharmacies

Additional codes:

OKVED code 24.42.1— Production of medicines
This grouping includes:
— production of medicinal products (medicines) consisting of a mixture of two or more components for use for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes, not packaged or packaged in dosage forms or in packaging for retail sale
– production of psychotropic substances and narcotic drugs (finished forms)
This group does not include:
— production of microorganism cultures, see OKVED code 24.41
— production of toxins, see OKVED code 24.41
- preparation of human and animal blood for use for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes, see OKVED code 24.41
- production of soap containing small amounts of medicinal additives, see OKVED code 24.51.3

OKVED code 51.18.1— Activities of agents specializing in the wholesale trade of pharmaceutical and medical products, perfumes and cosmetics, including soap
This group also includes:
— activities of agents in the wholesale trade of medical equipment and orthopedic products

OKVED code 51.46— Wholesale trade of pharmaceutical and medical goods, medical equipment and orthopedic products

OKVED code 51.70- Other ratailing
This grouping includes:
- specialized wholesale trade, not included in previous groupings
- wholesale trade in goods of a universal range without any specific specialization

OKVED code 52.12— Other retail trade in non-specialized stores
This grouping includes:
- retail trade of a universal assortment of goods in which food products, including drinks, and tobacco products do not predominate
- activities of stores selling a universal range of goods, including clothing, furniture, household electrical goods, hardware, cosmetics, jewelry, toys, sporting goods, books, newspapers, magazines, etc.

OKVED code 52.32— Retail trade of medical goods and orthopedic products
This group also includes:
— retail trade in medical equipment products

OKVED code 52.33— Retail trade in cosmetics and perfumery products

Licensing

How to obtain a license to open a pharmacy?

To open a pharmacy in Russia, you must obtain a license. Otherwise, the activity of selling medicines will be considered illegal. If you decide to open a pharmacy as a franchise, then many franchisees help newcomers obtain a license and are willing to advise.

What is the procedure for obtaining a license to open a pharmacy?

To begin with, we note that the premises for the pharmacy must already be selected and purchased or leased, since the license is issued specifically for a specific facility. When all repair work is completed and legal requirements are met, you must fill out an application for a license (a sample is issued by the Ministry of Health). Next, you pay the fee, submit an application, go through an inspection, learn about the decision made and pick up the license itself. It sounds quite simple, but in reality all these actions require several months.

The nuances of obtaining a license to open a pharmacy

There are several types of pharmacy establishments in our country - a pharmacy, a point and a kiosk. The main difference between them all is that some prescription drugs can only be sold in pharmacies, that is, you cannot buy, for example, a psychotropic drug prescribed by a doctor at a pharmacy kiosk. At the same time, in practice, pharmacy points and kiosks pay for themselves faster, but by law they cannot be opened until a pharmacy is organized. That is, they become an addition to the existing main place of sale of medicines. Licenses for each designated type of pharmacy establishment are different.

It is also necessary to consider the location of medications and the assortment. Medicines containing narcotic substances must be stored separately from others. Likewise, poisonous drugs. The pharmacy's assortment must include first aid medications.

Requirements for premises for a pharmacy

To obtain a license to open a pharmacy, you need to find a premises that will meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Equipping the premises with refrigerators for storing medicines, as well as special furniture;
  2. The presence of a separate room in which all equipment for wet cleaning necessary for the floor and walls is stored;
  3. There are no protrusions or recesses at the junctions of ceilings and walls;
  4. There must be ceramic tiles on the floor;
  5. If there are hollow plasterboard partitions in the room, they must be removed, otherwise a license to open a pharmacy will not be issued;
  6. Materials used in repairs must be certified, this also applies to building materials;
  7. At the entrance there is a high-quality shoe mat, which should be cleaned regularly (at least daily);
  8. It is necessary to regulate the level of natural light through the use of devices and devices that prevent direct sunlight from entering the room. Showcases are also equipped with protective equipment;
  9. Requirements have been established for the temperature regime, as well as for the level of humidity and exhaust air - they must be taken into account;
  10. An entrance group for people with disabilities must be equipped;
  11. The minimum room area is 18 square meters. meters, and it should be located in a permanent building. An exception is a pharmacy in a medical or preventive complex - its area can start from 8 square meters. m.

What are the requirements for pharmacy employees?

