The most favourite hobby of Pakistanis is discussing politics and blaming corruption by the ruling elite for the economic, political and social downfall. But hardly anyone is willing to take responsibility and take a look at one’s own deeds. Amazon is the Goliath of the e-commerce industry. It has become synonymous with online shopping. Amazon opened its doors for Pakistan a year ago, May 21, 2021. It was a great strategy. The Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, and people were growing comfortable with e-shopping.
It enabled domestic vendors to sell their products, and help improve the country’s economy. But this opportunity fell victim to corruption as well. Initially things were going great, as Amazon seller accounts saw a steady rise in Pakistan. Now get this, Amazon allows easy shipping to anywhere in the world. Thus, it opened doors for local vendors, and cottage industries to sell their products and promote it everywhere without needing a middleman.
But many Pakistanis abused this golden space to make easy money. They resorted to tricks to make extra money, resulting in Amazon suspending accounts of almost 15,000 people. It also declared Mian Chanuu and Sahiwal as red zones, and fraudulent areas.
How did the fake sellers operate?
Tracking
The fake sellers used fake tracking. It means they told their clients that their package will be delivered within 15-20 working days. Amazon pays the seller within a fortnight. Once the money is received, the seller never delivers.
Carding
Another trick is buying fake cards from the dark web. The sellers use gifts from these cards and sell them to the customers. These kinds of scammers are difficult to track, since the customer is getting their package, and does not report them.
Conclusion
It is interesting to note that Pakistanis have registered 80,000 Amazon seller accounts which is only less than China and it has only been a little over a year since it has been made possible. And only a few of them are benefiting Amazon and most of them are either doing nothing or trying to scam in some way. The sellers who opened an account from foreign corporation registration or via foreign relatives are providing some value to Amazon. Amazon’s effort to manage the sellers of Pakistan is more than a challenge. It is also a challenge for genuine Pakistani sellers to make their name on an international platform that gives access to the entire world.
One thing is sure, Amazon e-commerce is not going to vanish from Pakistan and only more success stories are going to appear from the people that worked hard for. 13,000 accounts getting suspended over fraud should serve as a wakeup call for us.
by Amna Sheikh
(sheikh_amna@outlook.com)