Online shopping trends are significantly gaining popularity with the emergence of latest technologies and a growing rate of tech-savvy users in Pakistan. Businesses and market vendors are looking for a wider range of customers and certainly a global market now, with the internet. Therefore, businesses are being strategized to attract national as well as international traffic. Shopping trends are changing, of course. The question is, do the masses shop online in Pakistan ?
Initially, when online shopping in Pakistan took a practical shape, people had insecurities related to quality, affordability and delivery of the products they were purchasing online. The virtual side of trade appeared vulnerable to many for different reasons. Local businesses were not investing in their web presence on a large scale also because of the limited clients online. It was not seen viable for businesses to invest online when they believed the outcome was slightly lower than the desired goal in terms of return. However, with the advent of social media, things have certainly taken a turn and so have advertising and business strategies.
Why do People Shop Online Now?
It is now much easier to simply surf the web to buy the desired shopping items online while sitting at home or office, as opposed to going through the hassle of going the conventional way taking a look at all the different outlets till you land on the right one. Online shopping portals receive a huge traffic everyday, which is setting new trends for businesses to grow in Pakistan. Contrary to previous business models, now every company pays serious attention to online presence and advertising. It is because of this approach that has made people to comfortably trust buying products online in Pakistan. Even those people, who are not very active on the web are getting accustomed to online shopping.
This has not happened overnight, it took quite some time and effort to smartly market and engage users to online portal of local businesses. We now see a long list of successful new online shopping ventures as well as the well-known popular brands. These online shops are actively present and have been entertaining their audience with interactive packages and discounted deals. And the way this market is headed, with 3G around the corner, Pakistan is very likely to generate attractive revenues with an immense growth in online businesses in 2014.
Interactive Marketing Strategies and Customer Services
There are several online shopping portals and they are all are unique in their approach towards the customers. Daraz, DealToday, Tohfay, LootLo, FoodPanda, ShopHive and several other popular fashion brands like Bonanza, Khaadi, JJ ( Junaid Jamshed) have their functional virtual shops online. These brands have already made an impact which is attracting other vendors to collaborate with them. New deals posted on these websites also marketed on several other social media platform have bridged the gap between customers and online shopping portals.
The web layout is impressive; customer service is always available; and there are also customizable search options which make it rather feasible for buyers who browse and experiment. The factor that is more interesting is the social media strategy these online shops have adopted – they do not only provide details of a particular sale on their social media pages, a peek in the mind of the customers and their psychology is also understood by them and average user that could be a potential customer in the future.
What’s Good for Business?
Online platforms are remarkably helping businesses in terms of achieving better clientele as well as making a remarkable impression in the market. Online platforms, combined with effective marketing, result in instant popularity and it is extremely cost effective as compared to traditional modes of advertisements using billboards and newspapers. Users can have instant access to online shops which results in immediate sales once the site is renowned and gains trust on a wider scale.
Besides, it is also profitable owing to the collaboration with other vendors who approach a particular website considering the amount of traffic it receives. ‘LootLo’ features luring deals offered by various popular brands. The products do not only sell on its site, but also markets other brands by including them in the packages offered. FoodPanda, on the other hand, does the same thing for the food industry. You can order any dish from the list of restaurants mentioned on the website. ‘Tohfay’ gives you a chance to send gifts to your loved ones. In addition, top of the line fashion labels of well renowned designers and brands are now available online, making it easier for customers to browse, decide and eventually buy these products.
Future of Online Businesses
Online businesses are strengthening roots in local urban areas but with more active online users, these businesses will extend their branches to other towns as well. Moreover, the growing number of sales and direct feedback from customers is shaping the industry in the right direction. In coming years, with more competition, shopping online will be even more interactive because of increased market competition.