  1. There is a strict ban on hiring foreign citizens, that is, only citizens of the Russian Federation can work in the pharmacy (this even applies to cleaning staff);
  2. Pharmaceutical education is mandatory for a manager. If it is higher, then three years of experience is sufficient; if it is intermediate, then five years of experience and a specialist certificate are required;
  3. All pharmacists must have certificates of accreditation;
  4. Each pharmacist must regularly improve their qualifications (at least once every five years);
  5. A health certificate is required.

Requirements for pharmacy equipment

To obtain a license to open a pharmacy, you must also choose the right equipment. The latter must be registered with the Ministry of Health. All equipment used must have certificates of conformity, and in addition, service agreements must be concluded in advance. If any of these points are not observed, the issuance of a license to open a pharmacy will most likely be refused. Documentation for installed equipment and its maintenance will need to be provided during the on-site inspection (occurs after review of the application).

How long does it take to get a license to open a pharmacy?

It is difficult to estimate the exact time it will take to obtain a license. However, the law sets a maximum of 45 days. Before submitting an application for a license, it is already necessary to purchase all the equipment, prepare the premises, hire qualified personnel, enter into service agreements, etc. In general, all formalities need to be resolved. Therefore, the total period for opening a pharmacy can be about three months, in some cases it can stretch for six months. From the moment of registration of the pharmacy, the certificate itself is issued within three days.

How long is a license to open a pharmacy valid?

According to the new rules, the issued license is unlimited. This law was introduced quite recently; before this, a license was issued only for five years. However, renewal of the license will still be necessary if the pharmacy is reorganized, its name or legal address changes, as well as some passport data of the individual entrepreneur, including his place of residence.

Is it possible to open a pharmacy without obtaining a license?

According to the law, opening a pharmacy without a license is prohibited. If the owner nevertheless takes this step, then both the owner and the employees bear responsibility for conducting activities without a license. Such a business will be forcibly closed, in addition, if the owner received licenses, but somehow violated the prescribed operating conditions, the pharmacy may also be closed.

In case of gross violations, the owner is subject to a fine of 4,000 to 8,000 rubles; another option is arrest for 90 days. For legal entities, the fine ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles. The fine imposed on legal entities ranges from one hundred to two hundred thousand rubles, or arrest for 90 days is possible.

Pharmacy premises

Primary requirements

How to choose the right premises to open a pharmacy

The importance of the location chosen for the pharmacy cannot be underestimated. The success of the entire business ultimately depends on the correctness of this decision. Therefore, in this article we will talk about what to look for when choosing a premises if you decide to open a pharmacy.

Choosing a room to open a pharmacy - the main points to pay attention to:

Throughput and projected turnover. These two indicators are related: the greater the traffic, the higher the expected turnover of goods in most cases;
Compliance with the format (different premises are required for a pharmacy and a pharmacy kiosk);
Premises converted to non-residential use. Many potentially attractive premises may not be available for rent or purchase for opening a pharmacy because they have not yet been converted to non-residential use. If the premises were once an apartment - even if there has been a grocery store in its place for almost ten years - it will be impossible to obtain a license to open a pharmacy here;
Area from 18 sq. meters. If a point of sale is planned in a medical dispensary, then the minimum area of ​​the premises is reduced to 8 square meters. meters.

How to assess the attractiveness of a specific location for opening a pharmacy?

High traffic area. This category includes facilities where the traffic volume exceeds 400 people per hour;
Low traffic areas. These are mainly residential areas where the main traffic occurs in the morning and evening. Experts cite a figure of 300 people per hour, starting from which a place can be considered potentially profitable;
Shopping complexes. They can be located in different areas - both with high traffic and with low traffic, this is not so important. Internal traffic and the popularity of the shopping center itself are important, since even if it is located outside the city, traffic in it can be created specifically by visitors from other areas.

Opening a pharmacy in a high traffic area

What is high traffic? This is a traffic capacity of 400 people per hour. Of course, this only applies to large cities. In addition, this traffic is most often created by residents of other areas; the share of locals may not exceed ten percent.

If we talk about the capital, then it is worth considering completely different figures. Traffic of even 500 people is extremely low for Moscow, however, for example, for Chelyabinsk it is a good indicator.

Where to open a pharmacy to maximize traffic? It is largest in the area of ​​stops and intersections, at metro exits, as well as markets, large banks, and popular shopping centers.

