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Effective Determinants of Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications:

Digital Marketing, Brand Experience, and Reference Groups

Article · June 2022

DOI: 10.54646/BIJCS.010

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 BOHR International Journal of Computer Science
2022, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 56–67
https://doi.org/10.54646/bijcs.010
www.bohrpub.com

Effective Determinants of Consumer Buying Decision on OTC

Medications: Digital Marketing, Brand Experience, and Reference
Groups
Narjes Alarsali and Iman Aghaei∗

Department of Business Administration, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, North Cyprus, via Mersin
10 Turkey
∗ Corresponding Author: iaghaei@ciu.edu.tr

Abstract. The growing Over-The-Counter (OTC) medication sector within the pharmaceutical industry gains com-
petitive advantages through digital marketing where the companies must re-evaluate their infrastructure and their
marketing techniques to get through this evaluation. This study aims to analysis the influence of developing pharma-
ceutical marketing on consumer purchase decision of OTC medication. An empirical online survey was conducted
based on a self-administrated questionnaire to assess the impact of pharmaceutical digital marketing, reference
groups, and brand experience towards consumer decision of OTC purchase. Primary data was collected using that
questionnaire from 158 pharmacies’ consumers in North Cyprus (Famagusta, Nicosia, and Kyrenia) and SPSS soft-
ware is used to analysis the data. Eventually, the findings indicated that consumers in North Cyprus are aware of
the use of over-the-counter medications for common ailments, and that pharmaceutical companies, the government,
and other health stakeholders have a responsibility to increase consumer knowledge and awareness about the safe
and effective use of OTC medications, particularly through the digital channels.
Keywords: Consumer buying behaviour, OTC medication, Pharmaceutical digital marketing, Reference groups.

INTRODUCTION industries. In the battle for consumers’ interest, loyalty, and

attention, firms are spending a fortune on OTC medica-
In today’s marketing world, the consumer is regarded as tion promotions in the market, despite numerous statutory
“The King” (Ting et al., 2019). Manufacturers managed to limits and rivalry are fierce, mainly when multiple similar
sell anything to consumers during the increase of the era of pharmaceutical medicines with the same impacts on health
marketing. However, it is now the consumer’s purchasing may be found in the market simultaneously (Batraga,
preferences that determine what should be produced, in 2018). As a result, it is critical for businesses to comprehend
what amount, and what the quality of product should be. consumer behaviour in the purchasing decision-making
As a result, a marketer must consider a variety of factors process of OTC drugs, as well as their potential that affect
when deciding how to market goods because consumers’ this procedure.
preferences vary. Analysing customer behaviour is riskier Over the counter drugs are the medication that can be
in the pharmaceutical industry because it involves health given to consumers directly without prescription. Non-
and medicines (Sehgal and Mittal, 2019). prescription medications are most commonly used form
Developing of pharmaceutical marketing nowadays of medical treatment worldwide, and their sales have
affects the consumer purchase behaviour of OTC medi- grown faster than prescribed drugs since 2008 (Wube
cation widely and that influence will be studied where Temechewu and Gebremedhin, 2020). The OTC drugs typ-
the aim of the study is to determine the influence of ically include painkillers, cold/flu/cough, vitamins, gas-
marketing and costumer behaviour on consumer buying trointestinal, supplements, dermatology and miner. These
decision making of OTC drugs. The pharmaceutical indus- medications are harmless for short time use and are effi-
try is heavily regulated and organized compared to other cient for slight and ordinary common illnesses.

