Aitizaz Hassan ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (INP-WealthPK): Pakistan’s e-commerce is expected to post an annual growth rate of 6.09% during 2022-2025 with a projected market volume of $9.153 billion. According to a US research survey forum Statista, the e-commerce industry in Pakistan will reach $7.66 billion in fiscal year 2021-2022. The expected number of online consumers will be 65.1 million by 2025 in Pakistan, the growth ratio of users will be 23.9% in FY 2022 and it is expected to hit 26.9% by 2025. Similarly, the average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to amount to $139.94 by 2025. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) annual report assessed $5.883 billion in revenue for Pakistan e-commerce market in fiscal year 2020-21 while it generated $6 billion in revenue, which was 350% higher as compared to $1.314 billion in fiscal year 2019-20. According to local e-commerce company Daraz, the Punjab province was the highest contributor to e-commerce with the orders ratio of 55% in Pakistan, Sindh province contributed 36%, while Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan cumulatively contributed the remaining 9% during the last fiscal year. The data of Statista shows that 19% of the Pakistani population have bought at least one product online in FY 2021. The fashion category is the largest section in Pakistan as it generated 70% of the revenue in e-commerce market. Electronics and media contributed 12% to e-commerce, food and personal care added 11%, while contribution of products related to toys, hobby, DIY, furniture and appliances remained 4% to e-commerce revenue in Pakistan in fiscal year 2021. Danial Mushtaq, an online grocery mart owner, told WealthPK that the online shopping trend took a paradigm shift during the pandemic outbreak in Pakistan. More and more people are adopting the e-commerce channels as it has become unavoidable in the current situation. “Many retailers and merchants, who had not felt the need to run online platforms to sell their products in the past, are now adopting this path for their own survival,” Danial said. Similarly, 67% of online stores in Pakistan among the top 100 are active in fashion-related sales. As much as 28% of online stores in Pakistan among the top 100 are active in electronics and media, 21% are active in toys, hobby & DIY, 25% in furniture and appliances, and 23% of online stores are active in food and personal care. The PTA data shows that despite various regulatory reforms and market efforts, approximately 60% of e-commerce transactions in Pakistan are carried out through cash on delivery (COD) and the remaining 40% are paid through digital channels including credit/debit cards, interbank funds transfer (IBFT), prepaid cards, and mobile wallets.