Online shopping, free of the hazard of long bargaining at malls and waiting in traffic jam on roads, is gaining momentum especially in the capital and other major cities of the country ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr. Since the advent of internet in the country, the traditional way of shopping at marketplaces started being replaced by online shopping. Today when internet has become an inseparable part of our daily life, the trend has not only gained popularity among the consumers, but also among the traditional businessmen who are being attracted to the system in numbers.
Consumers who are preferring online platforms to marketplaces said it saves time as well as helps avoiding traffic chaos and other hazards in the busy life of city dwellers. Besides, they argued, online shops are also giving various offers and discounts on certain products to attract buyers. “But, to get the best quality of products and outfits consumers need to know a little the product size and brand,” they said.
Mentionable, the online shopping or electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce, is an online-based business platform where buying and selling products or services are performed over the internet through computer networks. According to e-commerce statistics, at present the country has more than 1000 websites and 8000 Facebook pages directly involved in selling products online, contributing hugely to boosting country’s economy as well as e-commerce.
Every day around 30,000 deliveries are being made across the country which means 5-6 lakh parcels delivered per month by online traders. Abdul Wahed, general secretary of e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-Cab) said nowadays people mostly depend on online platform for shopping. Though on average around 30,000 parcels are delivered per day, at present, due to the upcoming Eid, the number has jumped to 45,000.
According to Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), more than 13,00,000 people of the country now shop through online, making transactions worth Tk 200 crore annually. Mentionable, due to increasing popularity of online shopping, the country’s local popular brands like Aarong, Yellow, Le Reve, Sailor, Cats Eye, Easy and many others have also introduced online shopping besides their existing showrooms. Owners of those popular brands said they are having good response at online platforms also.
Country’s leading online shopping platform Daraz Bangladesh is presently holding the Daraz Eid Shopping Fest- 2019 which will continue till June 9. Under this campaign Daraz is offering up to 70 percent discount. While connected Daraz officials told the Bangladesh Post: “Our sales order has increased by 1.5 to 2 times more. Before the start of Ramadan, we received 20,000 orders per day which have jumped to 30,000 to 35,000 per day at present.”
In reply to a query over the problems of online shopping, they said, “If any kind of problem arises, customer can easily return goods through app.” “We have a dedicated team working continuously to solve such problems. We take back the products totally free of cost. As per customer's wish, we either refund or send products again. If the product is within the range of Tk 300, in some cases, we even refund and send the product again,” they added.
Another online platform Bagdoom is also offering up to 75 percent discount on purchase. Bagdoom chief executive officer, Mirajul Huq told Bangladesh Post: “Our Eid collection has all types of standard products. We have offers on products of fashion, electronics, and mobile phones. During Eid, people not only ask for more offers but they also want on-time delivery. In this case, we are always aware and ahead from the others.”
E-valley is also offering 20 percent discount and getting huge response than other days. According to E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (E-Cab) data, over Tk 1,800 crore (about $225 million) has so far been transacted in the sector.
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