Update: (July 6, 2021): In a bid to expand its international network and support local businesses, Amazon — an e-commerce giant — opened its door to Pakistani sellers almost two months ago. To everyone’s surprise, Pakistan Post was officially chosen to look after its delivery operations in the country.
Since then, the government-run postal service is making all-out efforts to capitalise on the opportunity provided by Amazon. According to the latest news reports, It has already started setting up facilitation centres nationwide.
Amazon Facilitation Centres in Pakistan will be used for the shipment and delivery of consignments to and from Amazon warehouses located around the world. On a side note, if you want to get more latest updates on the arrival of Amazon in Pakistan, continue reading this post.
Update (June 3, 2021): Pakistan Post has now officially been declared as the delivery partner of Amazon in Pakistan. The Director-General of the Pakistan Post has started already making necessary arrangements in this regard. The federal mailing service is already planning to set up facilitation centres and establish warehouses in major cities like Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad. A shipping company will also be reportedly taken onboard soon by the concerned authorities for the transportation of goods by sea.
Update (May 31, 2021): According to the latest updates, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), which is a key government agency, is going to host a training programme for Pakistani sellers to prepare them for trading on Amazon—one of the world’s largest online marketplaces.
“TDAP is rolling out a series of awareness & training sessions for Pakistani sellers about Amazon in collaboration with trade bodies. This would help businesses to sell their products on a market of 400+ Billion $ successfully. Please stay connected via http://tdap.gov.pk,” said the Advisor to the Prime Minister for Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood in his latest tweet.
Update (May 17, 2021): Pakistan Post has been proposed as one of Amazon’s delivery partners within the country. Pakistan will be added to Amazon’s official seller lists within the next few days.
According to the government officials, Pakistani sellers would have to be very careful with the quality of the products that they would be selling on Amazon. Also, they should also be capable of effectively handling refund requests in case of any complaints. Maintaining a good reputation as a seller on Amazon is crucial for the tech giant’s future in the country.
Amazon is one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. It is based in Seattle in Washington, USA. The company was founded as an online bookseller, but considering the potential of the e-commerce industry in today’s world, it expanded its operations. Today, it hosts one of the world’s biggest online marketplaces, which deals in a large variety of consumer goods and digital products and services.
Previously, Pakistanis were unable to directly benefit from the products and services of Amazon as the website had not officially launched its operations in the country. However, in a recent development, this tech giant has added Pakistan to its official sellers’ list as it plans to start operating locally.
In recent years, with the launch of Digital Pakistan and other similar campaigns, Pakistan has remarkably improved its digital footprint. The country has tech-driven portals providing online services to the general public.
With the constant efforts of both federal and provincial governments, a wave of digitization is in full swing in the country. The arrival of Amazon in Pakistan is another major stepping stone for Pakistan, which will further enhance the scope of the digital economy of the country.
Arrival of Amazon in Pakistan: A Great Opportunity for SMEs and Young Entrepreneurs
Praising the development of Amazon adding Pakistan to its official sellers’ list and starting its operations in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan and other top officials posted on their social media accounts.
“A great development as Amazon has finally approved that our sellers can export their goods through their system. Amazon starting operations in Pak will open opportunities for our youth as it will enable a new breed of young men & women entrepreneurs to join the export market,” said Imran Khan in a post on his official Facebook Account.
According to a recent article from a famous news publication, the Advisor to Prime Minister Abdul Razak Dawood, who is a renowned Pakistani industrialist, also congratulated the nation in an official tweet
“We have finally made it. Amazon will be adding Pakistan to its Sellers’ List within a few days. We have been engaged with Amazon since last year and now it’s happening. It is a great opportunity for our youth, SMEs and women entrepreneurs. It is an excellent opportunity for our youth, SMEs and women entrepreneurs,” Dawood stated in an official tweet.
Pakistanis Can Now Open and Operate Dropshipping Stores on Amazon Officially
Amazon is known as an e-commerce giant and for good reason. According to a 2019 survey, this online business had over 300 million active users with sales going up to $280 billion. Now living in Pakistan, you can also set up a dropshipping store on Amazon and turn it into a successful venture.
There are certain rules you need to follow to start a business on Amazon. The tech giant wants you to identify yourself as an individual seller with a unique identity. The packing slips and invoices that will be dispatched with the products you sell online should also bear your name as the seller.
Amazon also wants you to be very responsible in terms of customer service. So, you need to accept orders and process returns responsibly, keeping in view the Amazon policies as well as your seller agreement with the tech giant.
Pro Tip: The dropshipping fees charged by Amazon may vary from product to product. On average, Amazon deducts around 10% to 15% service charges. If your business is operating at a large scale, this amount would not be a big deal for you, but I run a small dropshipping store on the e-commerce platform, it is surely going to feel like a hefty chunk has been cut out of profits. Also, you may have to choose from Amazon’s default selling plans to get starting with your business on the platform.
Amazon Operations Will Create New Job Opportunities in Pakistan
According to Mr. Dawood, operations of Amazon in Pakistan will not only give small businesses in the country international exposure but also create new employment opportunities. It is expected to result in the exponential growth of the local e-commerce industry.
According to the latest statistics, Amazon has a share of 45% in the US e-commerce market. This means it is a very good opportunity for the local business community to diversify its portfolio by using the platform of this e-commerce giant.
So, what do you think about the arrival of Amazon in Pakistan? Are you planning to start your own dropshipping store on the international platform? Feel free to share your thoughts and ask any questions on the subject by emailing us at blog@zameen.com.
For more informative lifestyle and property updates, keep following Zameen Blog, the leading real estate blog in Pakistan. Subscribe to our email newsletter to keep track of our latest blog posts.
