E-shopping grows in Islamabad

Vendors say pandemic has changed consumer habits

ISLAMABAD:

With the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) infecting 12,395 people and causing 122 associated deaths in the federal capital, forcing the district authorities to seal 10 localities, the trend of online shopping - a safer alternative - has increased.

While people previously used to order only food or specific items online, they have started to order essential commodities as well.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the shopping patterns across the globe, including in Pakistan, said the owner of a local e-commerce company, adding that people have started shifting from traditional shopping methods to online shopping.

With the lockdown and smart lockdown forcing most markets of the city to close and companies adapting to providing products while following the standard operating procedures (SOPs), he said that it had become an easy decision to order any product online.

Zunaira Akram, a customer living in Islamabad, said that she has resorted to even purchasing her grocery online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She said that this method was far more convenient and safe.

"On the other hand, buying things from the market outside is not considered safe," she added.

Another e-commerce customer Kamran Zahid said that e-commerce sites need to give special offers during the pandemic.

"The delivery of products within two days needs to be faster," he said.

Muhammad Hammad, another consumer, said the pandemic has accelerated the digitisation of shopping as people prefer to shop online instead of going to the markets in addition to using digital payment options instead of cash to minimise the risk of getting infected.

"The online products being sold by different brands were quite expensive and the standard of goods was not up to the mark," he said, adding that this trend has now changed.

Sana, who runs an online grocery store, said that trends surrounding online shopping have changed with more and more people purchasing online due to Covid-19. Moreover, she said that many brick and mortar stores have also started online or at least on-call services to keep serving their customers.