The cross-country ability needs to be calculated; for this you can hire a special employee who will provide honest data. It is important to evaluate the traffic in both the morning and evening, as well as on weekends. Traffic is assessed between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Depending on the data obtained, you can also determine the optimal operating time of the pharmacy.

If it is not possible to accurately calculate traffic, then to open a pharmacy you can use a simplified scheme: count the number of people passing by during 20-minute periods of time. It is imperative to take measurements from noon to one o'clock in the afternoon, as well as from 5 to 6 o'clock in the evening. The figure obtained in 20 minutes is multiplied by three. When carrying out calculations, children and declassified elements are not taken into account.

If you plan to open a pharmacy in another city, then it is quite difficult for the owner to assess the prospects of the location. To obtain objective indicators, panoramic photographs of the entire adjacent territory and the entrance to the proposed point will be required. The ideal option is on-site video surveillance. It is necessary to accurately assess the potential success of a location for opening a pharmacy, since even in central areas there may be places with minimal, insufficient traffic.

Quality of traffic when opening a pharmacy

Pedestrian flow may vary; for example, in some places the traffic can be extremely high, but the pharmacy’s attendance is unsatisfactory. What does this indicator depend on? It depends on why these people came to this place in the first place. Maybe they work in a nearby shopping center? Or are they walking along the boulevard? If they return home from work through this place, these are potential clients of the pharmacy. If they simply transfer from one transport to another, then, most likely, these are not your clients.

The demography of the flow is also of great importance. For example, near universities, traffic is almost always very high, while young people do not make significant purchases - their average bill is insignificant. At the same time, traffic during the daytime can exceed 1000 people!

The ideal composition of the flow is women from 25 to 60 years old. The more of this group there is in traffic, the more promising the location for opening a pharmacy.

What is the average amount of traffic that will visit the pharmacy? About 6-8%. This figure is only approximate and can be equal to 2% if the place is located, for example, at the exit to the metro, where 2000 people can pass through in an hour.

Opening a pharmacy: important features of the design of the entrance area of ​​the premises

The design of a pharmacy's façade directly affects its traffic. So, the presence of a large number of steps is always a repulsive factor. Speaking in numbers, starting from the fourth stage, each stage reduces the number of visitors by 0.5-1%. Heavy, thick doors repel visitors, so the door should be transparent and easy to open.

Opening a pharmacy: average bill criterion

The location of a pharmacy directly affects its average bill. Within the same city, the average bill in pharmacies with the same traffic can differ significantly. On central streets the average check is usually higher than, for example, in a residential area.

How to determine the approximate size of the average check? According to the indicators of other pharmacies located in the center. As a rule, the flow of clients here is approximately the same in terms of their solvency (we do not take into account pharmacies located in premium segment shopping malls). It should also be taken into account that on average only 9 out of 10 customers make a purchase, since some will come in just to find out the price, warm up, wait for transport, etc.

When choosing a place to open a pharmacy, also evaluate whether there is a serious competitor nearby. In any case, he opened his pharmacy earlier and already has loyal customers, so his presence will influence sales. Even if a competitor is 5 minutes away, you will receive only 80% of the profit that you would have had if there were no competitors at all. This calculation is rough, for example, if you stand closer to the stop than your competitor, “process” the flow well, you can practically not take into account the presence of another pharmacy nearby.

Is it worth opening a pharmacy in a residential area?

What is the catchment area of ​​one pharmacy? Typically defined within 450 meters. To open a pharmacy, you should not consider areas with a population of less than 2.5 thousand people. Ideal if the area has high-rise buildings.

What other points are worth considering? The number of entrances to the area, if there are no more than two and there is a stop located next to the potential location for the pharmacy, is an ideal option. If there are cafes, markets, grocery stores nearby, placing a pharmacy in this place will be the right decision.

When choosing a premises for a pharmacy, it is worth considering dozens of other parameters - we have listed only a few important points. In addition, if you are planning to open a pharmacy as a franchise, then each franchisee will have their own requirements for the premises; it is worth finding out about them initially and choosing the premises in accordance with them.

