E-Payment System and Internet Shopping in Bangladesh

Influence of electronic payment system over the Internet shopping in Bangladesh is profound and need revisits of policies as well as strategies employed. Therefore, some live debate on this is must and discussion on the pros and cons of e-payment system may bring fruitful solutions with the pace of time.

In traditional banking system, we had everything on paper so we used to rely heavily on the human resources to accomplish tasks of entries, clearing, deposits, document transfer, etc. on time and with accuracy. Fortunately, digitalization and use of Internet as well as intranet network had changed that dismal scenario rapidly in the western developed countries before decades.

Towards Digital Bangladesh
However, in Bangladesh like backward economy, these all and sudden changes were not possible so Bangladeshis have to wait for long to enjoy such advance privileges in comparison to their western counterparts. Fortunately, government of Bangladesh has initiated many vital moves in this direction and given an agenda to make economy and other sectors digital through “Digital Bangladesh” slogan.

Many forward thinkers and people with futuristic visions including entrepreneurs residing within country or in foreign lands have created highly conductive environment and made useful efforts to boost the process of digitalization through invading Internet and telecommunication network or facilities in early days. Later on mobiles became buzzword and sudden proliferation of mobile users taken place.

E-Payment Scenario
Along with other infrastructural facilities in the country, financial system also had taken many vital initiations. Among them banking sector and payment gateways were leaders to revolutionize the scenario of e-commerce by-and-large. Today, majority of money transactions are taking place through electronic cards or Internet across the country. Therefore, it is vital to understand the electronic payment system in Bangladesh before doing any business in the country or investing money.

Challenges on the Road
Yes, things are not always gloomy, as they seem because there are multiple challenges on the road of progress, which people of Bangladesh and other stakeholders of economy have to face, such as:

• Increased rate of cyber crime in this social and educational backward country
• Money laundering like activities due to strict money regulations and rules of land
• Perception of people are not always positive due to backwardness and lack of awareness
• Initial high cost for access because e-card payment as well as Internet payment systems need investment in infrastructure for government as well as financial system and in hardware for end-users.
• Confidence and security of transaction is big issue due to increasing threats from the hackers as well as malicious elements in Internet shopping payment as well as thieves for e-card payments
• Lack of knowledge and skills is a big problem in Bangladesh in using e-payment system where illiterate population is bigger in mid-age and elder people population categories
• Attitude to a new product vary in this small country where new generation is ready to adopt new things easily while older one is still grapples
• To minimize the cash based transaction is a big goal because the lower strata of society occupies a big portion and threats of thieves, robbers, and other non-social elements are bigger in comparison to its neighboring countries like India. Therefore, spreading e-payment tempo in rural areas of Bangladesh is positive move.

Solutions and Implementations
No doubt, government and banks have taken numerous steps to beat the aforementioned challenges, but initiative by Payza Bangladesh has enhanced advancement procedure of e-payment system noteworthy for Internet shoppers and others. Through various schemes like SimplySendBD and Payza e-wallet, this payment gateway providing group has revolutionized the entire scenario of Internet shopping experiences.

Moreover, Payza has boosted the morals of e-commerce providers in Bangladesh and for Bangladesh at admirable levels. The most important thing Payza has done is that it has given highly cheaper yet quality alternative for e-transactions and e-payment to an underprivileged country like Bangladesh.

If you have any questions or comments, we invite you to share them with us by leaving a comment below or joining us on our Payza Facebook and Payza Twitter pages.  

Online Shops in Bangladesh—An Emerging Business Sector

After prolonged sufferings, Bangladesh is observing phenomenal growths in e-commerce and related activities on commercial fronts. Changing mind sets and advent of technologies have changed the scenario of overall economy and lifestyles of common man. At present many online shops in Bangladesh are performing excellently and serving people in great ways. Let’s check how and what they are doing.

In past, Bangladeshi economy was performing the worst due to high inflation rate, mindset of Bangladeshi towards startup entrepreneurs, high interest rates, and lack of platform for entrepreneurs to address their issues. However, recent moves from government and awareness of globalization among the new generation and affluent society of Bangladesh have given birth of many unique and modern businesses and uplift of economy by-and-large.

Governments in recent past have initiated many schemes to establish modern IT infrastructure and Internet framework along with technological advancement in telecommunication including 2G/3G network for smart handheld devices. At other hand technologies became cheaper and affordable despite desirable improvements. These have made good recipe for entrepreneurs to invest and get some fortunes from it. Many residential and non-residential Bangladeshi have invested in various sectors of economy and technologies. However, the significant growth was observed in e-commerce or online shops in compared to other emerging fields.

                                                                   

Reasons behind the Raise of Online Shops in Bangladesh

Just like other society of the word, economic growth in Bangladesh has changed the lifestyles of the Bangladeshi. Therefore, you will observe the scarcity of time, rush of commuters, increase in urbanization, frequent shutdowns due to political unrest, and thirst for more in modern Bangladesh. This has led people to take shortcuts and help of modern communication technologies to grease their day-to-day chores. 

