Rite Aid-drugstore.com OTC site

Executive Summary

Drugstore.com will host an online Rite Aid OTC store slated to launch this year, the companies say Sept. 4. Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid will receive rights to all Rx drugs ordered online for in-store pickup and will pay drugstore.com $10 million. "Having our own online OTC store and being able to market directly" to the pharmacy chain's customer base "is an important next step in our digital strategy," says Rite Aid Chief Operating Officer Rob Easley. Dawn Lepore, CEO of Bellevue, Wash.-based drugstore.com, says she expects increased sales as "Rite Aid will develop marketing programs to drive traffic to the new site." The e-retailer's 2007 net sales, announced in February, were below expectations due to increased marketing costs (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 11, 2008, In Brief)