Course: Operation Management EIB 523/518

Assignment 1

Submitted To
Prof. Abu Reza Hasan
Department of International Business
University of Dhaka

Submitted By
Mir Sadia
ID: 801827060

Submission Date:​ 29-11-2020

The COVID 19 pandemic has forever changed online shopping behaviours. According to a
survey of about 3700 customers in nine emerging and developed economies. Following the
pandemic, more than half of the survey’s respondents now shop online more frequently.
Consumers in emerging economies have made the greatest shift to online shopping.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards a more digital world. The changes
we make now will have lasting effects as the world economy begins to recover,” said UNCTAD
Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi. He said the acceleration of online shopping globally
underscores the urgency of ensuring all countries can seize the opportunities offered by
digitalization as the world moves from pandemic response to recovery.

However, this pandemic also inspired me for starting an online business after losing my job in
April,2020. After 4 month, I was looking for a new job but the job market is now very
underrated. Everyday scrolling my news feed on social media I found the number of online
purchasing pages, lives, shares are increased. My relatives and friends are now very comfortable
with online purchases rather going outside to the market as it's not safe yet. All these things
make me feel like starting an online business. Besides, doing something my own also pushes me
to do this.

I was planning to do something on my own but I was not sure where to start, how to start, who
will be my supplier, how to deal with them, how much to invest, what the risk, how to minimize
them. Basically I have no idea for anything. One day I went shopping near my home. I found a
seller who was selling a dress at 400tk that I saw exactly online at 950tk. That hits my mind to
start my own online clothing sector so that customers get the same quality products from me with
a low price. Because there are many online sellers that are selling their products with high prices
unnecessarily just with sugar words. Nowadays online purchase is also a trend. People do not
justify the true price of the products according to the product quality. From that day, I set my
goal to serve the customers quality products with low range budgets. But to fulfill this I need to
get a supplier from whom i can get quality products with recent trends and low budgets.

However, One day I found someone commented on a post that “if anyone wants to do work then
please inbox me. It's not fake. Everyday you can earn money.” Then I inboxed him. He is a
dealer. His elder brother has a wholesale shop in mirpur. He gave me a picture of a shop visiting
card. He told me that he will give product pictures along with details and a wholesale price from
his side. Then I will sell that via any channel.I need to set a retail price from my side and sell
that. After selling the product, the extra amount after paying his wholesale price to him will be
my profit which he will send me via bkash. The delivery man will be his man. Customers need to
pay the delivery charge extra as usual. For example: suppose he sent me 5 pictures of boys
t-shirts with variety design along with full fabrics details,size,gsm and wholesale price 400tk
each. I posted those pictures and details of fabrics and edited that wholesale price with my retail
price like 480tk and order process and details. That extra 80tk is my profit that is sent by him to
my bkash number. He provides his own delivery man. I just collect the order and send him the
customer's details address,quantity,product picture and size.

As i am new and i have no big amount to invest in my business, i found this opportunity is good
without any initial investment. Risks are low and also give me a hope or courage to start at least.
I was just supposed to hunt real customers and make the sale and at the end enjoy profit.

After dealing with him, I opened my own online business page named “Selling Bell.” Its online
clothing sector for both male and female.I designed a logo for my business. Invite and share to
all my friends and family to like me page, increase my post reach, views and shares. After
placing an order, inside dhaka within 2 days customers will get their product and outside dhaka
within 3-4 days will get it. I am providing the cash on delivery facilities inside dhaka only. To
add more value I set my price lower than competitors. Because, in the beginning, my target is
low profit by providing quality products within a short time. Goal is to reach the highest number
of customers.

My products mainly are male t-shirt, hoodies, jackets, shirts, trousers, panjabi, female 3 piece
with trends, sarees, kurtis, kids panjabi. Besides, bed sheets, korean floor mats, curtains are also
available.

