The Problems of the Distribution Channel of Herbal Medicine from the Consumers’ Viewpoint: A Qualitative Research

Distribution channel is one of the most important elements in each value chain. Plants also have tremendous importance in the treatment of diseases. The necessity of this research was weakness in the supply and distribution of these drugs, and lack of articles in the field of marketing and distribution of herbal medicines. The purpose of this study was to identify the problems of the distribution system of herbal medicines from the perspective of consumers. In this qualitative study, by using qualitative content analysis method, the problems in distribution channel of herbal medicine were identified. By judgmental sampling method, 40 herbal medicine users subjected to semi-structured interviews. After extracting the codes and identifying the factors, in the next stage, the frequency and percentage of responses were determined. The lack of scientific advertisement, unavailability of products in pharmacies, not being prescribed by the physicians, uncertainty about their effectiveness, lack of satisfaction with the Ittars, and high cost of these drugs were the main problems from consumers’ viewpoints. The results of this study can be useful for manufacturers, distributors of herbal medicines, and pharmacies; based on consumer’ needs and problems, they can try to improve the relationship with their consumers, which leads to the profitability of the companies.