Price isn’t always the deciding factor. What really keeps patients coming back is the way they’re treated. People want care that feels personal, discreet, and free of judgement. Small things like remembering someone’s name or engaging with them and respecting their privacy are what often make the biggest difference.
We saw this play out when TikTok creator @prescription4wellness asked her 8,000+ followers: “What makes you keep coming back to a pharmacy?” One of her posts hit more than 346,000 views, but it was the 93 comments that really caught our eye.
With 93 comments pouring in, the answers revealed far more than you might expect, and they’re well worth unpacking.
What patients are really saying.
Yes, convenience and price did come up. But overwhelmingly, people kept pointing to the same thing: care.
While care has always been central to pharmacy, the wider industry narrative around affordability and discount chains can sometimes overshadow it. What these comments show is that personalised service is not just a nice-to-have, it’s the reason people stay loyal.
Here are a few standouts from the comments:
“NON JUDGING PHARMACISTS!!! No 1 judging you on your medications.”
“Fast service, friendly and helpful. If the staff are rude, I don’t ever go back.”
“With my children’s complex needs, the staff know me by name, know my family’s needs. I can order scripts via the app, and they’re always so helpful with advice.”
“I’m on 3 schedule 8 pain meds and my local pharmacy is never judgmental. Other places have refused to fill scripts because they didn’t believe someone my age should take them.”
“Kind, knowledgeable service and connection with my pharmacist — I’m on staged supply Webster packs.”
“It’s the connection and knowledge you build with your regulars. Since moving away, I still miss the team!”
“The pharmacists know me, they know my mother. They’re happy to talk without being judgmental. People are human no matter what medicine they take.”
What this means for pharmacies
The biggest takeaway? The differentiator isn’t always price, it’s the experience.
That means getting intentional about how you deliver care every day:
Train for empathy. Make sure your team naturally offers non-judgmental, compassionate service.
Prioritise service quality. Friendliness and speed are what bring people back.
Leverage technology. Apps, staged supply, and Webster packs make life easier for patients with complex needs.
Make it personal. Remembering names, families and patient history builds loyalty that lasts years.
Big-box discounters can compete on price, but they can’t compete with connection.
Your next step
From a strategic perspective, now’s the time to ask: what personalisation can we add or improve in our pharmacy?
A simple but powerful exercise is to share these patient comments with your team. Let them hear firsthand what people truly value. Then work together to brainstorm one small change you can implement straight away to lift the patient experience.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just the price tag that keeps people coming back it’s how you make them feel.
Read the comments for yourself here: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSA8JxH4w/
Reference: The post mentioned in the article was from creator Jenna Cormack’s TikTok account.
Her social media profile:
https://www.instagram.com/prescription4wellness/