After getting product pictures with details and wholesale price, I upload those on my page with
fabric details and set my price which is usually 70tk to 100tk higher than the wholesale price. I
try to follow the fraction pricing strategy like 480tk, 520tk, 690tk etc for my customers before
setting my retail price.Also describe the order placing and delivery process, time, charge and
contact details. Everything was good, I was enjoying my profit but there were only 1 or 2
purchases in a month. I got my extra amount in my bkash number.

For more marketing there are some groups that help for free boost by liking each other’s pages.
Also some group admin requests to give everyone’s product pictures so that customers can
see,like and make purchases. In a way the group members,activity, comments increase and we
also get our customers. It's all about just to give time and always looking for this type of post to
grab my customers. Keep sharing my page and posts to my news feed, in other groups also.
Many of my friends also share my page and posts so that i can get the highest reach and views
which is helpful for me to get more and more customers.

There is one barrier I was facing that, my online dealer does not send me real pictures of the
products. He mostly sends me google pictures. For this many customers that were asked for real
pictures I was unable to provide them those as products are not in my hand. For this reason I lost
most of my customers and also failed to approach them for purchasing my products. When my
dealer was unable to send me real pictures, to overcome this I planned to get real pictures of my
products or the product must be in my hand so that i can take pictures anytime and share with my
customers while approaching and this is only possible if i could connect myself with the direct
suppliers.

After one month when I started getting few responses but still I planned to increase my supplier.
I went to visit some local wholesale shops to deal directly with them so that I could get more
products with a low price and cut off the dealers profit portion. One of my cousins has a shop of
clothing accessories in the local market, he introduced me to some clothing wholesalers.

In the local market I got one supplier who is very closely related with my cousin and me who
allowed me to take some products from them with 30% payment as guaranteed money so that i
can go for live to grab my customers and their trust. It is very helpful for me to attract my
customers. Now I can offer my customers quality products with low prices. As i am unable to
invest a big amount and collect huge collections from them with 30% payments so i also
requested them for sending product pictures and videos as well.

Products that were selling 950tk or 1150tk each by other online competitors like Jaisa’s fashion,
Fashionable BD, Fashionable wears i found that i can offer those 700tk or 800tk to my
customers. I dealt with them and told me to send pictures of each product and details so that I can
place them on my page. Not only pictures but also some product videos I made for my customers
so that they can feel that they are in the traditional market to make his/her purchase. Whenever
an order is placed my delivery man will collect this and hand it over to my customer. To deliver
my product I also hire a delivery man who will work under me. My cousin has an online beauty
product shop as well and he introduced me with him. Now my cousin and I share his monthly
charge which is beneficial for both of us. This reduces my cost as well.

As I am new in this platform and not able to invest a big amount that's why I am unable to input
a great number and variety of products from my suppliers. I am allowed to take only
2000-3000tk products with 30% payments. Also, I am looking for an investor from my relatives
or near people so that they invest in my business and I can collect products from my suppliers in
a big quantity and attract my customers.

For packaging my products to reach it safely to my customer’s door I use normal packets and
tight with scotch tape and attached an informal price details and quantity on a general page with
my signature. To attract my customers I usually keep various offers as a strategy like buy one get
one free, special discount, discount on first order and so on.

I am planning to give a boost of 5$ or 10$ so that my page reaches more customers, increase
views and engagement so that people will buy my products. Also planning for increasing
customer relationships more. For this, I personally asked for their feedback about the product.
This helps me to ensure and enhance my productivity. The delivery man is strictly commanded
to deal with my customers with patience and smile, delivering the product on time. If he fails for
any reason to deliver it on time I personally apologize to my customers.

To grow my online business I need to give more time and focus to make new and unique
strategies. So that i can operate my business in the long run and serve my customers quality
products with low budgets. After starting my own business I get opportunity to use all my
academic learnings, more flexibility, increasing my professionalism, opportunity to done my
work from anywhere and serve my customers a best deal with a low budget.