56
Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications 57

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers attention to a message, identify it, analyse it mentally, and
OTC medications to be functional and safe as long as then remember it. At the end of the day, a person must
it used in consonance with the instructions on the label adopt particular attitudes and, as a result, make judgments
and administered in accordance with medical guidance and do activities that are consistent with his or her desire
as necessary (Wube Temechewu and Gebremedhin, 2020). (Gopal et al., 2019).
The market for over-the-counter medications is constantly The study aims to understand the influence of phar-
being investigated. Worldwide, the OTC drug market has maceutical digital marketing on customer buying decision
grown by 24.8%. Aside from the implementation of new making of OTC drugs in North Cyprus. In addition to find
and generic medicines, it is hampered by frequent changes out the determinants of consumers’ purchasing decision
in medicine scheduling, which affects the availability of of medicine regarding over the counter (OTC) medication.
medicines in pharmacies. To maximize customer loyalty, This research will provide information to pharmaceuti-
medicine professionals, pharmacy staff and pharmaceuti- cal companies regarding consumer behaviour and will
cals companies must provide proper service and accurate show the importance of pharmaceutical marketing in term
information in the recommendation, marketing and sale of of OTC consumer purchase decision. Moreover, it will
OTC medications (Mekawie and Hany, 2019). Because they analyse the factors that may affect the costumer’s deci-
are readily accessible and available, a client may decide sion when it comes to buying OTC drugs. It will also
to acquire them without the pharmacist assistance. It is reveal the various variables that influence their purchasing
critical to analyse consumer OTC purchase attitudes and decisions.
behaviour from a pharmacy in order to better grasp the In sum, the purpose of this study is to analyse the fol-
demands and potential in this market. Understanding con- lowing research issues: (1) What influence does digital
sumer behaviour in the purchase of these medications is an marketing have on OTC medicine purchasing intention?
essential step in improving such highly qualified services. (2) What influence does the reference group (pharmacist,
The personal features of OTC medications virtual mar- doctor, family or friend) on purchase decision of OTC
ket users, as well as their ability to develop confidence medicine? (3) What influence does brand experience have
in medical online portals, have an impact on the forma- on consumer OTC medicine purchase intention?
tion of an online business environment for these drugs. In addition to discover the measures on which the con-
The relevance management of supply chain in deliver- sumers depend on making their buying choice regarding
ing information and making for the changes is promoted OTC products, recognize the effect of digital marketing,
via virtual networking platforms. As a consequence of the reference group and brand experience toward OTC prod-
growth of social media and its integration into business ucts will help the drug industries to understand how
processes, pharmaceutical companies must make invest- and why consumer buy OTC medications. Furthermore,
ments in technology that gather information about their pharmaceuticals marketers will construct their marketing
customers. Through the analysis of the data obtained about strategies in an appropriate and productive way based
customers’ preferences, these technologies have the poten- on the results to have long-term competitive strengths. In
tial to enhance the customer experience (Roblek, 2018). addition, the findings will serve as a benchmark for future
Customer intelligence systems have determined that research. Additionally, consumers have become super-
pharmaceutical preferences are important. According to personalized. They have been able to shop for what they
customer intelligence systems, pharmaceutical organiza- want without even asking.
tions might develop a marketing plan that includes market
positioning as well as the design of brand loyalty for LITERATURE REVIEW
their products and services. These resources are collec-
tively referred to as social capital, which may manifest Over-The-Counter (OTC)
itself in two ways: as an internal glue to help shape an
organization’s culture, or as an outward interaction agent. Over-the-counter (OTC) products are medication that are
Social media does not need costly and complicated techno- proven safe and efficient to purchase without the need of a
logical implementations, but it does play a significant part prescription from a physician. These products are sold law-
in organizational culture changes and the adaptation of fully without a prescription in clinical pharmacies, medical
knowledge processes. Internet and social media are being shops, and occasionally in supermarket. OTC medications
used more and more often (Ignjatović & Stanić, 2017). are used to cure a variety of ailments, including the cold
The usage of new technologies is associated with gen- or flu, bodily discomfort, allergies, heartburn, and other
erational shifts and the elder generations’ adaption to common health conditions (Dejana and Stanić, 2018). Phar-
the usage of modern technologies. As a result, organi- maceutical marketing of OTC drugs is a broad discipline
zational transformation results from individual changes that includes both specific and general information of busi-
(Carli Lorenzini et al., 2018). To take up particular signals ness, marketing and medications, where it has a significant
from the environment, a person has to come into direct impact on consumer purchase behaviour of OTC medica-
physical contact with the environment. Someone must pay tions (Mekawie and Hany, 2019).
58 Narjes Alarsali and Iman Aghaei

