COVID-19 upside: E-commerce enterprises prosper as sales boom

E-commerce platforms that lately have been mostly trading essential products are enjoying heyday as consumers prefer virtual shopping to avoid contracting COVID-19, businesses say.

The sales of such online platforms have gone up manifold over the last few months and it has put extra pressure on the operators because of sudden change in consumers' behaviour.

To cope with the bulging demand and make it sustainable, the entrepreneurs are now investing heavily in ensuring smooth supply of products from the growers' level to doorsteps of the consumers while enhancing systemic capacity of the platforms.

Sabbir Hasan Nasir, CEO of ACI Logistics Limited that operates Swapno, said his chain shop has three types of online trading divisions-own website, partner platform and home delivery system.

They have been enjoying unprecedented sales growth in all three areas since March, according to Mr Nasir.

"The share of online trading among the company's business platforms was just 1.0 per cent. Now it has risen to around 8.0 per cent. I never enjoyed such a heyday in my nine-year career in the company," he said.

"Our average monthly sale was around Tk 900 million. In March last, we traded commodities worth Tk 1.31 billion," he informed.

Seeking anonymity, an executive at Chaldal.com, said their sales have gone up by more than 60 per cent since the government imposed lockdown to prevent the deadly virus from spreading.

"We keep delivering orders to the doors of the consumers. The virus has changed the behaviour of a large number of consumers who are flocking to e-commerce sites to buy their selections," he said.

Terming COVID-19 a long-time affair, he said the company is now investing heavily in the entire value chain.

"We are also investing in enhancing systemic capacity of the platform as many consumers report difficulties in getting access to our platform," he added.

The situation was almost same on other platforms dealing with essential commodities and other kitchen items.

Being inspired by the booming business of e-commerce platforms, many grocery shops in small lanes of the capital started providing home delivery service under such a changed scenario.

Mohammad Khorshed, a salesman at Nazia General Store located in front of East Rampura High School, said their sale was very low when the government imposed lockdown as customers turned towards online trading.

"That's why, we introduced the service and it really worked well," he added.

To stem the deadly virus from spreading, the government imposed restrictions by shutting both public and private offices from March 26. The shutdowns will continue until May 16.

It also ordered people to stay at home, except for emergency needs as the number of COVID-19 cases keep ballooning, due in part to social transmission.

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