Free tool · DIF vertical
Pharmacy margin calculator
How much does it really cost to serve a pharmacy? In 90 seconds: enter your fleet parameters and get annual cost-to-serve, margin eroded on the 3.65% wholesaler margin, break-even basket and sensitivity on alternative frequencies. Designed for Italian pharmaceutical intermediate wholesalers.
Pharmacy parameters
Fleet parameters (editable)
Annual result
€ 0
Cost-to-serve breakdown
Sensitivity on frequencies
Annual net margin keeping basket and parameters equal, varying only the weekly frequency.
| Deliveries/week | Cost-to-serve | Net margin |
|---|
Want to redo the calculation on your real data? Three months of POD and telematics loaded into the Optivo platform return the model calibrated on your fleet, pharmacy mix and geography.
Talk to our DIF teamHow to read the results
The "Profitable" verdict appears when the annual net margin is positive: the gross margin produced by the pharmacy exceeds the cost-to-serve. The pharmacy pays for its place in the route.
The "Marginal" verdict appears when net margin is between -20% and +20% of cost-to-serve. It's the grey zone where small adjustments (frequency, basket, cluster recomposition) can shift the balance.
The "Structurally loss-making" verdict appears when the pharmacy erodes margin structurally. Four concrete alternatives: reduce frequency, increase basket with additional services (parapharmacy, dermocosmetics, veterinary), move the pharmacy to a more efficient route, or renegotiate conditions.
The break-even basket is the minimum basket the pharmacy should reach to break even, keeping all other parameters equal. If break-even is very far from the current basket (e.g. double or more), the basket lever alone is not enough — frequency or cluster need to be touched.
The sensitivity on frequencies shows how net margin changes by varying only weekly frequency. The biggest jump is often between 1 and 2 deliveries/week: the first delivery has a significant fixed cost (fuel + driver), the next ones are incremental but gross margin also grows linearly.
Continue reading
Article
Cost-to-serve of a pharmacy: the real margin of pharmaceutical wholesalers
The step-by-step model, the three typical scenarios (urban, suburban, rural), the Logital case.
Pillar
Pharmaceutical logistics: optimising fixed routes without losing optimality
The reference on the "optimisation + simulation" model for pharmaceutical intermediate distributors.
Vertical
Optivo for pharmaceutical intermediate distribution
The page dedicated to the DIF vertical: the five operational pain points Optivo addresses, client cases, tools.
KPI
The 7 fundamental KPIs for every fleet manager
For DIF, cost-to-serve KPIs are added to the six fleet standards. Which ones, with what cadence.
Frequently asked questions
How is cost-to-serve of a pharmacy calculated for a pharmaceutical wholesaler?
Cost-to-serve = (marginal km × consumption × diesel price + delivery time × hourly driver cost + fleet costs + warehouse costs) × annual frequency. Compared with gross margin (basket × annual frequency × margin%) it gives the pharmacy net margin.
Which margin % should I use in the calculator?
The standard margin for Italian pharmaceutical wholesalers is 3.65% (3% base + 0.65% additional margin introduced by the 2025 Italian Budget Law). For generics, after the TAR Lazio ruling of 9 February 2026, the 0.65% does not apply: use 3%.
Are calculator results accurate?
The calculator returns a realistic order of magnitude (typical error 5-15% vs accounting actuals) with reasonable parameters on Italian DIF sector averages. For a calculation personalised on your fleet real data, three months of POD and telematics loaded into the Optivo platform return the calibrated model.
This calculator is a preliminary analysis tool based on standard Italian DIF sector parameters. It returns an order of magnitude useful for the initial conversation; it does not replace operational analysis on your company's real data. For a model personalised on three months of POD and telematics, talk to our team.