Pak’s inclusion in Amazon can prove game changer

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Former President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Shahid Rasheed Butt has said the addition of Pakistan into the world’s largest e-commerce website Amazon approved sellers list is a great achievement as it could prove a game-changer.

In a statement issued here on Monday, he said that the development will unleash enormous business opportunities for small businesses, start-ups, and women entrepreneurs lacking a costly export setup to sell their products across the world opening a new window of opportunity.

The business community should exploit the opportunity to market and directly sell their products globally to become empowered, he said.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said that the government should clarify the tax structure so that the reservations of the business community could be addressed while the services Pakistan Post should be improved as private courier companies are offering costly services that will eat up the profit of small businesses.

Heavy taxes can kill the initiative before proper beginning, he said, adding that Amazon is working in 200 countries serving two million SMEs including that of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Thousands of Indian companies are earning two billion dollars per annum from Amazon and Pakistan can follow the suit as the pandemic has already increased the size of e-commerce in the country by 35 percent. The significance and use of online marketplaces have increased immensely and it cannot be overemphasized, he observed.

He noted that local exporters must improve the quality of their products to derive maximum benefit from this opportunity and avoid negative tactics which can prompt action from the US e-commerce giant.