Features of work organization

  • Equipment
  • Staff
  • Range
  • Price policy
  • Advertising

List of necessary equipment for opening a pharmacy

What equipment is needed to open a pharmacy? To answer that question, you need to know what the format of the pharmacy is. To summarize, all pharmacy equipment can be divided into two types. The first is demonstration, which is necessary for the correct presentation of goods. The second type of equipment is specialized, the need for which is explained by the profile of the point of sale. This includes refrigerated cabinets, safes in which prescription drugs will be stored, laboratory equipment, cash registers, counters, etc.

Equipment for pharmacy kiosk

A pharmacy kiosk is most often a small room (from eight square meters) that sells over-the-counter medications.
Equipment for a pharmacy kiosk must include display cases and/or a cash register display, closed shelving and a refrigerated cabinet. The average market price of this equipment starts from 50 thousand rubles. It is worth considering that the amount stated is calculated per unit for each item. If, for example, two refrigerated cabinets are required, then the cost of the equipment will increase to approximately 70 thousand rubles (the average cost of a refrigerator for a pharmacy is 20,000 rubles).

Equipment for a pharmacy

The minimum area of ​​the premises to open a pharmacy is 25 square meters. meters, if we are talking about a point located in a hospital or health care facility. If a pharmacy is located in an ordinary residential building, then the minimum area for it is 40 square meters. meters. In this case, you need to organize a separate entrance, a fire alarm, a place for unloading medications, etc.

What equipment will be needed?

  1. To store medicines, you need refrigerators that will maintain temperatures from 2 to 14 degrees (cost about 20,000 rubles);
  2. For medications that do not require refrigeration, you will need steel cabinets (the price for one starts at about 5,000 rubles);
  3. Counters, as well as display cases (average market cost of a pharmacy display case - 8,000 rubles) and island pyramids (cost - from 13,000 rubles);
  4. To equip the cash register area, you need a special counter (its cost starts from about 7,000 rubles);
  5. Furniture for staff - wardrobes, lockers, etc. Can be purchased at a regular furniture store;
  6. A safe in which prescription drugs will be stored. Mandatory - with a mechanical or combination lock. The safe can be any size.

The cost of equipping a pharmacy will depend on the area of ​​the premises. The larger it is, the more display cases, cabinets and other elements will be required.

Advice: it is better to place in showcases those goods whose sale is most profitable. It is optimal to place expensive drugs and medical equipment at eye level of the buyer (height from the floor - about one and a half meters).

Equipment for prescription and production pharmacies

If a pharmacy produces medicines, it should have separate rooms - a washing room, as well as a room for assistants and distillation. The latter is often combined with a sterilization room in which drugs that require intravenous administration are prepared. In addition, in this case, an aseptic block is also needed.

What equipment is needed?

The same as for a pharmacy - display cases, a safe for prescription drugs, refrigerators, furniture for staff, a cash register, etc. In addition, you will also need to purchase all the necessary laboratory equipment. This includes dishes, scales, a pharmaceutical table with special sections, filtering devices, sterilization cabinets, etc. There are two types of sterilizers for pharmacies - steam or air; all the necessary tools and equipment can be purchased from specialized manufacturers. The difference in price in this case can be very large and depends on the models, as well as the newness of the equipment.

To equip a pharmacy where medications will be produced, you will have to pay a relatively larger amount than to open a regular pharmacy. According to statistics, in this case, the cost of equipment for a pharmacy pays off within a period of one and a half to three years, subject to a competent promotion strategy.

A little advice: be careful when choosing pharmacy shelves. In some cases, the load on a shelf can be twenty to thirty kilograms, so structures that can withstand this weight are needed.

So, the cost of pharmacy equipment varies greatly depending on the type of point. The biggest expense involves opening a pharmacy where medications will be produced. However, in the future, it is from this pharmacy outlet that the maximum profit can be extracted. Remember also that you can open a pharmacy kiosk only if you have an already functioning classic pharmacy.

How to choose the right staff for a pharmacy

According to statistics, in Russia there is one pharmacy for every 3,000 people. Therefore, the demand for qualified employees to work in pharmacies is very high.

If we talk about the best prospects for pharmacists, then university graduates strive to get a job either in the largest networks or in Western companies that are ready to offer them the best conditions.

Headhunters in the pharmaceutical market often use a strategy of searching for fast-training personnel rather than the most experienced ones. The demand for experienced specialists is already very high, and finding an employee who can quickly absorb practical information is very promising. Moreover, if you pair him with an experienced specialist who is ready to teach. In addition, when applying this strategy, you can save a lot, since employees with little experience easily agree to relatively low salaries. To protect themselves and recoup the costs of training, owners often sign an agreement with such candidates, under which pharmacists are required to remain in this pharmacy for several years.

