After spending a considerable amount of time working in the e-commerce industry of Bangladesh, one thing has become apparent to me: This industry is quite far from reaching its potential. There's a lot of development scope here and there's a lot to learn.
New entrants in this industry often harbour unrealistic expectations in that they believe success should be instantaneous. They'll launch an apparel brand on Monday and expect that by the end of Tuesday, they'll be drowning in orders. And on Wednesday, the hit of reality will be too much for them to bear, and thus, they will give up on that venture by Thursday.
This problem does not stem from only the lack of patience. No, the problem stems from a mindset that has been shaped by false knowledge and misinformation all around. There are hundreds of social media 'mentorship' groups and thousands of viral content floating around, 'teaching' everyone the '101 ways of building a successful business' and 'how to earn over a million in only 5 days' and whatnot. Some of these so-called mentors will sell such content and courses to those new entrants and trap them in these hollow promises of gaining overnight success with minimal effort. And thus, thousands of people have now stepped out of the realm of reality.
The e-commerce scene of Bangladesh has seen rapid growth in recent years. But this growth has been shaky, and there have been numerous collapses. Because the industry is yet to be properly understood. And the bulk of the people who power this industry, the small, independent sellers, are left to figure it out on their own.
In actuality, running a successful e-commerce business takes a lot more than just opening a Facebook page, uploading a few pictures of the products, and trying out a few gimmicks. To be successful in this industry, at the very least, one must gain a real understanding of their customer base, basic business and marketing knowledge, patience to build credibility and brand equity, and a long-term growth strategy.
But instead of the required foundational knowledge and training, most new entrepreneurs are exposed to 'shortcuts' that rarely lead to anything meaningful. And this not only harms those individuals, this damages the entire industry and the ecosystem surrounding it, giving birth to trust issues regarding the overall health of the industry.
To save this industry from dying before getting the chance to fulfil its potential, a shift in the overall mindset has become essential. Those of us who hold a strong position in the industry, it is our duty to help reshape the mindset and the expectations of those who are misinformed, of those who are new entrants. E-commerce is not a lottery ticket; it's a business model. It must be rooted in strategy, consistency, and resilience. If done right, it will transform the lives of many. The key to the success of e-commerce in Bangladesh lies not in shortcuts, but in smart, sustainable growth.
The e-commerce scene of Bangladesh has seen rapid growth in recent years. But this growth has been shaky, and there have been numerous collapses. Because the industry is yet to be properly understood. And the bulk of the people who power this industry, the small, independent sellers, are left to figure it out on their own.
After closely working with entrepreneurs, small businesses, sellers, and digital businesses for some time, I have realised that e-commerce in Bangladesh is handicapped at the base. The gap between expectations and reality is too big.
Countless students, home-based workers, and small shop owners are trying to build their online businesses. But their daily operations is filled with adversities. They face troubles managing their products, orders, customer queries, etc., across various communication channels. Everyday, they have to handle scams, fake orders, and return frauds with no platform-level protection. They struggle with maintaining inventory, delivery deadlines, and product tracking. Due to a lack of digital knowledge, they often waste money on ads and designs that do not make sense for their business, and end up burning more money than they generate from sales. A Facebook page with a logo is not a business, a sales offer is not marketing, and generating revenue is not building a brand.
The industry now is focused on fast delivery, flashy UI, and discount offers, while forgetting the most important thing: the betterment of the sellers. Instead of yet another marketplace, what we truly need is an ecosystem that favours the sellers. An ecosystem that serves and helps nurture the sellers.
The problem isn't that people aren't trying; it's just that the system doesn't meet them where they are. So, moving forward, some things need to change. Sellers need the knowledge of how a business works, the strategy behind pricing, branding, and setting profit margin, not just how to run ads. They need a platform that can automate listing, pricing, and writing product or service descriptions tailored for their customers. They need a platform that centralises operations and reduces dependency on Messenger, Google Sheets, and any other external agents. They need to rethink logistics, identify trusted delivery networks, and get real-time updates across the country. If these conditions are fulfilled, sellers will be better equipped to run their businesses, their growth will be sustainable, and the customers will reap the benefits.
E-commerce in Bangladesh represents a lot more than just the integration of technological advancement in the way we operate our business. It's a story of hardworking people striving for economic freedom and building their dreams. However, the existing system often fails these aspirations with false promises and unreliable infrastructure. To truly realise the potential of e-commerce as a tool for economic empowerment, we must move beyond celebrating superficial overnight success stories and instead focus on building sustainable solutions and developing reliable mechanisms that restore consumer confidence in the sector. Only by addressing these fundamental issues can we transform e-commerce into what it was always intended to be, a genuine pathway to economic opportunity and empowerment for the people of this country.
The writer is the Head of Marketing at Zatiq Ltd
