Factors of Consumer Behavior in the Online Market of Medical Products and Services

In the modern world, the role of the Internet as a means of obtaining various services, including medical ones, is rapidly growing. The object of this study is the market of the provision of medical services via the Internet. The subject is various individual characteristics that are responsible for the characteristics of consumption in the relevant market. In this paper various econometric models are used, including the Heckman method, which allows to solve the problem of non-random selection. Within the framework of the research unique data were collected and analyzed concerning the features of the consumption of medical services via the Internet in the Russian market. Based on the results of the analysis, a number of characteristics of consumers of Internet pharmacy services were revealed: a significant relationship was found with age and a lack of connection was found with education and income. Among the important factors affecting the involvement of the individual in the number of drug buyers via the Internet is the place of his residence. Also, a positive effect was found on the likelihood of buying drugs online through the presence of underage children and relatives who need to purchase medicines. The constructed model showed that the presence of health problems and difficulties in obtaining an Internet order negatively affects the amount of individual consumption of Internet pharmacists. At the same time, a positive connection was found with confidence in the Internet and the difficulty of finding medicines within the place of residence. A significant connection between consumption in the respective markets was not found. For example, the proportion of drug buyers via the Internet is the same, regardless of the number of users of medical applications. Approximate equality of shares is observed when comparing these two markets with online doctor consultations.