E-commerce has shown an impressive increase in the last couple of years in Pakistan. From a point when the idea of receiving a mobile phone at your doorstep seemed impossible, even absurd, we have come to realize the potential that such a business model possesses. No one could have thought that ordering clothes, books, electronics, and other household items online could have been possible. But today, it seems to have become the most preferred medium of shopping.
The trend of online shopping has increased due to the widespread availability of the Internet. As more and more people are provided with access to better networking and communication, there is a general increase in the purposes for which the Internet is being used.
Whereas in earlier days the internet was used to send or receive emails from places and people across the globe, now it is also used to conduct transactions and shop for products. This has given a major incentive to business owners to develop their businesses online, as the internet gives them a free platform to market their businesses effectively, reaching out to an audience that numbers millions.
E-commerce appeals to a majority of consumers due to its manifold advantages. The first and foremost advantage is that it is convenient. There is no easier way to shop for your favorite items than sitting at home, browsing e-stores on the internet, and selecting the product that you like best. What makes the whole process easier and faster is the fact that detailed descriptions along with high-quality pictures almost always accompany the list of products.
This gives you a real feeling of the product. Sometimes, comprehensive reviews are also given, thus providing you with a know-how of the experience of using a particular item. Not only this, shopping online lets you take advantage of the numerous discounts and sales that are going on around the year. Such benefits are absent when you are physically shopping in retail stores.
A major factor in propelling e-commerce forward in Pakistan has been the interest that foreign investors have shown in this arena. Realizing the potential of developing web-based stores in a country like Pakistan, along with the fact that Pakistan is slowly catching up with global internet trends, foreign investors are targeting this population that is still getting used to the internet. Rocket Internet is one such venture that has invested significantly to develop e-stores in Pakistan.
Businesses like kaymu.pk, daraz.pk, and lamudi.pk are revolutionizing the way shopping is conducted in this country. Although people in Pakistan are still a little skeptical about making monetary transactions online, the Cash on Delivery (CoD) model seems to have worked in convincing people to buy online. As it is, e-commerce is new but spreading rapidly in Pakistan.
