Rite Aid is at a massive crossroads. The drugstore is in the midst of a merger with Walgreens, the country’s most popular drugstore.
Does Walgreens stand to gain a massive new fan base with the merger?
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Yes and no. While more have a favorable than unfavorable view of Rite Aid, 65% are left in the middle with a neutral sentiment towards the store.
With a merger imminent, what can Rite Aid, and soon Walgreens, do to add to the store’s fan base?
Fast casual partnerships. Customers with a neutral view of Rite Aid are more likely to dine at fast casual restaurants. While unconventional, a cross promotion between Rite Aid and fast casual spots could birth a positive sentiment. Rite Aid is already part of the cross-store Plenti rewards program. The drugstore should make an effort to bring a fast casual chain, such as Panera or Chipotle, into the program. Pairing the two together could help the restaurant bolster its health-conscious ideals, and convert shoppers Rite Aid fans.
Netflix and Flu Shots. Netflix streamers are more likely to have a neutral view of Rite Aid. The original content of Netflix hasn’t featured paid product placement yet, but the site does have partnerships with companies that make their products available to production. Maybe Kimmy Schmidt battling to open a Rite Aid brand of vitamins could put the store in the front of mind for shoppers.
Tweet Your Prescription. While this concept is certainly not ethical (or legal?) neutral sentiment Rite Aid customers are more likely to crank out the occasional tweet or two. Rite Aid has a presence on Twitter, but the store would benefit from using it as a platform to communicate with potential shoppers, rather than addressing customer complaints via the platform.
When the merger occurs, it’s important for Walgreens to remember not all drugstore customers are the same. However, considering the amount of neutral sentiment out there for Rite Aid, there’s an opportunity to adopt new habits and find new Rite Aid fans.
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