Whether you're a first time visitor to our site or a veteran Internet shopper, the staff of WhichDrugstore.com wants you to feel secure with your experiences. Therefore, we have compiled the following questions and answers. If you do not see your question here, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

ABOUT WHICHDRUGSTORE.COM

WhichDrugstore.com is not just another online pharmacy or health store. We are an online (virtual) directory to the best online pharmacies and health stores. We provide reviews and links to a selected group of pharmacies and health stores (called our Selected Stores). Our goal is to provide you with the best, safest, most reliable online pharmacies and health stores so that you may enjoy a safe, simple shopping experience.

Updated - June 3, 2002

Many times, when people are looking for a particular store (whether online or offline), they pose the question with the word which in it. For instance: Which drugstore do you recommend for purchasing prescription medications? Which drugstore offers a good selection of natural products? At which drugstore can I purchase brand name perfumes?

WhichDrugstore.com is basically a shortened version of such questions. And, throughout the site, we provide the answers. We think it makes us pretty unique. Not many websites pose their name in a question form and answer the question right within the site.

WhichDrugstore.com is the first website in our Which family of websites. In April 2002, we launched a sister site, WhichPetstore.com. More Which websites will be researched and coordinated in the future.

Updated - June 3, 2002

No, WhichDrugstore.com is not owned or operated by a pharmacy. We are operated, maintained, and managed by Anakena.com, a leading provider of e-Healthcare and e-Services. We operate independently from the pharmacies and health stores listed in our directory.

Updated - April 26, 2002

No, we do not provide online consultations or sell and distribute prescription medications/ other products. We are an online directory with reviews and links to the best online pharmacies and health stores.

Updated - June 3, 2002

No, the employees of WhichDrugstore.com are not doctors, pharmacists, or beauty consultants. Therefore, we will not dispense medical or beauty advice on the WhichDrugstore.com website or in response to questions sent to us. For safety reasons, please seek medical advice from a licensed healthcare professional (your primary care physician or a licensed pharmacist). The Select Stores in our Prescription Drugs category employ licensed pharmacists. For beauty advice or assistance, we suggest you contact a beauty consultant. Many of the Select Stores in our Beauty & Spa category employ beauty experts and consultants.

Updated - June 4, 2002

WHICHDRUGSTORE.COM - GENERAL

Yes, we publish and distribute the WhichDrugstore.com newsletter where we inform you on a periodic basis of the best deals and specials of our Selected Stores. Newsletter registration is optional. Register by submitting your e-mail address in the space provided in the left-hand navigation bar. Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, either directly on the site or when you receive one of our newsletters.

Please be assured that WhichDrugstore.com operates independently from our Select Stores. As such, we will not release, give, offer, sell, trade, lend, or rent your e-mail address with these sites or any other third party. For further assurance, please read our Privacy Policy.

Updated - April 29, 2002

Our contact information is detailed in Contact Us. We are anxious to hear your thoughts, questions, comments, and feedback. We are striving to be your best resource for the online purchasing of your personal care and wellness products. Your feedback may help us improve our site and services.

Updated - April 26, 2002

As we are eager for you to return to our site, the team of WhichDrugstore.com will respect your rights to privacy. Any information submitted to us will be held in the strictest of confidence; we guarantee that we will not release, give, offer, sell, trade, lend, or rent your information to any other party. We cannot, however, be held responsible for the privacy policies of other sites connected to our site, nor does our policy apply to other sites. For a better understanding of our guarantee to protect your privacy, please read our detailed Privacy Policy.

Updated - April 29, 2002

SELECT STORES

The terms "Select Store" and "Selected Store" refer to the selection of pharmacies and health stores that we have chosen to list in WhichDrugstore.com. The criteria we used to determine our Selected Stores was: website navigation, customer service, privacy, secure ordering, and product range, availability, versatility, and prices. Using this criterion as a basis, we will continue to research online pharmacies and health stores to ensure that our Select Stores consist only of the best. Our Select Stores are stores that we, ourselves, shop at as well.

Updated - June 12, 2002

While conducting our research of online pharmacies and health stores, we discovered some specialty stores with a department or portion of their website devoted to personal care and wellness. The product ranges offered in these specialty stores differ from the normal product ranges of pharmacies and drug stores. By reviewing such specialty stores and including them in our directory, we have reviewed for you a more versatile selection of stores. After all, not everyone is looking for the everyday, run-of-the-mill vitamins, lotions, or hair products.

