In recent times, the hype around online business and drop shipping courses has surged dramatically in Pakistan. But the reality is far from what many course sellers preach. The truth is, investing in most e-commerce or dropshipping courses isn’t just ineffective—it’s potentially a waste of money.
Let’s break it down.
The Real Picture Behind Pakistani E-Commerce
If we talk about Pakistan’s e-commerce landscape, it currently makes zero sense to get involved without a clear and sustainable business model. Platforms like Daraz, PriceOye, and Telemart dominate the space, but they don’t operate like typical businesses aiming for profit. Daraz, for instance, is backed by the Alibaba Group. Their goal isn’t profitability; it’s about increasing sales figures to keep their public shareholders happy. Whether or not the business is profitable doesn’t matter to them as long as their stock performs well.
PriceOye takes a similar route—undercutting prices on almost every product. You might have noticed many companies publicly distancing themselves from PriceOye by refusing to honor warranties or denying any official relationship with them. Why? Because PriceOye is not making profits either—they’re focused solely on volume and sales.
This sets a dangerous precedent for small businesses trying to follow the same model. Competing against such giants who don’t care about profit margins simply isn’t sustainable.
Why Dropshipping via Shopify Isn’t a Smart Move
Many people believe they can buy a product from the local market, upload it to their Shopify store, and flip it at a higher price. Sounds simple, right? But this model is full of holes.
Firstly, most established brands already sell their products online and directly to customers, often at better prices than you could offer. Secondly, when you rely on ads to promote your products—especially if you’re reselling—you run into high advertising costs. Ads might be cheaper at first, but as they run longer, the cost increases. Unless your profit margins are huge (which they won’t be if you’re reselling), you’ll bleed money trying to maintain visibility.
Another common misconception is that selling a wide range of random products will generate profits. But if we analyze Pakistan’s top-performing Shopify stores—like Outfitters, Asim Jofa, Beechtree, Mistore, Orient Textiles, Limelight, and Alkaram Studio—one thing becomes clear: they all sell their own branded products.
They control pricing, profit margins, and marketing strategies because they own the brand. This makes ad costs manageable and ensures better customer loyalty. Reselling someone else’s product can never compete with that.
The Truth About Shopify Courses
Course sellers often show off flashy earnings and claim you can do the same. What they don’t tell you is that many of them already have massive social media followings that they leverage to generate traffic and sales. When you, an average person without a following or audience, try to replicate that, the results are vastly different.
Instead of buying expensive courses, a smarter approach would be to gain real experience. Reach out to established companies, apply for internships—even unpaid ones—and work in real environments where actual online businesses are running. Within 2–3 months, you’ll learn far more than any course could teach you.
What You Should Actually Do
If you truly want to build something sustainable in the online space, here’s a more realistic plan:
-
Get Real Experience: Work with a digital brand or company. Learn how operations, logistics, marketing, and customer support actually function.
-
Gather Resources: Once you’ve gained enough experience and saved up capital, then start thinking about launching your own brand—not someone else’s.
-
Forget the Courses: Most courses sell dreams that don’t align with ground reality. Instead, invest your time and effort in learning by doing.
-
Build a Real Brand: Whether it’s clothing, homeware, or tech accessories—create something of your own. When you own the product, you control the narrative, the price, and the profit.
Final Thoughts
The harsh truth is that e-commerce in Pakistan only works for two types of people: those with strong brands and those backed by major stock market players. Everyone in the middle is just trying to survive and often failing.
So, if you’re thinking of starting a Shopify store in Pakistan, ask yourself: do you have a brand, a following, and a real plan—or are you just following a dream sold by someone else?
Build your own path. Build your own brand. That’s where the real success lies.