In addition, for variety of factors, the OTC medication other digital technologies as a result of digital marketing
industry is anticipated to keep growing in the foreseeable (Tyrawski and De Andrea, 2015).
future. First and foremost, self-medication is becoming The consequences of the widespread adoption of online
increasingly popular, and OTC medications offer a quick platform social media, it is now much easier for individu-
and affordable option to manage minor and everyday als to build social connections and exchange information.
health concerns. Second, the trend of transitioning from This also has an impact on how patients, clinicians, and
prescription-only to over-the-counter pharmaceuticals is healthcare organizations engage with one another (Jawaid
unlikely to slow down, resulting in more medications and Ahmed, 2018). Pharmaceutical businesses are putting
becoming accessible without a prescription in the near out significant effort to stay up with the rapid advance-
future. Third, patient education is expected to rise, partic- ments brought about by digital technologies. In latest days,
ularly if the usage of the online sources as self-knowledge the use of digital marketing in this industry has enabled
continues to grow. businesses to adopt a more targeted approach to attracting
Within the pharmaceutical business, over-the-counter consumers, physicians, and caregivers to their products or
(OTC) drug market is quickly growing. As a result, busi- services (Khazzaka, 2019).
nesses must rethink their infrastructure and information Every pharmaceutical company strives to reach out
dissemination strategies in order to obtain a competitive to its most valued clients, therefore this industry uses
edge via effective marketing. Consumer buying decisions online technologies in this respect to match the correct
for OTC medications may be influenced by developing sales method and improve consumer satisfaction (Shah-
pharmaceutical marketing. nawaz et al., 2020; Sloane et al., 2015). The increase of the
pharmaceutical industry in Internet and social media lies
through marketing requirements, which promote overall
Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing
awareness of their items and facilities and seek to com-
Following the widespread use of digital technology in municate more effectively with their targeted customers.
contemporary economic settings, the concepts of “digital Consequently, conventional pharmaceutical marketing is
economy” and of “digitalization of the economy” were progressively substituting by digital marketing, which is
coined to describe the process. Sales and profit growth are more cost-effective, less time-consuming, and encourages
the primary goals of the company’s marketing efforts, and simple consumer interactions (Ben Said et al., 2020).
this may be done through improving customer commu- Digital marketing generates valuable information,
nications on both a qualitative and quantitative level. It’s which has a significant impact on the pharmaceutical
becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and sector. The pharmaceutical industry generates consumer
retailers to keep their customers up to date on new prod- satisfaction through phone applications and online net-
ucts and their features as well as prices, persuade them to works, enabling the company to improve sales and prof-
buy and use the product, motivate them to leave feedback its. Another strategy for digital marketing throughout the
on the product, and encourage them to do so on a regular drug industry is searching engine optimizing. Companies
basis, all while utilizing modern digital marketing meth- may have desirable and realistic web pages for their clients
ods (Khazzaka, 2016). using who have been more aware of their health and
When it comes to bringing new items to market, digi- treatment in recent years. They sometimes attempt self-
tal marketing tools play a crucial role. During this stage of diagnosis before actually consulting a physician (DiMasi
the product life cycle, it is critical to disseminate relevant et al., 2016). Efficiency is critical for pharmaceutical firms
information to the greatest number of potential customers to maintain their image and reputation in a competitor tar-
as possible, instruct them how to use the product prop- get market. In this sense, the pharmaceutical industry must
erly, gather the first large-scale feedback while the product embrace cutting-edge technologies in order to maximize
is in operation, and, if needed, make adjustments to the profits (Greene & Kesselheim, 2017).
manufacturing process. Given the widespread adoption The advantages of social networks and online marketing
of digital devices by the general public, the active use of are particularly essential in pharmaceutical firms, as they
digital technology to do all of these jobs is possible. One are critical for more efficiently marketing of pharmaceuti-
of the most essential characteristics of innovative goods cal products (Enyinda et al., 2018). It is indeed important to
might be the technical intricacy of their functioning, partic- increase public awareness of the relevant benefits among
ularly during the early stages of the product’s development pharmaceutical company employees to achieve this. Since
(Porokhnenko and Sapozhnikova, 2019). digital marketing is not a top priority in many businesses,
Digital marketing in the pharmaceutical industry is employees are unaware of the many advantages of this
displacing conventional marketing methods, because of form of marketing. Workers employed in pharmaceutical
the simplicity of connection with end users, the short industries must be aware of the industry’s digitalization to
engagement time, and the low cost. Furthermore, doctors take full advantage of digital marketing (Tyrawski and De
have become more interested in using social media and Andrea, 2015).
Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications 59

Content is a context-related advertising topic and can, directly by advertising and digital advertising. Consumer
together, generate a message that companies design for also are apprehensive for government efforts to control
usages in marketing campaigns (Mawdsley, 2015). Phar- OTC medicine advertising (Kathiravan et al., 2019).
maceutical companies’ increasing use of social media is Due to the pressure on marketing, pharmaceutical firms
motivated by targeted customers to raise public awareness should be obliged to have new strategy to the market-
of their goods and services while also searching for a more ing of over the counter (OTC) drugs. Online marketing
efficient ability to interact with their intended audience and e-commerce are becoming more affordable as Web and
(Ben Said et al., 2020). The reality that pharmaceutical firms social media platforms keep growing and develop. The
are no longer the main facilitators or providers of infor- internet and social media are extensively used where an
mation concerning their therapies or drugs is one of the organizational adaptation is essential to keep up with the
most critical developments seen as a consequence of digi- developments in the over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuti-
tal’s impact on the pharmaceutical companies (Lad et al., cal business (Shah et al., 2020).
2017). Over-the-counter medical business considering the
People nowadays have access to various pharma-related growing relevance of online technology for marketing has
observations related to internet communities, mobile appli- decided to enhance of social media usage into its consumer
cations, and a riches of online content. Significantly expand connection management approach. The study on the influ-
the customers’ amount by generating aimed actual worth ence of the online world on the marketing of organizational
emblazoned information that provides prospective or transformation management for over-the-counter medica-
recent patients with understanding into practical details tions is equipped with advanced online marketing, which
(Alyahya et al., 2020). has supplanted Kotler’s four P’s of marketing (Roblek,
Further analysis and a greater understanding have to 2018).
be applied about how pharmaceutical industries’ online Both consumers and healthcare professionals rely on
usage affects customers’ views of healthcare promotional digital drug information to make purchasing and OTC
activities. The limited number of dependable case stud- choices. In addition, obtaining medication information
ies, restrictions on government agencies, absence of much online has been shown to have a favourable impact on
medication literature, and less understanding of the digi- self-initiated medication purchases done via online plat-
tal approaches lead to the reduced digital presence (Jawaid forms that are made accessible but not totally safe. While
and Ahmed, 2018). health literacy depended on a patient’s prior knowledge,
this differs from person to person who seeks information
OTC Medication and Digital Marketing on health issues. As a result, there is healthcare study that
is particularly interested in ways to enhance the quality
Purchasing OTC medications is a form of self-medication. of online medication information (Habash and Al-Dmour,
People have used different kinds of herbs for treat- 2020).
ment since the ancient period. Recently people’s therapy Organizations must alter their approach to communicat-
changed. Self-cure turned to be as OTC form of medica- ing with their customers and prospects. In recent years,
tions. In other words, self-care with (OTC) medications has pharmaceutical businesses have shifted their communi-
progressed from the previous century of medicine man- cation lines to social media platforms like Facebook and
ufacture and have been sold to a modern era of new Twitter. Increasingly, drug manufacturers and other health-
developing drugs involving prescription to OTC conver- care organizations are realizing how important the digital
sion (Kathiravan et al., 2019). marketing and social media platforms are for the formation
This evolution is mainly due to the OTC evaluation, of business-to-business relationships within their respec-
which developed science as the core component of non- tive industries (Bharskar, 2018).
prescription medicine safeness, effectiveness, as well as
labelling. As self-care with ‘OTC’ drugs has made. In latest
years, there seems to be an increase in the usage of non- The Influence of Reference Group (Pharmacist,
prescription medications that are offered in drug stores for Doctor, Family or Friend) on Purchase Decision
self-medication (Tong and Aslani, 2019). of OTC Medicine
Individual experience and word of mouth marketing
are the most effective methods of building brand iden- “Reference group” refers to a group of people or organ-
tification among the general public. In addition to digi- isations that are often used as a standard against which
tal marketing that give a significant and sudden desire other people may be judged for their competence in a
to acquire an item without giving it much thought. certain sector. Individuals have gained more direct and
Online promotions increase consumer knowledge of cer- quick access to the reference group exhibited in many iden-
tain branded pharmaceuticals has, despite this, advertising tities in recent years, as a consequence of the adoption
has an impact on consumer behaviour buying decisions. of social networking platforms and increased access to
Customers are encouraged by the knowledge supplied information. Individuals’ ideas, attitudes, and choices are
60 Narjes Alarsali and Iman Aghaei