How are pharmacy staff selected?

There are two main ways to recruit employees for a pharmacy. The first is internal, that is, a specialist who is already working in the network is promoted. The second is external, which means searching for a new employee who has not previously worked in a given pharmacy or chain. The advantage of the first method is that the employee has already settled into the team; in addition, it is easier for him to start performing new duties. External selection allows you to gain access to the widest variety of personnel and, possibly, find a unique specialist who will bring greater profit to the pharmacy. At the same time, there is always a risk that the employee will not fit into the team.

If we talk about the moment of opening a pharmacy, then, of course, only external selection of specialists is used. In this case, the entrepreneur also has two options. The first is to contact recruitment agents. The second is to search for employees yourself. However, the realities of the Russian headhunter market in the pharmaceutical segment are such that cooperation with recruitment agencies is not always effective, and the cost of intermediary services can be very significant.

Requirements for staff in a pharmacy

At its core, a pharmacist is a salesperson, but very high demands are placed on his education. A person without appropriate specialized education cannot be a pharmacist. In addition, in accordance with the law, pharmacists must undergo recertification every five years.

It is common practice in the pharmacy industry to hire senior students, as they are more willing to accept difficult working conditions, such as night shifts.

If you are planning to hire a specialist with experience, then be sure to call his past jobs. Find out how the employee performed, whether there were any scandals with his participation or other unpleasant situations. Recommendations play a huge role when choosing an employee for a pharmacy, especially when it comes to management positions.

What questions to ask at an interview?

It is important to find those employees who will be more motivated than others to work for you. On the other hand, be prepared to interest potential key specialists with your proposal. To understand how interesting a person is to work in a given pharmacy or chain, be sure to ask the question about what exactly attracted him to a particular point? Also, ask about how the employee sees themselves at different intervals.

Since a pharmacy employee has direct access to prescription drugs, it is important to clarify the reasons for his departure from previous jobs, as well as to use the services of third-party organizations that are ready to check the candidate’s reliability. The latter is not unusual for pharmacy owners, as just one employee with a particular addiction or “vulnerable” personal qualities can negatively impact the success of the entire business.

A common practice for pharmacies is a probationary period for each employee. Pharmacists' uniforms often include a microphone to assess communication skills as well as sales ability. You can send secret shoppers to the employee to be able to assess the competence and patience of the pharmacist.

The nature of a pharmacist's work requires regular health checks. He requires a medical record, regular examinations by a dermatovenerologist are required, he must be tested for STDs, undergo fluorography, and also every ten years - a diphtheria vaccination, as a result - a physician's conclusion about his fitness to work in a pharmacy.

When opening a pharmacy, it is worth choosing the most successful candidates and, after starting their work, constantly monitoring their activities. Employees whose shifts produce the most sales are the most promising; it is worth investing in their subsequent training.

In what cases should a pharmacist be fired?

There are a few basic things that are unforgiving in the pharmacy industry. If a direct complaint has been received against an employee, it is worth studying it carefully. If a pharmacist is impatient, rude, or has poor knowledge of the product range, he can damage the reputation of the entire pharmacy chain. A negative review on the Internet about a pharmacist can cause a significant reduction in sales of a particular outlet. Therefore, each such situation should be considered separately. Sometimes a bad-mannered employee should be fired.

Another reason for looking for a new employee at a pharmacy is identified shortages. Write-offs of prescription or high-cost drugs should be closely monitored. Therefore, unscheduled inventories should be carried out as often as possible. If they show a shortage of drugs, it means there is an unreliable employee on staff.

Some drug manufacturers or distributors negotiate with local pharmacists to carry their products. Monitor such situations; if the pharmacist agreed to such a deal, look for a new employee to take his place.

Why do valuable specialists leave?

Imagine that you have found a really good specialist and have already opened your own pharmacy. However, at some point this valuable employee warns you of his desire to quit. If we are talking about the initial stages of work, most often such a situation arises due to difficulties with adaptation. Therefore, it is very important to create the right atmosphere within the team, for which it is necessary to initially determine the psychological compatibility of personnel. One difficult, unpleasant employee in personal communication can cause the dismissal of other, possibly more valuable personnel. Therefore, in a pharmacy it is necessary to monitor not only the quality of customer service, but also the internal atmosphere in the team.

