CPAP.com Announces CPAP Consumer Product Preference Reports

May 31, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Health News
Houston, Texas (May 31st 2006) — CPAP.com announces that it has begun publishing CPAP Consumer Preference reports containing brand market share and product strength data. Reports will be published weekly throughout the current quarter. Past quarters will be archived and commented on by CPAP.com management. Data can be viewed in table or line graph formats. Product trends can be tracked from Q3 2005 until present.

To view the CPAP Consumer Product Preference Reports, please visit:

http://www.cpap.com/cpap-user-preference.php

This is the first time reports indicating CPAP consumer purchasing preferences have been made public. Analysts, stock holders, manufacturers and sleep disorder patients have all expressed a need for this data.

CPAP.com represents the free market, "cash for product" model of CPAP distribution. When CPAP.com customers make purchases, they effectively vote with their dollars and in so doing act as an effective gauge of true consumer preference and possible future trends.

In the traditional United States CPAP distribution model, local providers dispense CPAP equipment to patients in exchange for insurance reimbursement. A combination of prescribing physicians and CPAP manufacturers offering attractive pricing usually determines which products patients will receive. As insurance reimbursement rates are set by contract, but lower quality equipment is cheaper, providers stand to gain when basic equipment is dispensed to the patient. This practice, combined with the consolidation of local providers into nation wide healthcare companies with exclusive insurance and manufacturer contracts, leads to patient frustration and poor compliance rates.

Johnny Goodman, General Manager of CPAP.com discussed the release of CPAP.com sales numbers saying, "our company is aware that releasing closely held sales data is not standard practice but customers want to know what is popular. These reports are a natural extension of CPAP.com’s core business, which is serving the consumer driven CPAP market."

CPAP.com is the world’s largest online retailer of CPAP equipment. In addition to vending products, they provide free consumer preference reports, mask sizing guides, CPAP compare charts, an extensive FAQ section, and the cpaptalk.com CPAP user online community. The toll free CPAP.com helpline can be reached from 8 AM – 10 PM CST at 1-800-356-5221.

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