Online cattle market getting popular

Qurbani, ever a chore, has become one of the easiest tasks for tech-savvy shoppers in recent years thanks to the advent of online cattle marketplace.

Expatriate Bangladeshis too can partake in the ritual sacrifice without breaking a sweat because of the platform.

Bengal Meat, which started its online cattle business for Eid-ul-Azha four years ago, said they have received a bunch of orders from the UK this time.

“Expatriate Bangladeshis in the Middle East have been purchasing cattle for qurbani using our platform for the last two years,” said Eshita Sharmin, head of sales and marketing at Bikroy.com, the country's biggest online marketplace.

Last year, Bikroy.com got about 50 orders from the Middle East.

“This time, we are expecting more than hundred orders,” she said, adding that Bikroy.com is expecting to sell more than 5,000 cattle this Eid.

Bengal Meat, which is offering the service in big cities, will deliver the cattle to the addresses provided from today for a charge of Tk 4,000. For deliveries two days before Eid the charge would be Tk 7,000.

The qurbani full service includes slaughtering, processing, packaging and delivery of the meat and red offal to the address provided on the second day of Eid. The charge for the service starts at Tk 18,000 and goes up to Tk 22,000 depending on the size of the cow.

The market for online sacrificial animals is getting bigger every year, said HUM Mehedi Sajjad, head of marketing of Bengal Meat, which sold 212 cattle, including 60 full qurbani services, last year.

This Eid, it has sold 450 cattle, including 80 full qurbani services. It shut down the online cattle marketplace for this year yesterday.

“We are not focusing on growth. Rather, we are focusing on customer satisfaction,” Sajjad said.

Other than Bengal Meat and Bikroy.com, there are a number of Facebook pages such as 'Ashen Bebsha Kori' that are catering to the urban population comfortable with the use of the internet, said several experts and retailers.

Palli Sanchay Bank also has introduced a qurbani market on a pilot basis under its e-commerce venture. This year they have posted about 400 cows on their platform.

The practice of selling cattle online ahead of Eid-ul-Azha started in 2012 with the e-commerce site amardesheshop.com.

“When we started this window of opportunity some people were laughing at us. But now this is a reality,” said Ataur Rahman, founder of amardesheshop.com.

Last year, amardesheshop.com had sold 70 sacrificial animals.

It is not providing the service this year though, like Daraz.com.

“This time our anniversary campaign was too close to Eid,” said Shayantani Twisha, public relations and communication manager of Daraz Bangladesh.