Updated - April 29, 2002

ONLINE SHOPPING

Feelings of concern for your security while shopping online are only natural, especially if you are a first time Internet shopper. Truth be told, there are both secure sites and insecure websites. For this reason, secure ordering is one of the criteria in determining our Selected Stores.

The Selected Stores in our directory utilize the latest encryption software - an industry standard secure sockets layer (SLL) technology and 128-bit security encryption. Such technology prohibits the interception and decoding of information sent during online transactions.

Please read the detailed privacy policies of our Selected Stores to calm even further your fears of purchasing online. For your safety, we recommend that any online purchases outside of our Selected Stores be done only at reputable sites with the latest encryption software.

One final note - E-mail is not encrypted and therefore, is not considered a secure means of transmitting credit card numbers. This means that purchasing online is, in fact, a more secure means of purchasing than via your personal e-mail!

Updated - June 4, 2002

We, at WhichDrugstore.com, feel there is an endless list of reasons - both direct and indirect - for purchasing over the Internet.

1. Purchasing via the Internet is convenient.

DIRECT - Since the Internet is open 24 hours a day, your Internet purchases can be done any time of day AND from any computer - place an order 9:00 am Monday morning from your work computer, or 2:00 am Saturday morning from the comfort of your own home. In fact, you can place an order in pajamas and a mud mask without anyone knowing!

DIRECT - For out-of-stock products, most websites will ship the product to you as soon as possible, without your having to pay a return visit to the site. With an offline store, you would have to return to the store to pick up the item.

2. You can save time.

DIRECT - Between work, family, social outings, relax time, and, life, in general, time is valuable, and saving it, even more so. Who wouldn't want more hours in the day to get everything done? Purchasing via the Internet can save you from having to get dressed, driving to the mall, searching 45 minutes for parking, entering the store, searching for the products you need, waiting in line 1 hour to pay, etc.

3. You can experience improvements in your physical and mental well-being.

INDIRECT - Getting dressed, driving to the mall, searching 45 minutes for parking, entering the store, searching for the products you need, waiting in line 1 hour to pay, etc, can cause stress, headaches, and frustration for numerous shoppers. Internet purchases can indirectly free you from this unwanted stress, headaches, and frustration.

4. Sometimes, you can save money.

DIRECT - Many websites offer products at prices below retail cost and most have some type of sales/clearance section. Some also offer and accept coupons. Still, others offer bulk discounts on large quantity orders or free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

INDIRECT - If you are experiencing less headaches and frustration from stress, you may spend less on medicines!

5. You will find a great selection of products.

DIRECT - Websites offer the same large selection and variety of products that an offline store offers.

6. If you don't like what you get, you can return it.

DIRECT - Most online stores instill return policies similar to that of an offline store.

7. And, our favorite reasons…

DIRECT - Large, bulky items, and gifts for family and friends, can be delivered directly to the doorstep; awards programs that provide you with increased savings, free gifts, sample products, special treatment; and an automatic re-order option.

The reasons are endless. We believe that purchasing over the Internet is a good thing.

Updated - June 4, 2002

It can be. Many websites, including some of our Selected Stores, offer one or a combination of the following:

While we cannot guarantee, monetary wise, that all of the products you purchase online will be cheaper, we do know that the monetary value of the product is not the only factor to consider. You must take into consideration that time is money, and by purchasing over the Internet, you save yourself valuable time (which indirectly translates into money).

Updated - June 4, 2002

Yes, many websites do offer rewards programs. As with credit cards and airline companies, the reward programs are specific for each website. With some sites, the more you purchase, the more you save, others give you points or dollars redeemable for future purchases. If one of our Selected Stores has an established Awards Program, it will be indicated on their Store Details page. We have listed Awards Program underneath the Customer Service section of Website Features.

Updated - June 4, 2002

At first, it may seem frustrating to register with a website. But, when you take into consideration the pluses to registering or having your account with a site, it can be worthwhile.

The main plus is the convenience. Registering and obtaining a user name will automatically retrieve your name, address, and shipping information each time you log into the site. As a result, you can benefit from one of more of the following - express check-out, quick-buy option, automatic reorder, items retained in your shopping basket for a certain time period with no obligation to purchase, and a history log of the purchases you've made. Any combination of these benefits allows you a faster, more convenient way to shop.

Secondly, some websites offer special sales, discounts, and deals to registered members. Such sales, discounts, and deals are not offered to non-registered members.

Thirdly, registering with a website allows you the option to receive the site's newsletter informing you of new products and promotions.

