Covid-19 restrictions boost online shopping
A man looks at a Chinese online store's website on his smartphone in Beijing on November 11, 2017. China's smartphone masses splurged billions of dollars in an e-commerce bonanza on November 11 as consumers rushed to snap up bargains on "Double 11", billed as the world's biggest one-day online shopping festival. PHOTO: AFP
The coronavirus lockdown and other related restrictions imposed over the past year boosted online shopping and created job opportunities for youth in the sector.
A large number of youngsters were employed for delivery services, which not only provided jobs to youth but also increased sale of different products.
Fast food outlets, hotels, shopkeepers and women entrepreneurs started online sale of their products by signing agreements with private delivery companies and creating pages on social media platforms.
A large number of youngsters started jobs of delivery boy by using their motorcycles for food points and other businesses and many others joined courier services and private product delivery services.
A fast food point owner named Mohsin Ali said that more than 30 youth were attached with his business as delivery boys.
He said that they were not only getting salary from him but also earning a handsome amount through tip and commission on each delivery.
He further said that due to ban on dining in restaurants during coronavirus, the sale of fast food items had increased and the delivery boys played a vital role in sale by delivering orders in time.
A professional cook named Sumera Ajmal stated that she had started sale of home cooked food items during the coronavirus lockdown and earned a handsome income through the limited business.
She claimed that most of the employed people preferred home cooked food instead of fast food.
She said that she had made an agreement with a private food delivery service and also started using social media to increase her sales.
Sumera added that she was receiving 35 to 42 orders on a daily basis, which helped her earn about Rs25,000 per month.
She said that the delivery boys played a vital role in the sale of her products.
A delivery boy named Muhammad Nadeem said that he started the job after educational institutions were closed due to coronavirus. He added that he was earning Rs24,000 to Rs26,000 per month through the job.
“I am supporting my family instead of sitting idle at home. My friends and class fellows have also started this job to meet their own expenses.”
Another boy named Sohail Arshad said that the only positive thing which happened in coronavirus was the job opportunity for youth.
“All my friends and relatives are doing this job. More youngsters can also take these jobs as there was a lot of space in this sector.”
Reportedly, many youth employed in different sectors also started delivery service part time. They remained on duty from 8am to 2pm and then then delivered products from 6pm to 12am, which would help them earn about Rs15,000 extra with their monthly salary.
Raheel Nawaz, an employee of a private hospital, said that he was not only financially supporting his family but also adding some money in his savings through both his jobs. “However, some shop owners fire the delivery boys from service without any major reason because they know that there would be no impact on their business as a large number of youth are in the field and they would get services of others.”
He called for streamlining the sector and rules and regulations to encourage youth to do the job instead of wasting their time.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2021.