influenced significantly by their reference group. Typically, for an over-the-counter option that may solve their health
these effects are based on the fact that individuals would issues and they may prefer to get help from a healthcare
utilize the reference group as a benchmark and compar- professional in order to lower their perceived post-buying
ing point for self-evaluation in order to guarantee that their hazard (Puspitasari et al., 2019).
behaviour results are consistent with those of the reference Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the character-
group (Ding et al., 2020). istics of pharmacists and their employees are significant
The impact of the reference group on consumer motivators for clients to use their services at pharmacies.
behaviour is seen primarily in two ways: informational More precisely, factors related to staff like professional-
effect and normative effect. When the reference group ism, kindness, and a caring disposition will impact a
transmits knowledge about themselves or others to the consumer’s decision-making procedure when it comes to
people, this is referred to as informational effect. One choosing OTC drug. During regular visits to the pharmacy,
advantage of engaging with the reference group is that many consumers appreciate and demand the opportunity
people may acquire direct knowledge. This kind of influ- to have a personal and concentrated conversation with
ence will be effective if the information received from the pharmacy employees. Furthermore, it has been shown that
reference group enhances the people’s comprehension of patients who form a personal connection with their health-
something, decreases the level of ambiguity, or increases care provider have the highest levels of satisfaction (Chan
the ability of the individuals to cope with latent risks & Tran, 2016a).
(Pransopon and Hoonsopon, 2019).
Normative effect refers to the group of people’s abili- The Influence of Family’ and Friends’ Recommendation
ties to affect the actions of individuals. Individuals who on Customers Buying Decision of OTC Medicine
favourably follow the expectations of the reference group
are more likely to get praise or avoid penalty. Normative Customers’ interpersonal interaction regarding goods or
effect is most often shown in the framework of social com- services is defined as word-of-mouth (WOM), and it plays
munication. Individuals will recognise the significance of an essential role in shaping consumers’ attitudes, inclina-
adhering to group standards over the course of interper- tions, and actions. Furthermore, they asserted that word-
sonal contact and will intentionally develop identification of-mouth has a significant influence on customer decision
with other participants. Individuals often compare them- and post buying perceptions. It is also affected by the infor-
selves to a reference group, undertake a comprehensive mation regarding the brand that has been tried by family
self-evaluation, and make specific changes to conform to and friend. The most significant consumer patterns are to
the reference group (Pransopon and Hoonsopon, 2019). depend on word of mouth when purchasing OTC medica-
tions (Basri et al., 2016).
Patients and the general public may be affected by infor-
The Influence of Pharmacist & Doctor Recommendation
mation obtained from family and friends and may make
on Customer Buying Decision of OTC Medicine
medication selection decisions based on this information.
Pharmacists, as acknowledged medications and therapeu- Moreover, they may have the belief that OTC medications
tic specialists, can serve an important role in delivering are harmless and too weak to inflict any serious dam-
non-prescription drugs information, guidance, and coun- age. There has been a prevalent obliviousness to possible
selling. Furthermore, the pharmacist is the most approach- adverse effects among those who use OTC drug like non-
able health care practitioner, and thus has the ability to steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Customers are
analyse a patient’s situation and prescribe a suitable line often unaware of the possibility of drug interactions while
of treatment. At the same time, pharmacists may dissuade self-medicating (Hanna and Hughes, 2019).
healthy individuals from purchasing expensive and use- The impact of family and close friends on a consumer’s
less health services or goods, while also referring more choice is greatest when they are closest to them. The influ-
sick patients to doctors or hospitals. And also, they have ence increased if the recommendation of the family and
the ability to convey knowledge about the use of over- friend based on brand experience and the result was seen
the-counter drugs and assist customers in their buying by the consumer in that time the consumer will have high
decision. As a result, pharmacists can provide valuable ser- intention to buy the recommended OTC medication.
vices to the public by advocating the effective and safe use
of over-the-counter medications and self-care behaviours The Influence of Brand Experience on Purchase
(Gore and Madhavan, 2018).
Decision of OTC Medicine
The pharmacist’s involvement in providing advice on
over-the-counter drugs, which includes assistance in the The fact that a drug’s impact on a health issue can only be
selection of OTC drugs’ quantities and varieties that are understood via usage means that brand experience with
effective and safe for reaching certain health objectives. The and knowledge of the product are important factors in
function of pharmacists in the context of over-the-counter making a buying choice. Patients are hesitant to switch
pharmaceuticals is that many individuals who are looking medications after they have discovered a medication that
Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications 61

