‘E-commerce’, definitely sounds fancy. The older generation simplistically relates it as just an off-shoot of Information Technology and by default leaves it as an inaccessible field; it’s pretty much like a flow diagram that we use in algorithms– ‘Use the computer?’, if the answer is ‘No’ it leads you to the conclusion ‘Not for us’.
Let me remove that incorrect notion – technology is for the common man. We simply enable the complex devices to be used by you.
We solve problems using technology. For example, irrigation can now take place using solar tube wells that means agricultural activities can go unaffected by load shedding, you can monitor your vehicles performance using live data generated by a smart device. But we can ONLY make your life simpler if you start using our products/services and IMPLEMENT the solutions in your daily life. You need to take a few steps for that.
First, accept that technology is an independent, professional field just like medicine and law; support your kid when he says he wants to become a software engineer and design a new mobile app or launch an e-commerce platform. It’s okay if you initially don’t understand what he is up to but give him a chance. Taking chances is okay.
Have you ever purchased an air-ticket from a travel agent? If yes, you have used e-commerce without even being aware of it. You walk into a shop, look at a few clothes, check the price tag of a few, and purchase the one you like the most; e-commerce follows exactly the same process. The only difference is that you do all this electronically.
You have dedicated portals that cater to a particular product category for example, cars or books and those similar to department stores, selling a range of goods in multiple categories. Coming to local successful examples, Pak Wheels is a dedicated portal for cars’ trade and Kaymu is an ‘online’ store offering products as varied as clothing, electronics and books.
To make the service more user-friendly or as we say otherwise ‘customer-friendly’, most local portals offer cash-on delivery service. So you do not have to worry about debit cards or entering required confidential data. Think of it as just paying over the counter.
The second step then would be realizing that e-commerce is NOT complex rocket-science – you just have to get a hang of it.
Third and most importantly, do not be skeptical of e-commerce. Tech-entrepreneurship is CREDIBLE exactly like any store you shop from. They are certainly not there on look-out to cheat and make easy money off you. As a professional setup, similar to your community supermarket or a restaurant for example, success is measured by matrices including retuning users, user-satisfaction, organic users and total user base besides the cost-revenue ones. If results aren’t positive for these variables, an e-commerce platform or any tech-venture for that matter cannot grow enough to become the next billion dollar company.
Why would an entrepreneur compromise on that? Support local tech-entrepreneurs as they offer to reduce the hassle in your life and create a win-all situation!