Proliferation of smart mobile devices has brought everything on their fingertips/mouse tips and online shopping in Bangladesh is becoming trendy. People love infinite search options, comparative shopping options, home delivery or click to brick type shopping, and most importantly personalization on e-commerce portals along with personalized incentives.

Current Online Shops in Bangladesh

For instance, high turnover of ClickBD is indicating love of Bangladeshi for online trades and shopping. CellBazar has grabbed wide sects of Bangladeshi society and covered urban as well as rural areas in these days. Numbers of products and services listed on CellBazar makes it the biggest e-commerce portal in Bangladesh. 

Besides simple B2C ecommerce portals, Bangladesh has variety of other e-commerce web presence like Akhoni, Bikroy and BD Giftshop online market places where you can get daily deals and other discounted deals for range of other brick and online stores just like Groupon in Australia and other western counterparts.

We can’t underestimate the contributions of entrepreneurs who have made online shopping and its payment or money transaction safe and secure, like Payza has done recently. Thus, cumulative approaches have changed the scenario of Bangladeshi society by introduction of online shopping stores and other Internet related activities. 

RESOURCE

No doubt, government and its agencies are working as the biggest contributors in form of B2G e-commerce and help in the boost of online shopping awareness among the people who approaches the government services and want better results. This article focuses on the evaluation of past and present scenario for online shops in Bangladesh.

Online Shopping In Bangladesh—Path from Dark Past to Shining Future

In world history, communication technologies have advanced the life of human race in many aspects, and its influences are continuing until today. Unfortunately, Bangladesh had started lately in compared to rest of the world. The scenario of Internet usage and online shopping in Bangladesh was grim before a decade. However, recent moves of government and entrepreneurs have shaded rays of hopes in new generations for a bright future. Let’s take a review that what happened and what will be in next days.

Origin of the Bangladesh and its political history has granted it poor and backward status in compared to its ultimate neighbors. Low literacy rate and adverse social profiles have hastened its march to bright future significantly. Lack of essential infrastructure is apparent in Bangladesh since its inception. Information and communication technology sector is suffering heavily since the beginning. However, in May 2006, a ray of hope emerged when Bangladesh was connected with submarine cable for Internet.

Despite such opportunity, social and economical condition of Bangladesh was not in favor of advance Internet usage due to lack of network and related technologies like high quality modem and 3G networks for mobiles. User profiles were restricted up to affluent class of people. People of higher qualifications and profiles were surfing net regularly so chances of proliferation of online shopping in Bangladesh were deemed until the 2010.

Changes Begun

Afterwards, political will-power and attitudes had changed and government, under the pressures of sizable neo-generation entrepreneurs, have taken steps to developed Information and Communication Technology infrastructure, begun strategy debates, and invested heavily in due course. The maturity of citizens and political stability has infused great will power in to the improvements of the conditions of online shopping in Bangladesh.

Role of NRBD

At present, sizable portion of literate people living abroad and spending the big part of their fortunes to literate their relatives and people of next generation. Their dreams are to simulate lifestyle of the western countries at some extent. Thus, e-commerce storefronts are mushrooming rapidly on the horizon of the web of the Bangladesh. No doubt, there are not robust and secure online shopping experiences exist in compared to its western counterparts, but initiation is there.

 Present Scenario of Online Shopping in Bangladesh

The present scenario of e-commerce is favoring online shopping of essential commodities and fashion apparels greatly. Therefore, online dress shopping, online T-shirt shopping, and buying shoes online are trendy activities of e-commerce shoppers. Of course, trust and security level for online shoppers are a bit low so online shopping by home delivery and online shopping by cash on delivery are favorite mode of payments in Bangladesh.

Online Payment in Bangladesh

Surely, credit/debit card payments and net banking options exist in the e-commerce world of Bangladesh, but usage are limited. The same scenario is blinking for the online money transfer service from the foreign countries and vice verso. Fortunately, some entrepreneurs from Bangladesh and its non-resident citizens have initiate some highly trustful and secure payment gateways and online money transfer portals of offer viable and feasible options for the online shopping and money transfer growth.

No doubt, past and present government agencies have supported such movements from entrepreneurs and encouraged them for secure online money exchange activities. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is not supporting crypto-currency exchanges due to threats from extremists’ activities, but has trust on reliable 3^rd party payment gateways providers because they can furnish critical data when demanded in extreme situations to the nodal government agencies, but protect data from the miscreants and hackers.

 

RESOURCE

This article focuses on the situations of the online shopping in Bangladesh and have torched the scenario from past to present. Such insights not only help people used to do online shopping or currency conversions, but also the e-commerce development community.

 

Payza Bangladesh—PayPal Alternative in Bangladesh

At one hand, credit/debit cards are facing security threats everywhere and they are more pronounced in Bangladesh like country. At other hand, Bangladesh can’t allow cryptocurrency and other international payment methods where tracing where about of senders or sometime receivers are not available for security agencies. Thus, Payza is the fittest solution for the Bangladeshis and simulate the services of PayPal indeed!