is effective for them since it is difficult to gather such

Reference Group
details regarding the drug’s value. Consumers’ internal Pharmaceutical
and external memories are both included in the purchasing Digital Brand
Experience
experience, and both play an important role in the pur- Marketing
H2
chasing process. When clients have a genuine experience
with a product or service, internal memory is produced, H1 H3
whereas external memory is developed as a consequence of Consumer Buying
Decision Making
learning about the product or service, which is called expe- of OTC Medication
riential learning. The consumer’s memory of the buying
experience is etched for a longer period of time. Because
of this, consumers will begin evaluating the things they Figure 1. Proposed research model.
have purchased immediately, and the result of the shop-
ping experience in terms of the items will be stored in their decision of OTC medicine). The data was collected anony-
memory for an extraordinarily extended amount of time mously via the use of an online questionnaire form.
after the transaction (Kohli and Buller, 2019). The research instrument is a self-administered question-
For over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, genuine experi- naire that has different questions that measure the various
ence with the treatment, pricing range, and brand depen- factors as shown in Appendix 1. All of the variables in
dency are all important factors in determining whether or the questionnaire were measured using approved meth-
not to repeat the purchase. The familiarity with an OTC ods. The survey is divided into five sections, which are
brand is the most important aspect in deciding whether as follows: first part contains demographic questions (age,
or not a consumer would buy an OTC product again. gender, etc.) and other parts contain 20 items (see Table 1)
Therefore, customers’ decisions may be influenced by their and each question rated on a five-point scale, ranging from
previous knowledge or experience. The focus on the partic- 1 = strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree where the lower
ipants’ indicated tendency to choose a certain product from score indicates a higher level of agreement. The items for
a specific group of medications was corroborated by brand each category correspond to prior research’s measuring
experience and indicates that they are loyal and lengthy scales.
users of definite drugs (Aufegger et al., 2021). The sample is adjusted to satisfy the requirements of the
proposed model where pharmaceutical digital marketing
Hypotheses Development and Conceptual was measured using five items adapted from Omar and
Atteya (2020) and Habash and Al-Dmour (2020). Refer-
Model
ence group measures created by modifying and combining
Based on the aforementioned sections to justify the rela- some items and get five questions from the studies of Wube
tionship among the variables of the study, the hypotheses Temechewu and Gebremedhin (2020) and Chan and Tran
and the model of the study are developed as follows: (2016b). Brand experience contain three points from Wube
Temechewu and Gebremedhin (2020). Lastly the depen-
H1: There is a positive significant impact of phar- dent variable of buying decision making was used seven
maceutical digital marketing on consumer buying items adapted from Wube Temechewu and Gebremedhin
decision making of OTC drugs. (2020) and Habash and Al-Dmour (2020).
H2: There is a positive significant impact of reference
group effect (pharmacist, doctor, family or friend) on
the decision of consumers when it comes to buying Table 1. Summary of items and source.
OTC drugs. Research Number
Variables variables of items Sources
H3: There is a positive significant impact of brand
Demographic gender, age, 3
experience on consumer buying decision making of level of
OTC medicine. education,
Independent Pharmaceutical 5 (Omar & Atteya, 2020)
digital (Habash & Al-Dmour,
marketing 2020)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Reference group 5 (Wube Temechewu &
Gebremedhin, 2020)
Research Instruments (Chan & Tran, 2016b)
Brand 3 (Wube Temechewu &
Through the use of self-structured questionnaires, a cross- experience Gebremedhin, 2020)
sectional method survey was conducted, as well as the Dependent Consumer 7 (Wube Temechewu &
quantitative technique and measurements of data for buying decision Gebremedhin, 2020)
the variables (pharmaceutical digital marketing, reference (Habash & Al-Dmour,
group effect, brand experience, and consumer purchasing 2020)
62 Narjes Alarsali and Iman Aghaei

Table 2. Reliability test results. Table 3. Correlation test results.

