Business via Facebook

By Arzoona Khalid –

F-Commerce is the new thing

Facebook is no longer just a social networking site to connect to friends or browse through pictures of friends and strangers. An increasing number of young entrepreneurs are using Facebook to advertise their startups.

Known as F-Commerce, marketing through Facebook is increasingly gaining popularity and acceptance.

Zarghuna, 23, a 4rth year student of Medicine College in Peshawar said she started clothing business as she was passionate about fashion designing despite being in medicine profession. She said she came up with the idea of running an online clothing business through a cousin. She created her Facebook (www.facebook.com/PolkaDot.Clothing) page in 2011 by the name of Polka Dots. “My family wanted me to become a doctor but through Facebook, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a fashion designer.”

Many consumers also find shopping online convenient and hassle free. “I always shop online because I don’t have to drive in heavy traffic or take special time to go out and search in the market,” said Sidra Sana, a Rawalpindi based homemaker. “I can easily find what I need by just clicking on pages or website.”

The trend of “Online Shopping” has increased in Pakistan over the past few years. Saad Yasin, 26, owns a men’s clothing brand Clingor in Karachi. He said his father owns a manufacturing factory and they provide men’s wear to wholesale dealers in the city. Saad created his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Clingor) in 2012. He delivers at least three dozen men’s pants daily to customers through his Facebook page. He claimed that he spends Rs. 40,000 on advertising through the networking website. “Marketing is easy and reliable,” he said. To ensure customer satisfaction, he offers a refund policy and provides cash on delivery service.

Faitma Umar, 24, is based in Lahore and owns a casual women’s clothing brand Fatymah. She got married during her graduation and later got a diploma in fashion designing from a university. Initially, she started work by selling handmade clutches and later shifted to women clothing. She created her Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fatymahpk) in 2009 with the help of her husband. She has several tailors and artisans working for her. She said she found marketing through Facebook “easy” and that it has a “worldwide reach with international customers.”

“Online business is usually successful as one does not have to bear expenses like rent, bills, security, staff salaries,” Fatima says.

However, the biggest predicament experience by the customers in shopping online was the “intangibility factor.”

“People cannot feel what they see in the pictures before purchasing the product,” Fatima said. “Also, another issue is regarding delivery of parcels,” she said. Page owners are totally dependent on the courier services to deliver their products. “Customers get angry with us if a parcel gets delayed or if some damage is done on the way,” said Saad, the owner of Clingor.

Like any other business, Facebook businesses also need proper planning, analyses of marketing methods, investment, target audiences, etc. to run it successfully. “Some people make this mistake of launching the brand without doing any homework and run it on experimental basis which results in negative outcomes” said Adil Mirza, 23, owner of men’s clothing page named as Planet B, the page is owned by four friends mutually. He said they have not faced any loss so far because they did a lot of research work before launching the brand.

Another issue that vexes the minds of people doing online business in Pakistan is the constant uncertainty about government’s policy towards the internet. YouTube remains banned in the country for over a year. Fears of a ban on Facebook over one pretext or another exist.

But the advantages seem to outweigh the negatives. With a low level of investment, small startups and entrepreneurs still get good profits. Marketing through Facebook is targeted and helps getting the right customers. Owners use various creative ways to sell their products. “It becomes easier for the customer to view, review and compare the choices before placing an order,” said Nimra Khalid, 26, a Karachi based designer, who owns a brand Nimra. K.

Nimra did her bachelor’s in textile designing and is currently doing masters in product designing and merchandizing.

She has worked with Junaid Jamshed, the pop icon-turned-televangelist who also owns a successful fashion business. Nimra started working independently in 2012. Her collections have appeared on television screens and broadcast on shows hosted by Maya Khan from ARY Digital, Kiran Khan of Masala TV, VJ Dolly from Viber.

Nimra said while she found it easy to establish a brand name via Facebook, she also felt that a lot of clients do not use Facebook at all. “Many remain afraid to place orders online. Some feel that pictures posted on Facebook are fancy and the product might turn out to be different in real,” Nimra said.

Apart from fashion designers, many young photographers are using Facebook to broaden their customer reach and exhibit their work online.

Aleem Ahmad, 22, lives in Islamabad and is currently a student of graduation. He started photography three years ago and started advertising it on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AleemPhotoStudio) from the start.

“Facebook gives you instant feedback,” Aleem said. “Creative photography gets more likes on the page.” However, he felt that Facebook has one drawback about “copyright issues.” Pictures and ideas can be lifted and copied easily.

Despite the ups and down, most of the interviewees said they found Facebook as a helpful and effective tool to market their products and extend their outreach to customers at minimal costs.

“I would have found it really difficult to expand my business if Facebook did not exist,” said Nimra, the owner of Nimra.K.

The writer owns an online ladies wear store “Uptown”. facebook.com/uptown.pk