Sellers, customers embrace ‘shop from home’ as festive season nears

Bhubaneswar: The ongoing pandemic and the increasing transmission of Covid through local contacts have prompted people to stay indoors. With not many people visiting shops, online stores of retail brands and individual sellers are reaching out to their clientèle with new products, smart designs, convenient returns, prompt refunds or exchanges and different payment options.

A well-known multi-brand store selling ethnic and western-wear and accessories for men, women and children is taking orders over WhatsApp and delivering goods at home without taking a delivery fee. It is giving customers cash on delivery option and a 30-day exchange window. It is also offering payment options like UPI, eGV and cards, while maintaining all Covid protocol.

“The footfall in our store was very low when it reopened. We delved into our database and reached out to customers by showcasing products over WhatsApp,” said a salesman of the store.

Another company selling ethnic-wear for women and children has also started home delivery within the city for the past four to five days. “The customer can look up our website, send us a picture of the design along with the style code and we will deliver the item to their home,” said Swagatika Nayak, a saleswoman. The company also offers both cash and card payments, besides an exchange policy.

Ashoka Manjari Nayak, a homemaker from Bargarh, who sells everything from clothing to furnishings to kitchen utility items, is also providing customised services to her clients over WhatsApp. ”Sales were good during Raja and Ganesh Puja. I send the catalogue to my clients as per their requirement and they order accordingly,” said Ashoka.

Sucharita Bhuyan, a homemaker from Bengaluru, buys items of her choice and stacks them up for occasions. “My friends also order online through me,” said Bhuyan, who said good quality products, cash on delivery services and no delay in refund were the biggest draws of online shopping.

Akanksha Behera, an engineer and a self-proclaimed shopaholic, has always been a fan of online shopping. “I get customised services like stitch on order and quality fabrics, designs of my choice and good deals from online sites and individual sellers,” she said.

Inquiries for festive clothes have also increased. Amruta Gandhi, a homemaker living in Bhubaneswar, sells handloom sarees and dress materials on social media. “My regular customers bought clothes from me for festivals even during the lockdown. Many are also asking about the famed Sonepuri Odissi handloom sarees,” said Amruta.

Online shopping is the only option for those who have to work from home and are living in remote areas of the state. Shobhana Mahato, an engineer with a top IT firm, has been shopping for daily essentials online after she returned to her home in Barbil, Keonjhar. “I order online as it is difficult to get things of my choice in my town. It is also safer,” she said.

Sellers are hopeful that sales will boom by mid-September. The trends during previous festivals and the inquiries indicate that people will start buying more soon, said Rashmi Garnaik, an online seller from Angul.