Spring is in full swing, but are your shelves stocked with the products your patients need this season? If you’re ready to welcome blue skies, sunshine, and better bottom lines, you need to invest in the right items for your independent pharmacy. Think OTCs, supplements, and enough seasonal goodies to get everyone by.

‍

Setting up for spring doesn’t have to be a chore. In a few simple steps, you can spruce up your pharmacy and start seeing more sales at your front-end.

‍

So if you’re ready to shake off the cold and start stocking your shelves with all of the items that your patients need this spring, start here. With the right products on hand, better, brighter days are ahead — not just for your patients, but also for your pocketbook.

To get started, check out these 9 must-have spring items:

‍

‍

1. Allergy Medicine

More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies every year. Spring is the prime time for sniffles, sneezes, and other uncomfortable symptoms associated with allergies — but it’s also the prime time to pick up a pack of allergy meds at your pharmacy.

‍

Make sure that your store is ready for the demand by keeping a variety of antihistamines, nasal decongestants, and nasal steroids on hand. As a general rule of thumb, you should keep brand-name items but offer one generic according to each category.

According to GoodRx, these are some of the top allergy meds you should consider:

• Claritin® Tablets 24-Hour
• ZYRTEC® Tablets
• BENADRYL® Allergy ULTRATABS® Tablets
• SUDAFED PE Sinus Congestion Tablets
• FLONASE Allergy Relief Nasal Spray

Once you decide on a direction for your allergy OTCs, find out what items your wholesaler offers and then open up those items to your patient base. Don’t forget about tissues, humidifiers, and any other allergy essentials, either.

‍

2. Eyedrops

‍

Another side effect of allergies is itchy, watery eyes — which require an entirely different treatment. Help your patients feel relief faster with an array of eye drops. According to Healthline, the best eye drops to keep on hand (and on your pharmacy’s shelves) are:

• Bausch + Lomb Alaway Antihistamine Eye Drops
• SYSTANE® ZADITOR® Antihistamine Eye Drops
• VISINE® Allergy Eye Relief Multi-Action Antihistamine and Redness Reliever Eye Drops
• Pataday® Once Daily Relief
• TheraTears®  Dry Eye Therapy Lubricant Eye Drops

‍

‍

3. Vitamins + Supplements

After a long, slow winter season, many people are excited to take charge of their health in the spring. Often, this means eating healthier, exercising regularly, and taking vitamins and supplements to fill in the gaps.

‍

It’s no surprise, then, that 86% of Americans take vitamins and supplements — so your pharmacy should be selling them. Vitamins can be a great way to supplement prescription medications and open up front-end sales in the process.

According to PBA Health, the top vitamins and supplements to sell are:

• Emergen-C Gummies
• Natrol® Melatonin Gummies
• Bausch + Lomb PreserVision AREDS 2 Chewables
• One A Day® Women’s Natural Fruit Bites
• Schiff Move Free Ultra Faster Comfort Joint Supplements

‍

4. Probiotics

Speaking of supplements, probiotics are one of the fastest-growing, fastest-selling supplements on the market right now.

‍

About 4 million Americans take probiotics every month, which means that you should get in on the action while you can.

Some probiotics you might want to consider, according to a dietitian from Healthline, are:

• Culturelle® Digestive Daily Probiotic Capsules
• Align Extra Strength® Probiotic Supplement
• Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus® EPS
• Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics Once Daily
• NOW Probiotic-10™ 25 Billion Veg Capsules

‍

5. CBD

Probiotics aren’t the only fast-selling item this spring: CBD continues to top the charts, as new laws open up and patients look to try alternative medicine. With high demand and even higher profit margins, you should start offering CBD to supplement your patients’ medications this season.

‍

CBD comes in many different forms, from oils to creams to tinctures and more — but regardless of the kind you get, you’ll see a positive response from your patient base.

Some of the top CBD items to consider are:

• Green Roads Broad Spectrum CBD Oil
• Green Roads Sleepy Zs Hemp Gummies
• Ananda Professional Full Spectrum CBD Softgels
• Ananda Professional CBD-Infused Soothing Roll-On
• Charlotte’s Web Hemp-Infused Cream with CBD

To learn more about CBD and get tips and tricks on opening up your own service, visit our blog on PioneerRx, Seize the CBD Opportunity.

‍

6. Sunscreen

Now that it’s spring, the sun is out and the sunscreen is on. Warmer weather means more time outside — and more exposure to harsh UV rays. Your patients are looking for protection, and your pharmacy can give it to them with a full line of pharmacist-recommended sunscreens. Not sure where to start?

According to dermatologists at NBC, here are the ones you should keep in stock:

• EltaMD® UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
• Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen
• Neutrogena® Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50
• Aveeno Kids Continuous Protection®  Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 50
• Banana Boat Sport Ultra Spray SPF 50

‍

7. First Aid Care

More time outside also means more opportunities for cuts, scrapes, and strains. Help your patients stay prepared for any accident with a few fully-equipped first aid kits. You can buy pre-made kits, or you can give patients the chance to create their own.

‍

If you choose to do the latter, make sure that you get all of the essential first aid supplies, including:

• A variety of bandages and wraps
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Thermometer
• Tweezers

To learn more about each of these and more, visit our blog, 12 Supplies for Your First Aid Kit.

‍

8. Home Health Items

Even though patients are getting out and about in the spring, they still want to keep a variety of items at home for quick and easy use. To accommodate, make sure you have plenty of home health items on hand. Some items you might want to include are:

• 3M Particulate Respirator 9502+N95
• LPOW Non-Contact Infrared Body Thermometer
• Zacurate 500DL Pro Series Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
• First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test
• RENPHO Smart Body Fat Scale

‍

9. Seasonal Items

‍

The best way to celebrate the spring is to give your patients the seasonal items they want and need. Stocking seasonal items can be a great opportunity to increase your front-end sales beyond OTC items and help patients view your pharmacy as more than just a place to pick up prescriptions. As you start ordering items, try looking into:

• Seasonal candy
• Greeting cards
• Easter items (including eggs, baskets, and plenty of bunny memorabilia)
• Spring-scented candles
• Gardening tools
• Protective hats and eyewear

‍

‍

Conclusion

‍

A new season means new opportunities to become a one-stop-shop for your patients. Find the right items, set the right prices, and see your sales — and your customer satisfaction — increase in the next few months. With the right items, your spring can stay sunny and your patients can stay happy.

‍