So, having decided to open a pharmacy, you will need to choose which specialists are preferable for you - those already with extensive experience and corresponding salary requirements, or young employees who need additional training. By forming a good team with a pleasant atmosphere within the team, you will create the basis for the pharmacy to quickly recoup all investments in itself and begin to make a profit!

How to properly build a pricing policy in a pharmacy

Trade turnover, pharmacy profit, customer interest - all this depends on competent pricing. As a rule, pharmaceutical establishments with above-average prices have less chance of success, unlike those that offer their products at a reasonable price.

Modern approaches to determining prices

Most often, in modern pharmacies, pricing is based on three models:

  1. Decentralized, in which price setting falls on the shoulders of managers. In simple terms, they have to determine prices “by eye,” guided solely by their own experience.
  2. Partially decentralized, differing from the previous one only in that a certain set of goods is subject to pricing rules. And all other positions in this regard depend on the heads of pharmacies.
  3. Centralized, in which pricing rules are dictated by the management of the pharmacy chain for the entire range.

Determining the final cost

The optimal pricing system takes into account three aspects:

  • competitiveness;
  • ensuring maximum profit;
  • high customer loyalty.

If we talk about the main factors that influence the final cost of medicines, then these primarily include surcharges that arise on the way from the manufacturer to the pharmacy. And it looks something like this:

  1. Manufacturer's starting price.
  2. Packaging costs up to 25% of the starting price.
  3. Tax duties.
  4. Markup from one or more intermediaries.
  5. Other expenses already incurred in the pharmacy (premises rent, labor costs, utilities, etc.).

In addition, when setting the price, the exchange rate is taken into account (relevant for imported medicines) and the number of intermediaries. As a rule, pharmacy chains are able to afford to buy goods directly from manufacturers, and small organizations you have to work with intermediaries, purchasing drugs at exorbitant prices.

How to create an effective pricing system

When medicines are delivered directly to the pharmacy, other factors begin to interfere in the formation of their cost: the type of buyers, assortment, level of competition and the category of the organization itself. Taking these features into account, an effective pricing system is created in several stages:

  1. A portrait of the average buyer is determined. To do this, research is conducted to identify the main characteristics of the client generating income. The process takes into account the solvency of people, their requirements for service, gender, age, etc. It should be noted that for pharmacies located in residential areas, the issue of pricing is very acute, since the buyers are basically the same. Therefore, for successful development, you need to adhere to competitors’ prices or set even lower prices for goods.
  2. The main competitors are identified. At this stage it is being analyzed price policy other pharmacies, groups of medications are identified that will become the basis for comparing markups. As a rule, for walk-through pharmacies located in the city center, competitors are pharmaceutical organizations located on the path of customers. And for residential areas - nearby pharmacy points.
  3. The commodity core is highlighted. In this case, marker positions (the most in demand) are identified, which form the core of the assortment. Simply put, a list of medications is created that generates the main income for the pharmacy.
  4. The reaction of buyers to price changes is assessed. After competitive analysis the direction of price movement is determined taking into account the specifics of the organization itself. At the initial stage, it is recommended to gradually change the cost of goods in the range of 5-10%, and after assessing the reaction of customers, you can move on to a markup of 3-5%.
  5. Actions are planned. In practice, loyalty programs are expensive, and not all pharmacies can afford them. However, it is worth thinking about attracting customers with the help of promotions and discount cards, but without damaging the organization itself.

Pricing Methods

Almost always, pricing methods depend on its goals. If increasing profits is at the forefront, then it is recommended to adopt the following methods:

  1. Pricing based on customer psychology.

When setting the price of medicines, it is necessary to take into account the price perception of buyers. Many experts advise sticking to odd numbers. For example, customers will perceive 9.99 rubles more loyally than 10 rubles. The difference is only one penny, but it plays a very big role.

  1. Pricing based on company prestige.

Many people are willing to pay not only for the product, but also for the name of its manufacturer, if it is prestigious. So, for aspirin from a foreign company that is popular, you can put a higher markup, and buyers will perceive this as normal. However, you need to have firm confidence in the worthy reputation of the drugs in order to avoid unpleasant questions from clients.

