Online business in Pakistan is on the boom nowadays. The outbreak of the coronavirus revealed the significance of e-business. It hampered the working of almost every sector. However, it provided everyone with a new window of investing in online businesses. Those who exploited the opportunity have genuinely discovered the potential of online business in Pakistan. With the growing popularity of eCommerce, it won’t be an exaggeration to claim that the trend of traditional businesses is dying down. Online business is when someone sells any product or service on the Internet. Almost all the established companies also have an online presence now to grow their business globally. Without any online presence, the chances of companies gaining customers have become frail. According to the Ministry of Commerce in Pakistan, the e-commerce market size has recorded an increase of around 35 percent in the first quarter of 2021. Last year in the same period, the market size was 71 billion rupees and, in this year, it was around 96 billion rupees. Thus, the e-commerce market is inflating every passing year, and there is still some potential left untapped.

ONLINE TEACHING AND TUTORING

Nearly half of the people lost their jobs, and businesses shut down due to an unprecedented outbreak of a global pandemic. Only those with an online business were able to sustain the corona hit. E-business is an excellent opportunity to keep your work running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. It helps your reach a global audience and participate in the virtual global market.

If you run an online business, you are your boss. It allows you to have flexible work timings and an opportunity to handle your business from anywhere of your convenience. In addition to limitless freedom, online business offers incredible scalability and high-profit margins. Furthermore, the Internet has transformed the world into a global village; you can tap a global audience with your online business.

How to start an online business in Pakistan?

Running an online business is challenging and demands efforts, but starting it is another level’s headache. It can be very tiresome to get your business started. However, with detailed efforts and commitment, your business picks up its pace. If you think you are good at something, the first step is to start selling it online and garnering an audience. Later, an online website can be built out of it to establish it as a separate business. Few tips for starting your business online are: Understand the right approach to doing the business. It is not only about what you sell but also about what people demand. Therefore, detailed market research is significant to understand the recent trends so that you can tailor your e-business accordingly. With growing e-business, competition is also on the rise. Therefore, it is essential to focus on your competitors to know the waters you will be sailing your boat in. Learn from their mistakes and study their ideas to structure your ideas. According to a survey, 61% of businesses believe in SEO for online presence in google. And 41% of their marketing budget invest in SEO. Branding and marketing are the real catch for making an online business a success. With no physical presence, gaining credibility and attracting customers can be challenging. Therefore, your marketing campaign needs to be well thought out to garner an audience. This may include managing your taglines effectively to communicate your business to your potential customer. Your business website is your first interaction with your customers. Building one for your online business gives customers a platform to interact and communicate with you. Therefore, an efficient and user-friendly website works positively for your business.

What are some ideas for starting an online business?

Selling your gigs online is one of the wisest catches in an online business. The lockdown imposed during corona spread out moved many businesses to an online mode of operation. This gave space for many products and services to find their virtual existence. Some ideas of online business are:
  • Online Teaching Academies and Tutoring centers are in full swing. Many people offer to teach services online, either through recorded or live sessions.
  • People love to eat; therefore, food is a business that can never lose its market. If you are a good cook, you can start selling your food. Many platforms allow you to cook food and sell it to customers.
  • The trend of online stores has made people opt for online shopping. People buy anything online, from clothes to accessories, gifts and electronics, and so on. The margin of earning profit by selling something online is noteworthy
  • If you are an artistic person who makes arts and crafts, you can sell your art online. People tend to buy homemade art online significantly. This can help you market your talent and gain its customers.
  • With businesses shifting to the online space, Digital marketing, Lead generation, email marketing services are in full swing. These services can be provided from anywhere in the world to any company.

Where can you sell your online business?

There are many platforms through which you can sell your online business. The venue most commonly used is websites. Many companies create websites that can interact with customers and sell them their goods and services. Nowadays, platforms like Instagram and Facebook have dominated. They allow you to form business accounts through which people can communicate more efficiently. Shopping through these platforms is more accessible and more friendly. Anyone who does not master the art of website development and cannot hire a website developer due to budget restraints can start his business via these social media platforms.

What is the government doing to support online business in Pakistan?

Pakistan can boost its revenue if these online businesses are handled efficiently. Online businesses provide an excellent opportunity to brand local products and services in a global market with an international reach. The government is making efforts to support e-business. Some of the initiatives include promoting entrepreneurship by funding them under various aid programs. The government has also introduced technical or skill-based education to empower people with skills they can sell online. 4G services are being expanded across the country so that every individual in every corner of the country can get help from online businesses. Moreover, there is a provision of tax relief online start-ups to facilitate people setting up their online businesses.