Cronbach’s Cronbach’s Alpha Based N of DM BD BE RG
Construct Alpha on Standardized Items Items DM 1 0.439∗∗ 0.554∗∗ 0.695∗∗
PDM 0.594 0.610 5 BD 0.439∗∗ 1 0.740∗∗ 0.610∗∗
RG 0.754 0.758 5 BE 0.554∗∗ 0.740∗∗ 1 0.669∗∗
RG 0.695 ∗∗ 0.610 ∗∗ 0.669 ∗∗ 1
BE 0.815 0.850 3
BD 0.716 0.750 7 Notes: **: Correlation is significant at the 0.01
Overall 0.858 0.866 20 level (2-tailed), PDM: Pharmaceutical Digital
Marketing, BD: Buying Decision, BE: Brand
Notes: PDM: Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing, BD: Buying
Experience, RG: Reference Groups.
Decision, BE: Brand Experience, RG: Reference Groups

with 20 (12.7%) follow by 36–40 years with 5 (3.2 %) with

Participants
the lowest respondents. And the education level of the par-
The participants for this study were pharmacies’ con- ticipants analysis shows that bachelor’s degree 76 (48.1) as
sumers of the main cities (Famagusta, Nicosia, and Kyre- the highest respondent, master’s degree with 53 (33.5%)
nia) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). One follow by PhD 29 (18.2%) with the lowest respondents’ fre-
Hundred Fifty-Eight customers who completed the online quencies.
surveys from more than 200 links sent with 70 male and 88
female were selected as sample of the study. Hypothesis Testing

The Instrument’s Reliability and Validity Correlation Analysis

A reliability study was conducted to determine the The major research question answered was applied to
response reliability of the items that comprise our vari- check relationship level between pharmaceutical digital
ables. To ensure the internal consistency of the items, a marketing (PDM), reference group (RG), brand experience
reliability study was conducted using Cronbach Alpha’s (BE) and consumer buying decision making of OTC med-
values. Nevertheless, according to Nunnally (1978), only ication (BD). According to (Cohen, 1988), as reported in
the value of Cronbach alpha of 0.70 and above is acceptable (Pallant, 2010, p. 126), values between 0.10 and 0.29 show
for study purpose. Since the analysis results of Cronbach’s a minor correlation, values between 0.30 and 0.49 show a
Alpha value is above >0.7 for all the variables (see Table 2), medium correlation, and values between 0.50 and 1.0 show
the reliability test shows good acceptability of the measure- a strong correlation across variables. The outcomes are in
ment scales used. the Table 3 below:
The validity of this study’s analysis maybe determined A correlation study utilizing the pharmaceutical digi-
by the items used to assess the variables, which were tal marketing correlation coefficient was performed which
obtained from previous instruments. The item utilized as states that there is a statistically significant positive impact
a variable in this research has been used by previous aca- of digital marketing on consumer purchasing decisions for
demics, and the examined literature above, which is based over-the-counter medications. The results of the data anal-
on established theories, establishes its validity (Kathiravan ysis show that there is a positive association at a medium
et al., 2019). level of significance (r = 0.439, p < 0.001). The second
hypothesis shows that there is a statistically medium asso-
ciation between the reference group effect (pharmacist,
ANALYSIS AND EMPIRICAL RESULTS doctor, family, or friend) and the decision of consumers
when it comes to buying over-the-counter medications.
Descriptive Statistics There is a considerably strong and a positive association
between these two factors, according to the results pro-
The data obtained have been analysed using IBM R SPSS R
vided in Table 3 (r = 0.610, p < 0.001). The following
Statistics 25.0. First, the descriptive statistics of all the vari-
hypothesis investigates whether or not there is a posi-
ables is reported. Subsequently, the correlation and regres-
tive association between past experience and the buying
sion outcomes are presented in order to test the hypotheses
of OTC medication by consumers. According to the data,
and discuss the findings. Descriptive statistics and other
there is a positive and strong correlation between these two
techniques have been used to determine critical parame-
variables (r = 0.740, p < 0.001).
ters. The first part of the questionnaire is about a general
question as: gender, age, and level of education. The total
Regression Analysis
figure of both male and female respondents shown that the
female respondents are the highest 88 (55.7%) and the male Regression is a statistical approach that is used to cre-
respondents are 70 (44.3%). The Age of respondents show ate models and assess the connection between dependent
the participants between 20–25 years with 86 respondents and independent variables. Its purpose is to determine the
(54.4%) as the highest, 26–30 years with 47 (29.7%), 31–35 strength of the relationship between two or more variables.
Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications 63

