SECTION 01
How online shopping works in Pakistan
You find a product on an online store, a marketplace such as Daraz, or a brand's Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp page. You add it to the cart or fill in an order form with your name, phone number and address, choose how to pay, and place the order.
The seller confirms the order, often by phone call or WhatsApp message, packs it and hands it to a courier. The courier delivers it to your address, usually within a few working days in major cities and longer in smaller towns, and collects the payment if you chose cash on delivery.
A brand or shop's own website, where you order directly from the seller.
One site with many sellers, such as Daraz. The marketplace handles payment and delivery rules.
Ordering through Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp messages, often with payment on delivery.
SECTION 02
How online shopping with cash on delivery works
Cash on delivery (COD) means you pay when the parcel reaches you, not when you order. It's the most common way to pay for online shopping in Pakistan because you don't share card details and you only pay once the parcel has arrived.
Have the exact amount ready, check the name and order details on the parcel before paying, and keep the order number and the seller's contact until you're happy with what you received. If you no longer want an order, cancel it with the seller before it ships rather than refusing it at the door: refused parcels cost the seller delivery both ways.
SECTION 03
Other ways to pay online in Pakistan
Many online stores also take online payments, which can mean faster dispatch or a discount. Common options are JazzCash and Easypaisa wallets, debit and credit cards, and bank transfer. Pay online only on the store's own checkout or a known payment page, never by sending money to a personal number a stranger gives you in a message.
SECTION 04
How to tell a trustworthy online store
Before you order from an online store you haven't used before, spend a minute checking that it's a real business that will deliver and answer you if something goes wrong.
A phone or WhatsApp number and an email or address you can reach.
Delivery times and charges, and a return or exchange policy, shown before you pay.
The address starts with https and the browser shows no security warning.
An order number by email, SMS or WhatsApp right after you order.
Prices close to the market. A brand-name product far below its usual price is a warning sign.
Reviews and social pages with real customers, not only the seller's own posts.
SECTION 05
Delivery times and charges
Delivery charges vary by seller. Some charge a flat fee, some charge by city, and many offer free delivery above an order value. The total you'll pay, including delivery, should be shown before you confirm your order.
Delivery usually takes a few working days to major cities and longer to smaller towns. Ask for the tracking number once the order ships so you can follow it with the courier.
SECTION 06
Returns, exchanges and refunds
Each seller sets its own return policy, so read it before ordering, especially for clothing sizes, electronics and cosmetics. Many stores offer exchanges for wrong sizes or damaged items if you contact them within a set number of days.
If a seller won't resolve a genuine problem, keep your order number, messages and photos of the item. Pakistan's provincial consumer protection laws give buyers rights over defective goods; check the rules and authority for your province.
SECTION 07
Common online shopping scams to avoid
Most online sellers are honest, but a few patterns account for most problems. Be careful with sellers who ask for full advance payment to a personal wallet for an expensive item, pages that only accept orders in private messages and have no store, prices that are far too good to be true, and messages claiming you've won a prize and must pay a delivery fee.
SECTION 08
Selling online in Pakistan? Offer what shoppers trust
Shoppers buy more readily from an online store that offers cash on delivery, shows its delivery charge and return policy up front, and confirms each order. On Eekaam you can build your own online store with a COD order form, confirm every COD order on WhatsApp, and offer JazzCash, Easypaisa through AssanPay and card payments, starting with a 3-day free trial.
SECTION 09
Questions, answered
Is cash on delivery available for online shopping in Pakistan?
Yes. Most online stores and marketplaces in Pakistan offer cash on delivery, and it's the most common way shoppers pay. You pay the courier when your parcel arrives.
Is online shopping safe in Pakistan?
It is when you buy from trustworthy online stores: ones with real contact details, clear delivery and return policies, a secure website and an order confirmation. Paying by cash on delivery also means you only pay once the parcel arrives.
Can I return an item I bought online?
It depends on the seller's return policy, so read it before ordering. Many stores exchange wrong sizes or damaged items if you contact them within a few days of delivery.
Why does an online store call or message me after I order?
To confirm the order before shipping it. Sellers do this to avoid sending parcels to wrong numbers or fake orders. Reply to confirm, or cancel there if you've changed your mind.
What is the difference between an online store and a marketplace?
An online store is one brand or shop's own website, where you order from them directly. A marketplace, such as Daraz, lists many sellers on one site and sets the rules for payment, delivery and returns.