Despite the Covid situation normalizing and malls staying open without restrictions, online shopping remains a popular alternative among busy Dhaka city dwellers because of the convenience and comfort it provides.

As such, since the first week of Ramadan, shoppers have been placing a huge number of orders online for clothing, cosmetics, and electronics ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival for Muslims.
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And with Ramadan entering its third week, online sales are reaching an all-time high, according to sources.

Currently, 1,693 e-commerce companies, who are also members of the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB), are active in e-commerce online business. Furthermore, another at least 250,000 Facebook-based business pages, also known as f-commerce platforms, are also operating online business.

“In general, online sales have increased by 40 per cent at the start of Ramadan, and the rise has nearly doubled in the third week,” said e-CAB General Manager Jahangir Alam Shovon.

E-commerce platforms are receiving an aggregate of 50,000-60,000 orders per day. According to industry insiders, the e-commerce market is worth roughly Tk 22,000 crore, and with an overall growth of 40 per cent, it is expected to reach Tk 30,000 crore by the year-end.

Online shops witness bumper sales

To reach the maximum number of shoppers before Eid, e-commerce sites are boosting their posts and uploading product reviews on Facebook regularly.

Moreover, they are offering various facilities such as lucrative discounts, cashback offers on e-payments, gift vouchers, payment upon delivery, and free deliveries

Big companies like Ajkerdeal, Daraz, PriyoShop, Bagdoom, and Othoba, expressed satisfaction as sales peaked on both their websites and Facebook pages in the third week of Ramadan.

These platforms are seeing a surge in orders for clothing, beauty products, and electronics as they did in previous years.

According to sources, the majority of online shoppers are women and they typically go for fashion and cosmetic items.

Nazmul Sheik, CEO of Shajgoj, Bangladesh’s top beauty and personal care e-commerce platform, said they were receiving huge orders for beauty care products. “We are hoping to get more orders in the last week of Ramadan.”

Sarin’s Store - Embrace Nature, an online beauty supply store, is looking to double its sale as it’s getting a satisfactory response from customers.

Co-founder Zarin Tasneem said: “We have set a target of selling beauty products worth Tk 6 lakh ahead of Eid.

Fahim Mashroor, founder and CEO of ajkerdeal.com, a leading e-commerce company, said: “Our sales have doubled ahead of Eid. We are receiving 1,500-2,000 orders every day, which is double the volume of any regular day.”

We have some 20,000 merchants who accept orders from customers and deliver the products.

S M Ahsanul Alam - Head of Operations of Othoba.com a digital marketplace for electronics, handicrafts, lifestyle, and groceries, said: “Since Ramadan began, we have had a steady stream of customers. However, in the last several days, the sale has reached its peak. The sale is expected to double by the end of April.”

The highest sale will be from fashion items, he added.

Mall sales on the wane

According to business insiders, the rise of e-commerce platforms has caused the sale volume of the country’s shopping malls to plummet ahead of Eid. Many shop owners have turned to e-commerce and f-commerce platforms to increase their sales.

Anowar Hossen, manager of Neel Anchal Sharees at Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, said they weren’t seeing the expected sale that they had seen half a decade ago. “Consumers now prefer online shopping because of the convenience and comfort it provides. Shopping malls have seen a major decline in sales over the years, and this trend will continue as e-commerce platforms grow.”

“In addition to our physical stores, we’re considering expanding our business online in order to reclaim our sales. Similarly, most shop owners are gradually making the shift,” he added.