5 min read
While e-commerce has become a regular part of life in developed countries, its roots are only now beginning to develop in countries like Pakistan. The year 2013 was a big year for e-commerce in China and in Pakistan there are many who are trying to establish digital channels for shopping and consumer facilitation. Over the years we have seen many small startups that focused on online marketing and selling of their products become popular among the masses via social media. There is no reason why Pakistan can’t take part in tomorrow’s digital future.
True, we still don’t have a big e-retailer along the lines of Amazon and eBay but there are individuals businesses who are working hard to take business to the digital sites so that they can reach a wider market and facilitate more consumers. Some of these businesses have been mentioned on our blog before but here is a list of the prominent members that are determined to open the road to e-commerce in Pakistan.
Looking for something to eat?
The famous quote should be amended to ‘The way to a Pakistani’s heart is through his/her stomach’. We love food and internet caters to the demand. Not only are there online restaurant rating websites like TossDown and Olaround, websites like Urbanite and FoodPanda are a great idea if you want to order something from your favorite restaurant and can’t be bothered to get off your comfortable couch.
Other services like RoadRunner also deliver food right to your doorstep and make life so much easier.
Want a good book to read to make the holidays less boring?
There are a few, choice websites in Pakistan that cater to the oh so many ‘avid readers’ we have on Twitter. Jokes apart, these online sites are a great place to search and order books you want to read and have them delivered right to your doorsteps. The main names include Kitabain.com and LibertyBooks. Another venture Kitab.com.pk launched this month and intends to provide high end English and Urdu books for the readers.
Add something to your tech collection
Whether you are looking to buy a new mobile or a tablet, cool 3D glasses and a good pair of headphones, there are two big online websites that will get you what you need: Symbios.pk and HomeShopping.pk. Both these websites have a large collection of tech gadgets as well as arrange of home appliances. They also stock the various accessories. They are even good for window shopping right from your home: all those beautiful, shiny gadgets…
Online Shopping Experience
A lot of brands have taken to selling online so that if you want to buy something, all you have to do is open the website in your browser. Among the top sellers is Daraz.pk, a website that caters to your needs. From Kurtas to branded clothing, from wrist watches to sports shoes, you can get what you are looking for.
Labelsestore.com is a great platform if you are looking to buy outfits from outstanding Pakistani designers. Another startup, hometownshoes.com is worth mentioning here. The company sells high quality, hand stitched, premium leather shoes made in Pakistan.
Real Estate buying and selling
Like other fields, real estate buying and selling is also launching digital avenues for interested buyers. There are a few key sellers in the digital market but the trend is catching on with many people realizing the immense potential of e-commerce. Zameen.com and lamudi.pk are places where you can go to find the best property in the town of your choice. These websites also allow agents to list themselves on the website thereby further facilitating the buyers and sellers. Lamudi.pk for example gives a complete listing of the houses available for buying which includes their price, characteristics and property description, simplifying the process of property searching.
Online Buying and Selling
Apart from websites that deal with niche markets or in specific areas like clothing and gadgets, there are some great websites in Pakistan that support online buying and selling. You can find almost anything you are looking for in these websites. There is Carmudi.pk which is an online vehicle marketplace. You can place your advert or buying from the misting. Another similar website is PakWheels.com which deals in buying and selling of cars, nationwide. 24adverts.pk supports swapping goods in addition to buying and selling. The site features a variety from automobiles to mobile and accessories. OLX.com.pk is a name well known, thanks to the interesting adverts and a great online market place for shopping.
These are only some of the websites that are attempting to meet the demand of a nation that is slowly growing more tech-savvy. There are millions of people using smartphones in the country and the average user is beginning to look online for shopping, especially when it comes to gadgets. Given the internet user base in Pakistan, it is safe to say that e-commerce portals are growing and we can hope to see many more in future.