Table 4. Model summary. implies that there was no significant evidence to sup-
Adjusted Std. Error of port H1.
Model R R Square R Square the Estimate In order to test H2, the results (Beta = 0.252,
1 0.757 0.574 0.565 0.426 p-value = 0.003, and t-value = 3.028) show that there
is a positive significant impact of reference group effect
Table 5. ANOVA. (pharmacist, doctor, family or friend) on the decision of
Sum of Mean consumers when it comes to buying OTC drugs. Thus, H2
Model Squares df Square F Sig. is supported.
1 Regression 37.703 3 12.568 69.110 <.001 About H3, the results implies that there is a positive
Residual 28.005 154 .182 significant impact of brand experience on consumer buy-
Total 65.707 157 ing decision making of OTC medicine. Thus, H3 is sup-
ported where Beta value = 0.613, p-value < 0.001, and
Table 6. Coefficients test results. t-value = 8.534.
Unstandardized Standardized According to the regression analysis outcomes, the
Coefficients Coefficients equation is developed as below:
Variable Beta Std. Error Beta t-value Sig.
(Constant) 1.291 0.111 11.598 <0.001 BD = 0.252( RG ) + 0.613 ( BE)
DM 0.057 0.056 0.075 −1.012 0.313
The research hypothesis testing results are summarized
RG 0.222 0.073 0.252 3.028 0.003
in Table 7:
BE 0.416 0.049 0.613 8.534 <0.001
The first hypothesis argued that there is no signifi-
Notes: Dependent variable: BD; PDM: Pharmaceutical
cant relationship between digital marketing and consumer
Digital Marketing, BD: Buying Decision, BE: Brand
Experience, RG: Reference Groups.
buying decision making of OTC drugs and the results of
the data analysis shows a medium correlation between
the two variables. However, (Mekawie and Hany, 2019),
This is accomplished via the use of hypothesis testing (Roblek, 2018) and (Omar and Atteya, 2020) results show
(Ghattas and Al-Abdallah, 2020). A linear regression test that there is significant positive impact of pharmaceutical
was used to find out how changes in the independent vari- digital marketing on consumer buying decision of OTC
ables affected the dependent variables. In regression, one medicines. Moreover, the consumers use digital platforms
or more independent variables may be controlled while as a good source of OTC medicines data.
one or more independent variables can be investigated The second hypothesis was indicating that there is a
in terms of their connection with the dependent variable. significant positive impact of reference group effect (phar-
Regression analysis tested our hypothesis and showed macist, doctor, family, or friend) on the decision of con-
whether the independent research variables (Pharmaceu- sumers when it comes to buying OTC drugs and, in
tical Digital Marketing (PDM), Reference Group (RG) and this study, and the results are supported by data finding
Previous Experience (PE) influence dependent variables of past studies. Several studies (Chan and Tran, 2016b),
(Consumer Buying Decision making of OTC Medication (Habash and Al-Dmour, 2020), and (Wube Temechewu &
(BD)) or not. Gebremedhin, 2020) demonstrate that pharmacist, family,
As shown in Table 4, the ratio R square is 0,574, which and friend recommendations are believed to be among
shows a 57.4 % of the variation of buying decision could be the most critical elements that influence a consumer’s
explained by our independent variables (BE, DM, and RG). decision to purchase an over-the-counter (OTC) medica-
Table 5 as a part on regression analysis which is ANOVA tion. However, according to the findings of this research,
test results, indicates that the regression equation is well- there is a positive association between pharmacist, family,
designed and the selected predictors (pharmaceutical digi- and friend recommendations and the choice to buy
tal marketing (PDM), reference group (RG), previous expe-
rience (PE)) could explain the variation of our dependent Table 7. Summary of research hypothesis test.
variable (consumer buying decision making of OTC medi-
Hypothesis Decision
cation (BD)).
H1: There is a positive significant impact of Rejected
As the significance of the F-statistics was less than 0.05, pharmaceutical digital marketing on consumer
the overall regression model’s ANOVA test showed that it buying decision making of OTC drugs.
was statistically acceptable. H2: There is a positive significant impact of Supported
The coefficient measures how well the regression model reference group effect (pharmacist, doctor,
matches the reported data. The p-value as the depen- family or friend) on the decision of consumers
dent variable to other variables (pharmaceutical digital when it comes to buying OTC drugs.
marketing. Reference group and previous experience). H3: There is a positive significant impact of Supported
According to Table 6 and p-value (0.313) and t-value brand experience on consumer buying decision
(1.012), and Beta values (0.075) the result of this statistics making of OTC medicine.
64 Narjes Alarsali and Iman Aghaei