  1. Competition based pricing.

This method is very simple as it does not require tedious work with demand curves. In addition, it is considered the most optimal solution in conditions where buyers react extremely sharply to price levels. When choosing this method, it is enough for a pharmaceutical organization to adhere to the prices of its closest competitors.

Refusal of unclaimed goods

Ideally, illiquid stock balances should not exceed 10-15% of the total quantity of available goods. They need to be constantly monitored and a list of medications that are purchased extremely rarely (for example, 1 unit per month) must be periodically compiled. After this, such drugs must be excluded from the range, since they negatively affect the profitability of the pharmaceutical organization. Of course, with this approach, you can lose some customers and reduce the range a little, but such sacrifices will certainly be worth it.

Conclusion: how to open a pharmacy? or... Pharmacy franchise?

Industry affiliation, high competition and lack of experience dictate very serious requirements for entrepreneurs to the question “How to open a profitable pharmacy?”

Open a pharmacy- a labor-intensive, complex process that involves serious time and financial investments.

However, such a business pays off quickly enough and brings a stable income: medicines, as was said at the very beginning, will always be bought.

If you're ready to open a pharmacy, but the prospect of spending a huge amount of time and effort doesn't sound too appealing, you may want to consider a pharmacy franchise.

Pharmacy franchise- the so-called symbiosis of big business and a start-up enterprise, which allows beginning businessmen to invest their funds in creating a guaranteed profitable and quickly payback business.

Franchise benefits

The main advantages of such an organization of business activities are as follows:

1. The reputation of a popular pharmacy chain brand will help attract customers without special expenses for advertising and business promotion - it’s simple and profitable.

2. The risks of failures and “getting bumps” are reduced, since proven business solutions and modern retail sales technologies are used, work is carried out according to an open, streamlined scheme and clear business processes.

3. There is no need to waste time searching for suppliers of pharmacy products and selecting products that are in demand - the franchisor will do this for you.

4. Training in key business processes and implementation of an automation program in a pharmacy will help you understand all the intricacies and nuances of opening a pharmacy.

5. It is easier and faster to obtain a pharmaceutical license based on the support of the franchisor and his experience in opening pharmacies.

6. The payback period for a pharmacy franchise is from 6 to 12 months, subject to strict adherence to the rules and recommendations of the franchisor.

Thus, by purchasing a pharmacy franchise, you receive the right to use a well-known brand of a pharmacy chain, a good business and image reputation, a ready-made business plan for the development of a pharmacy business, recommendations for decorating a pharmacy sales area and selecting a drug assortment, and contacts of pharmaceutical suppliers and distributors. You will need to independently find a suitable premises located on the first line of houses in a high-traffic area with high pedestrian and vehicular traffic and meet the requirements of the franchise agreement, purchase the necessary medical equipment, and recruit professional pharmacists and pharmacists. You can open a pharmacy under a franchise both in a big city and in rural areas, for example in a small village or village. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to open a pharmacy without investments and financial investments.

"Sovetskaya Pharmacy": the best franchising offer for pharmacies

The main advantage of a pharmacy franchise is the relatively low startup cost and quick return on investment. This is the optimal solution for those who are deciding how to open a pharmacy from scratch and still have no idea how much expenses will be required to develop a pharmacy business.

The pharmacy chain offers high-quality and in-demand products at manufacturer prices within the budget price segment. The average bill is 500-700 rubles. The annual turnover of the network is 3,500,000,000 rubles. Cooperation provides a number of advantages:

  • . minimum payback period - from 8 months to a year;
  • . purchases on favorable terms from wholesale prices from manufacturers and official distributors;
  • . a wide range of medicinal and pharmaceutical products (more than 60,000 items), including ordering rare drugs;
  • . full support at all stages of doing business, good PR support when opening a franchise pharmacy;
  • . the possibility of opening an online pharmacy and booking medications via the Internet with further purchase medicines at prices below market prices.

The minimum requirements for an entrepreneur are:

  • . the entrance fee is only 999 rubles;
  • . no pharmaceutical education required;
  • . registration of a legal entity is required;
  • . investment amount is about 1,500,000 rubles;
  • . minimum room area - from 30 square meters, location on the ground floor, in a high traffic area.

“Soviet Pharmacy” is the best solution for those who are going to start their own business and open a pharmacy as a franchise.