DHAKA, Aug,24 2020 (BSS)- Corona-era is a saga when many despaired, but it is also a time when many explored opportunities in the crisis.
It goes beyond doubt that the once-in-a-century-pandemic, the COVID-19, has altered the way people work, shop and communicate with other people more than any other disruption in the recent past.
All the way disruptive pandemic has made e-commerce worldover the lifeblood for cities under lockdown to fight against coronavirus, and Bangladesh is no exception.
As the country is turning digital, online shopping showed a gradual jump before the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Ecommerce, powered by technology, has shaped the mindset of consumers in opting for online shopping. E-commerce companies have seen jump in order across several categories in last several months.
Before the pandemic started, a rising fashion house made its mark by dint of it’s exceptional and innovative collection and prompt services.
But the business
has got a strong push during the coronavirus outrage.
Few years ago after completing Masters in Pharmacy, Sharifunnahar Smrity, CEO of Orange Fashion BD, started working in the Product Management Department of The White Horse Pharmaceuticals Limited.
During her corporate life, she comprehended that there are other ways of earning as entrepreneurship is a constructive means. Usually with a background of Pharmacy, most people target to set up pharmaceutical industries, but it requires huge investments.
Away from traditional thinking, Smrity pondered over doing something of her own that would generate employment opportunities for women. As conceived, she went for choosing a business on fashionable women outfits.
In her zeal for building a business house on fashionable women outfits Smrity got constant support of her husband and family.
Primarily she set up a showroom with imported women outfits in 2019. At the beginning the responses were very slow as the fashion related business has already been turned to online platforms.
Incorporating sales and marketing into the online arena proved to be a huge success.
As the business signaled a potential future, the Orange Fashion BD launched it’s first business outlet at Uttara, Dhaka.
The house gradually spread it’s wings with setting up another outlet at Keranigonj, while the third one has been planned to be opened at Modhupur, Tangail.
Right at this moment, eighteen employees are working there while a dedicated delivery team has been tasked to ensure timely and proper services to the customers.
The success of the online business outlet prompted Smrity to dream of multiplying outlets and setting up countrywide chain shops.
The dreamy businesswoman believes in prioritizing own thinking as it helps materialize one’s own dreams to serve the people.
The novel coronavirus that has impacted 18 crore people of the country has increased online shopping.
It has dramatically changed people’s shopping habits as they were afraid of shopping outdoors.
The coronavirus outbreak will mark a big difference for the adoption of ecommerce and mobile commerce platforms.
Given a trifecta of smartphone penetration, cheaper 4G networks and increasing consumer wealth, the Bangladesh ecommerce market is expected to grow. Reality goes by the notion that most consumers have changed their traditional shopping habits.
Consumes are gradually becoming used to order online that they would do normally at the store.
Of these changes, some changes are no doubt temporary, others will be permanent.
As the community moves beyond the survival mode, the digital-adoption momentum is likely to carry forward and become permanent.
Consumers are likely to opt for online shopping even after the outbreak ends, especially for categories such as groceries and personal care.
This trend is likely to continue after the lockdown are called off as people would still be apprehensive to visit crowded areas like malls and supermarkets.
Given the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown imposed by the government, consumers would opt for online shopping of essentials such as household staples, packaged food, health care, hygiene and personal safety.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic related measures have brought the global economy to a shuddering halt, we all know the world is turning digital.