over-the-counter drugs, where the impact is statistically over-the-counter (OTC) brands among the general public.
significant. They can also enlist the assistance of pharmacists and other
Hypothesis three was to show that a positive impact health-care professionals to help them promote their OTC
of previous experience on consumer buying decision mak- brands among the general public. It also shows that knowl-
ing of OTC medicine which was proved by the analysis of edge with an OTC brand is the most important factor in
the data. Since most people claim they buy the same OTC determining the frequency with which an OTC product
medication over and over again, it’s critical for pharma- is purchased. As a result, OTC brand building and posi-
ceutical businesses that their medication is the first option tioning are the most important aspects of OTC marketing
of the customer in that particular product category, which strategy that should be taken into consideration by the
is supported by the research of (Wube Temechewu and pharmaceutical industry.
Gebremedhin, 2020), (Habash and Al-Dmour, 2020) and
(Rao, 2016). Because almost all customers report that they
often purchase the same over-the-counter medication over
Policy and Strategic Implications
and over again. The most typical reason for this purchase From a policy and commercial standpoint, a number of
pattern is because the customer knows the product works significant consequences for businesses and public author-
and has learned about the product via brand experience. ities may be inferred. In terms of pharmaceutical market-
They also know that the product is a solution to their issue ing, commercials may not be enough to encourage buyers
or meets a need. The same product may be purchased by to purchase branded over-the-counter medication. Digital
some clients because they lack the time or energy to inves- advertising activities, on the other hand, tend to contribute
tigate different possibilities. As a result, brand experience to the larger objective of increasing consumer understand-
has a favourable and considerable impact on consumers’ ing in order for them to make the best choice when
choice to buy over-the-counter medications. purchasing OTC drugs. Increased public awareness as a
The significance digital marketing, reference group consequence of advertising and internet marketing seems
effect (pharmacist, doctor, family or friend) and previous to increase medicine acquisition, which, if continued, may
experience explain consumer buying decision making of contribute in the development of the OTC pharmaceuticals
OTC medicine was confirmed through this study. industry.
When it comes to OTC medication marketing, commu-
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS nity pharmacists, in particular, should be regarded the key
target for promotional campaigns such as new OTC phar-
Conclusion maceutical releases, as well as detailing (direct selling).
Distributors and importers of over-the-counter pharma-
This paper has found connections between pharmaceu- ceuticals may also benefit from focusing on the influence of
tical digital marketing, reference group, previous expe- the brand experience on their products in order to achieve
rience and consumer buying decision that according to competitive advantages and better satisfy the needs of their
the research findings and online survey in the pharma- clients. The reference group for over-the-counter medica-
ceutical OTC medicines marketing in North Cyprus. The tions may also be used in the marketing strategy of OTC
pharmacists believe that digital marketing will increase drug marketers by participating in a variety of promo-
the amount and quality of alternatives available to cus- tional efforts that seek out specialists who deal on a daily
tomers (patients) for obtaining and sharing information on basis with consumers. Because of this, reference groups
over-the-counter medications. New internet innovations must be leveraged in order to minimize perceived con-
necessitate the adoption of new marketing strategies by sumption risks, improve confidence in the product, and
pharmaceutical corporations. The behaviors of users who motivate consumers to make purchases. To enhance con-
are using technological innovations must be taken into con- sumer confidence in a brand and boost purchase intents,
sideration by managers when developing organizational community managers should aid their opinion in obtain-
changes in marketing strategy. ing a greater grasp of goods and the purchasing process, as
The findings of this quantitative study raise new well as encourage them to share their knowledge and shop-
research challenges concerning the influence of the Internet ping experiences with others. This is partly owing to the
and social media marketing on businesses. This is neces- fact that pharmaceutical digital marketing in North Cyprus
sary since current challenges are dynamic in nature and is still not practical at this time.
need urgent action. While the pharmaceutical sector is an
important target for future study, we urge that researchers
go outside the pharmaceutical industry and investigate LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH AND FUTURE
marketing through mobile apps, which people may use STUDIES
throughout the day.
Pharma companies should use appropriate promotional The majority of the respondents are pharmacies’ cus-
and advertisement channels to raise awareness of their tomers who are living in North Cyprus, representing a
Consumer Buying Decision on OTC Medications 65

diverse range of countries and cultural backgrounds. Due I would prefer doing an online purchase of OTC rather than
to COVID-19 pandemic the sample size employed in this going to the pharmacy.
study is limited. It’s possible that the results are con- I would go through various websites and/or online pharmacy
stores to gather more information about the OTC drugs.
strained by factors like population density and geographic
Group effect (pharmacist, doctor, family, or friends
limitations. The limitation may be related to the online dis-
I would discuss with the health expert the web marketed
semination technique of the surveys, and there is no guar- advertising OTC brand that I’d read about or heard about.
antee that all responders are professionals. Future research The pharmacist provides trusted information.
might include a broader sample of participants, not only I would ask the pharmacist for recommendations and educate
from various pharmacy and pharmaceutical industries. For myself about the OTC products.
future investigations, it is suggested that the model be I would advise my family and friend to buy the OTC brand I
expanded to include additional elements and variables. have a good experience with.
Furthermore, this research did not evaluate the influence I would be embarrassed if my friends or family found out I
of demographic variables on OTC medication buying deci- purchased OTC medicines.
sions. As a result, future studies will assess their impact on Brand experience
OTC medication purchases. I would put my confidence in the OTC brand since I have only
As an independent variable, elements such as packag- had positive experiences with it.
I would be willing to pay extra for an over-the-counter brand
ing and the company’s profile were not included in this
with which I have had positive experiences.
research. As a result, additional study may be conducted Based on my experience, I would purchase the OTC brand that
on these factors to determine their impact on the choice will resolve my health issues.
to buy over-the-counter medications. Only Famagusta, Purchase buying decision
Nicosia, and Kyrenia residents who use over-the-counter I would purchase the over-the-counter brand that would
medications were regarded as the target demographic. As resolve my health issue based on what I heard or saw marketed
a result, more research on the same issue will be carried out on digital channels.
in other locations of the nation. I would purchase an over-the-counter brand that my physician
recommended.
I would buy an OTC brand that my doctor trusts.
I would purchase an over-the-counter brand that the
CONFLICT OF INTEREST pharmacist suggests.
I would purchase the OTC brand that my family prefer to buy.
The authors declare that they have no known competing I would purchase the OTC brand that my friends suggest to
financial interests or personal relationships that could have buy.
appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. I would only buy OTC medications that I know or that my
doctor recommends to me.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
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