Almost anyone who uses a smartphone is pretty much familiar with online shopping in Pakistan. With the growing use of the Internet online retailers in Pakistan ranging from clothing outlets to mobile phones and home appliances, stores have started to sell their products to the customers. Also, the latest research in 2020 shows that online shopping is increasing at a rapid pace.
According to the State Bank`s recent report, the number of registered e-commerce merchants in Pakistan has increased by 2.6 times. That has resulted in a 2.3 times surge in online transactions over a period of 12 months. However, many experts believe that it is just a start with the potential for massive growth in the future. As per PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) estimation; there are currently 44.61 million internet users and 37 million active social media users in Pakistan. Moreover, It is expected that there will be around 15% to 20% increase in internet users within the next 5 years.
Despite the growing trends of online shopping in Pakistan; there are many challenges faced by both online shopping customers as well as retailers that may hinder growth. However, during the last five years; we have seen quite a few online shopping websites that became a popular choice among online shopping customers. While Amazon and eBay are not present, most of the online shopping websites in Pakistan are struggling to introduce viable business models so customers can shop without any problems.
If you are an internet user, then sooner or later you will come across different products online that you feel like purchasing.
However, a few of the problems that you may face with internet shopping in Pakistan are; products, not the same as described, delay in the delivery of products, poor quality products, unclear return, and refund policies.
Here we have discussed what you should do in order to avoid the problems during online purchasing in Pakistan.
1. Buy from a reputable online shopping store in Pakistan.
No doubt there are cheaters everywhere and the first thing that you should do in order to avoid is buying from a reputable online shopping store in Pakistan. Now the question comes down to which online shopping website is reliable? The answer is if you choose online marketplaces like daraz.pk, goto.com.pk or ishopping.pk then there are individual third-party sellers and each of them may have different reputations and policies. That’s why many customers have bad experiences with such websites. If you choose brand stores like the limelight, Bata, Servis, export leftover or any other branded store. Chances are you will have good customer service experience. It is because these brands have established a well-established business with uniform policies.
2. If you are Unsure Never Pay Upfront for an E-commerce store.
Most of the fraud online shopping sellers will trick you to pay upfront for the products however, you should be aware that if you are unsure never pay upfront. You can alternatively use COD (Cash on Delivery) option.
3. Confirm Order On the Phone.
Most of the online shopping websites in Pakistan will call you to or confirm your order on the phone. In all cases, there will be some sort of confirmation either through email or phone. You should always check whether you have any such phone number where you can get in touch with the company for help in case of any problems.
4. Compare Prices Online.
Everyone is looking for the best deals online in Pakistan, therefore you should not restrict yourself to just one website. Rather you must compare prices of products through different sources. This way you can save a handsome amount of money. In addition to that, it may also help you to get discount deals and sales offer.
5. Always Confirm Delivery Details While Web Shopping.
The delivery for online orders in Pakistan may take several days from the date of your order. It can be assumed that brand stores like good ones may deliver your order quicker than any third party seller who is offering the products through web shopping portals in Pakistan. With good store you can even expect next day delivery within Lahore. Every reliable online shopping store will always inform you about the expected delivery date for your order.
6. Look for Season’s Sale and Discount Offers for Best online Purchasing.
Just like in any other country, you can avail of huge discounts on different products during the sales period. Black Friday Sales, End of Season`s Sale and other types of special days sales online are now frequent in Pakistan. You can always search for better price and sale offers online before placing an order.
Remember! You can easily avoid trouble if you keep above-discussed points in mind while shopping online in Pakistan. It’s all about being cautious, there is no rocket science involved in it.