Bangladesh is densely populated country, if we calculate population density per sq. km. Fortunately it has average age of 23 and its scrappy young generation heading towards rapid socioeconomic changes along with political ambiance. Awareness, education, and influence of entrepreneurs within and outside the country are bringing rapid changes in the lifestyle and the ways people think and behave.

Brick and mortar businesses are now converting to brick-to-click and e-commerce ventures by recognizing the upcoming trends and mood of Bangladeshis. Invasion of mobile Internet has made easy to go online and perform the desired online shopping from anywhere and at any time. Now, just tell me who would like to go outside to deal with traffic mesh and burn fuel albeit with wasting valuable time in moving shop-to-shop.

Obstacles in the Way

However, Internet shopping in Bangladesh is not quite easy, as it seems, literally in other countries particularly in western counterparts. In USA, you can use PayPal like payment gateways freely and securely whether you are a US citizen or not. Unfortunately, it is not true in Bangladesh because PayPal and others do willingly not exist in the economy. Bangladesh is highly sensitive and protective economy in Asia. Therefore, it avoids international players who become cause of dollar drains, instruments of terrorism, and adverse in the interests of the country at this stage.

Another reason is mindset of Bangladeshis who believe that each entrepreneur invests only for sake of fatty profits and they hardly place trusts on other money transfer or payment methods. For these very reasons, payment on delivery and brick-to-click like models resume much. Other factors such as opening merchant account and payment gateway account for a business or buyer is tedious to do.

Unique Nature and Condition of Bangladesh

At other hand, Bangladeshis love to do quick online shopping instead of waiting for long in traffic mesh. They love to have simple payment process even they don’t have permanent bank account. The demand for such extreme level simplicities without missing security concern of bank, people, and government was challenging to translate in solid reality.

Role of Payza Bangladesh

Fortunately, Payza Bangladesh has taken bid to create bespoken solutions for Bangladesh in its own circumstances. What Payza Bangladesh has done? It has implemented e-wallet concept where anyone can create account with Payza Bangladesh, simply by visiting a teller in bank or registering online by filling essential info and identity/authentication. You would have multiple options to topple money in your account in bank or online. 

Now, you are ready to do online shopping, transfer money to your relatives/friends, or withdraw money coming from others. If you have cryptocurrency and you want to covert it in Taka (local money), you can take help of Payza Bangladesh with minimum charges. In fact, this e-wallet concept absolutely eliminates the merchant account from the default online payment system and you have to just deal with a reputable international payment service provider in your local Bangladeshi environment with your own ways.

Bangladeshi PayPal

Payza Bangladesh is feasible solution for the exporter, non-residential Bangladeshis, and offshore service providers like software designers, developers, Internet marketers, and many. Perhaps, Payza Bangladesh is highly sought after solution for the outsourcing industry, which desperately needs Bangladeshi PayPal in absence of real PayPal.

Payza Bangladesh - Makes You Save on Sending Money Anywhere

Payza Bangladesh has introduced quite simple yet powerful services under the feature of instantly send money to your loved ones with the least charges existing on the planet for such services. This also breaks the myth of digital divide through technological advancements.
‘SimplySendBD’ where you can

Role of Mobiles

The recent onset of mobile devices usage among all the strata of the society including Bangladeshis, have raised the hopes of some feasible solutions using mobile network. Except smartphones, most of the mobiles are affordable and easy to use for the low-literate Bangladeshis. Initially, it was considered as the dividing technologies for poor and rich. Unfortunately, reverse became true and mobile have filled up the gaps.

Today M-Banking is gaining ground in third world country and easy access of Internet through mobile devices have created a place for big payment gateways to enter in these low-strata population of society easily. Just as Indian government has done in Andhra state, Bangladesh is going to implement its G2P payment system using the modern tools and technologies including mobiles and G3 connectivity.

Cost-Effective Sending Money Options

Fortunately, some entrepreneurs have initiated wise and advanced steps towards this direction and Payza Bangladesh is a front-runner. Payza has made sending and receiving money cheaper and quick through SimplySendBD because you don't need to spend more than 2% or $10 even if you want to send $2K. Apart from cost-effectiveness, easy topping options and quick delivery through various modes including cash pickup and home delivery. In due course, Payza Bangladesh has established 5K retail locations across the country.

Inexpensive and convenient remittance options have made receiving of huge aids like $1.4 billion from developed countries quite easily and affordable. This is a significant improvement in alleviating poverty program. Besides foreign aids, migrant Bangladeshis send approx $11.65 billion money to their home county in one year.

These SimplySendBD and e-wallet like features/schemes of Payza Bangladesh is one of the welcome steps towards empowering this emerging economy. Thus, Payza Bangladesh has created conductive environment for the e-commerce in Bangladesh where anyone can pay, send, and receive money at the comfort of their home and within the shortest laps of time.