The article is about Daraz.pk and its shortcomings which makes it one of the worst ecommerce platforms for buyers. But before we do that, let’s take a look into other things.
Pakistan’s Ecommerce Market
Pakistan has one the world’s fastest emerging e-commerce markets. Despite it, it still ranks far behind other countries. For instance, India’s ecommerce market is much bigger and lucrative than Pakistan’s. No Pakistani e-commerce platform is close to Indian rivals like Flipkart. Payment gateways are another major hurdle in the Pakistani ecommerce market. Without the absence of secure payment platforms like Apple Pay or PayPal, consumers remain vary. However, 2020 has been a great for Pakistani’s ecommerce sector for a number of reasons.
Pakistan Ecommerce 2020
There is no doubt that the coronavirus (Covid-19) is the worst thing to happen to the world in 2020. There are almost 10 million Covid-19 cases around the globe. The number of deaths presents a grimmer picture. As of today, 493 thousand people have lost their lives. Unfortunately, the number of cases and deaths are set to climb higher. Apart from the impact on human life, businesses have suffered. The global economy is heading for one of the worst recessions. The size of the global economy is shrinking. Many businesses are closing their doors permanently, especially the traditional brick and mortar establishments.
While businesses suffer, ecommerce platforms are turning huge profits. One reason is that people are taking to online shopping to avoid catching the coronavirus. Also, as traditional businesses are closed down, buyers have no option but to opt for online channels. As a result, online ecommerce platforms are booming. Pakistan is no exception. Despite the country’s fixation and reliance on cash, the share of digital payments is growing.
Daraz Ecommerce Index
Perhaps one of the highlights of Pakistan ecommerce 2020 is the launch of the Daraz Ecommerce Index. The data from the index reveals that Daraz witnessed a growth in activity on Daraz during March 2020. It is when the Government of Pakistan had ordered a country wide lockdown to avert the spread of the coronavirus. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) are the most sold products, according to the company.
Pakistan Ecommerce History
An article about ecommerce in Pakistan is futile without talking about the history of ecommerce in Pakistan. Pakistan ecommerce history can be traced back to 2001. One of the first online stores in Pakistan is Beliscity. The idea behind it was simple – offer an online marketplace for consumers to buy products from well-established sellers at competitive prices. But whatever the reason, Belescity is no longer functional today. One can point the finger at the owner’s lack of interest or the aversion of consumers to e-commerce. After all, many buyers still prefer the physical store experience. Also, back in 2001, the internet was a luxury reserved for the elite. Without a good internet infrastructure, Belescity surely could not continue for long.
Later, a few notable online platforms in Pakistan came to the limelight including Symbios, Shophive, and HomeShopping. Kaymu is another renowned online ecommerce platform in Pakistan. Now, Kaymu is a part of Daraz after the latter acquired it. Now, let’s talk about Daraz. After all, the focus of the article is Daraz.
Daraz – Pakistan’s Leading Ecommerce Platform
2012 marked the launch of Daraz. But back in 2012, it was no the Daraz we know now today. More on that later. You might not have heard about Rocket Internet. But its certainly interesting to know that they are the company behind the launch of Daraz in Pakistan. Later, the company expanded operations into Bangladesh, Myanmar and even Sri Lanka. Now, back to my earlier statement – Daraz in 2012 was not the one we know today.
How?
Well, Daraz was not intended to be an all-encompassing ecommerce store in Pakistan. It was launched as on online fashion retailer. Later, it decided to expand into other ecommerce categories. Later, it became an online marketplace where buyers and sellers could interact. This is the Daraz we know today. Daraz, like other ecommerce stores, is not without its share of troubles. But others are making efforts to address these issues. On the other hand, Daraz knows that it enjoys a monopoly in Pakistan. With the absence of Amazon in Pakistan or any other viable alternative, the company gets to exploit its market position.
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Daraz – A Detailed Review
Daraz is no doubt Pakistan’s only e-commerce store of this magnitude. There are various platforms offering niche products. But Daraz is one of a kind in Pakistan. Besides this, after its acquisition by the Chinese Alibaba Group, Daraz is in a league of its own. However, the new owners are not addressing the many issues plaguing the platform. Hence, this Pakistan ecommerce platform continues to be a source of misery for Pakistani buyers.
Here’s how.
Product Quality
Why do people love buying from Amazon, eBay, Flipkart and other amazing online platforms? The answer is the product quality. These online retailers ensure that the product quality meets certain specifications. Without it, a seller is not allowed to sell their product. However, on Daraz, this does not seem to be the case. Nearly anyone can sell their product on this ecommerce store with little trouble. The result is that the market is flooded with inferior quality and fake products. I recently ordered a charging cable for my latest Huawei Smartphones. According to the product description, the charging cable was original. What did I get? Daraz delivered a fake Vivo phone charging cable to me. What’s more interesting is that the cable does not work!
Fake Products
Poor product quality is a different thing. But selling fake products under the name of a reputable brand is an outright crime. There are numerous complaints on social media websites about getting fake products from Daraz. Unfortunately, the support team of Daraz created further hurdles in getting replacements or have the order cancelled. Look the below picture. You see the name ‘Apple’ in the seller box and think that Apple is officially selling its products in Pakistan.
But there is no Apple store in Pakistan. Plus, if you actually take your time to explore the profile, you will get to know that the seller is actually a reseller of Apple products. Official reseller? Obviously, no. This is just one of the ways Daraz relies on deceptive marketing. An unsuspecting buyer will look at the buyer, reviews, followers, and think it’s the real deal. Later, they find out that are scammed.
Poor Customer Support
Read the picture below carefully. It perfectly explains the poor condition of Daraz customer support. There are countless of other similar incidents. Interestingly, the ecommerce platform states on its website that it is not responsible for the conduct of the sellers. It is merely a marketplace where buyers and sellers can interact. In simple words, the company states that is not responsible if a seller defrauds the buyer. There are numerous other similar cases which you can search online. Here’s another one for you.
Fake Advertising – Daraz 12.12 and Daraz 11.11
Daraz 12.12 and Daraz 11.11 are referred to as the biggest sale days on Daraz. Daraz 12.12 is the sale on 12th December, whereas Daraz 11.11 is 11th November Daraz sale. The company proudly calls them the biggest online shopping day in Pakistan. Customers are offered huge discounts. But it seems too good to be true. Well, that’s because it is precisely the case. All of this is false. Before each sale, product prices are inflated. Then a discount is offered on those products. The discounted price is the same as before, i.e. before it was inflated. In short, there is no discount. Customers are just fleeced in the name of discount during Daraz.pk sales.
Daraz Customer Reviews
The most common problems with Daraz.pk are with customer service, which is not as good as some customers expect. The majority of customers are dissatisfied with their purchases. Here are some Negative reviews of their customer.
Final Thoughts About Daraz.pk
Daraz online shopping may be a very happy experience for many. There is no doubt about it. Hundreds shop online through the Daraz online shopping app. But the idea of this article is that the happy experience may not last long. The company is plagued with issues. Unless, they are resolved, I suggest taking a break and look for alternative online shopping platforms.
