Cashless convenience with online retailers
From the comfort of home, shopping has become more simplified with just a few clicks of a button. Online shopping has opened many doors for new entrepreneurs, in addition to making shopping more seamless with an assortment of unique products. Cashless payment is the cherry on top that enhances the experience further. The Eid special offers and discounts add sprinkles to the mixture, attracting more customers leaning towards online shopping this Eid.
In preparation for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, online retailers are gearing up to deliver a wide range of products. Same-day delivery, cash-on-delivery, and easy returns are just a few of the cutting-edge features facilitated by e-commerce and f-commerce platforms. They have also partnered with banks and mobile financial service (MFS) providers to provide incentives like discounts, cashback facilities, and buy-one-get-one (BOGO) offers for paying with cards or MFS apps.
For example, Daraz has started its online Eid shopping festival with a large array of products, including fashion items, personal and beauty care products. Customers can choose from more than 3,000 local and international brands on Daraz and avail up to 70 per cent discount and up to 20 per cent cashback and bank discounts with selected bank cards and mobile wallets. And all of these can be ordered hassle-free with delivery options across the country.
Another e-commerce platform, Pickaboo, has partnered with bKash, Nagad, Brac Bank, and EBL for cashback offers on their products while also partnering with 32 banks for equated monthly installment facilities.
The f-commerce platforms are not far behind, with various offers in line. For instance, several online shops, including Antorborn, Fabrilife, and Gootipa, are offering up to 20% instant cashback with bKash payment.
While roaming around physical stores, one could only explore a handful of collections available around the area without draining themselves. But an exciting aspect of online shops is that they have eliminated the barriers of the traditional brick-and-mortar model and brought diverse options to choose from while sitting on your couch.
A common struggle during Eid shopping is finding the perfect fit for kids. There are scarcely any local brands catering to children, making it a challenge for parents. To address this gap, Fayeka Zabeen Siddiqua came up with the idea of Shishu Poribohon when she was struggling to find comfortable onesies for her newborn during the pandemic and decided to produce her own. An initiative that started in her home with a small Facebook community group has now blossomed into a team with investors and their manufacturing setup.
"Online platforms give a sense of confidence to start with small steps even if you don't have much investment. The customer reach is vast, as it also reaches global audiences," says Fayeka, Co-founder and Head of Design, Shishu Poribohon. With the goal of establishing a children-focused local brand, Shishu Poribohon has launched its Eid collection, which is available on its Facebook page, and they have different cashless payment facilities.
Despite the convenience of online shopping, trust remains an issue for many. The first purchase is always a gamble, but once the customer is sure of the quality, it doesn't take much to get a repeat order. Gorur Ghash, an online clothing and apparel store, started its journey with gaining customers' trust as its first goal. On that quest, they launched a campaign called 'Trial and Exchange' where customers were able to try the products at their homes free of cost.
"I believe smooth customer service is essential when it comes to curating buyer-seller rapport. Customers' purchase habits are changing gradually, mainly because of COVID-19, as many people tried online shopping for the first time during the period," says Nahiyan Naser, Founder and Managing Director of Gorur Ghash.
Besides delivering high-quality products at 'ghash' speed, various incentives for cashless transactions make the whole process, including delivery, lucrative and hassle-free. On the occasion of Eid, Gorur Ghash is offering a 10% cashback on bKash payments and 15% cashback on specific bank cards. They have also introduced a "Buy Now, Pay Later" campaign where customers can get any of their products at 0% interest EMI on purchases over BDT 5000 with their credit cards.
Between the hustle and bustle of life during Ramadan, online shopping can be a blessing as you can enjoy stress-free shopping, and with cashless payment and numerous offers, the only work left is choosing your desired items.