Lastly, some websites require personal accounts for their Referral Program. With this program, you may receive credit towards future purchases when you refer a friend or family member to the site. Credit is added to your account if and when the referred person makes a purchase at the site. The referred customer must enter the e-mail address of your personal account in order for you to redeem the credit.

In most cases, website registration is free. Some websites have an optional registration process; others require you to register prior to finalizing your website purchase.

Prior to registering with any website, we encourage you to read the site's official privacy policy.

Updated - May 3, 2002

PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES

Yes, you can purchase medicines over the Internet. Literally, hundreds of sites sell medicines - prescription and non-prescription medicines for both humans, and animals! Unfortunately, many of them fail to protect your security and privacy. For this reason, we decided to research and investigate online pharmacies and health stores to find the safest and most reliable.

To view the Selected Stores in our Prescription Drugs category, please click here.

Updated - June 12, 2002

Well, not always, but it can be. If there should be any concern with purchasing online, it should lie in the purchasing of prescription drugs and medication, both for humans and animals. Our recommendation of making all your online purchases from a reliable, secured site is especially important in the case of prescription drugs. The online pharmacy you purchase your prescription drugs and medication from should possess the proper licensing to sell medication in your State, employ U.S. licensed pharmacists, and sell only U.S. FDA approved medications. We work closely with numerous reliable online pharmacies, for humans and animals, that sell prescription and non-prescription medicines. To view the Selected Stores in our Prescription Drugs category, please click here.

Updated - June 12, 2002

Simply stated - no. Websites that sell prescription drugs and medications, whether for humans or animals, require valid prescriptions. The sale will not be completed without proper authorization. Some sites will accept a faxed prescription directly from you, others from the prescribing doctor (or veterinarian). Still, others will conduct an online consultation for you. (This option, however, is not available for animals). After reviewing your completed application and medical history, a licensed doctor will determine whether or not they may prescribe to you a prescription medication.

Prior to ordering prescription drugs online, we suggest that you read and understand the policy regarding prescription requirements of the pharmacy from whom you will be purchasing.

Updated - June 12, 2002

ONLINE PHARMACIES

Online pharmacies and online clinics are similar in that they sell and provide information on prescription medicines.

An online pharmacy is licensed to sell and distribute U.S. FDA approved prescription drugs and medicines. They are located in the US and employ US licensed pharmacists, doctors, and veterinarians. They do not conduct online consultations and require a valid prescription from a licensed health care professional in order to complete the sale.

An online clinic also sells and distributes prescription drugs. They do not require a valid prescription from a licensed health care professional as they will conduct an online consultation. A licensed doctor will review your medical history and determine if you may or may not safely take the prescription medicine you are seeking.

Updated - June 21, 2002

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot guarantee the quality or the identity of prescription medicines purchased from non-U.S. based online pharmacies or clinics. U.S. manufacturing controls and approval procedures differ from those of other countries and the purchase of medicines from online pharmacies and clinics outside the US may be a serious risk to your health. In support of the FDA, we cannot recommend that you purchase medicines from non-U.S. based online pharmacies or clinics.

Updated - June 12, 2002

The VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) certification, granted by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), is received by an online pharmacy when they show compliance with the licensing and inspection requirements of their state and to each state they dispense pharmaceuticals to. Pharmacies who have achieved a VIPPS seal have respected the patients' rights to privacy, authentication and security of prescription orders, adhered to a recognized quality assurance policy, and provided a meaningful consultation between patients and pharmacists. Pharmacies may apply for the certification.

A VIPPS hyperlink seal is displayed on the websites of those pharmacies that have been granted certification. By clicking on the seal, a visitor is linked to the NABP VIPPS site where verified information about the pharmacy is maintained.

Updated - June 12, 2002

REIMBURSEMENT

Some online pharmacies and medical supply sites do work with and accept health insurance from major insurance companies. If one of our Selected Stores does work with health insurance, it will be indicated on the Store Details page; we have listed Insurance Plans underneath the Reimbursement section of Website Features. As our Select Stores operate independently from one another, they may maintain different working relationships with different insurance plans. Therefore, it is best to obtain detailed information on health insurance reimbursement from the website of the Select Store.

Updated - June 12, 2002

Some online pharmacies and medical supply sites do accept Medicaid. If one of our Selected Stores does accept Medicaid, it will be indicated on the Store Details page. We have listed Medicaid underneath the Reimbursement section of Website Features. More detailed information may be obtained from the Select Store's website.

Updated - June 12, 2002

End of FAQ´s