Etimad Online Groceries (Pvt) Ltd. is a chain of grocery stores in each area of Karachi with an option of pick-up in store as well as same day delivery through online orders at the click of a mouse/tap of an app or a phone call.
Team Biz Today had an informal chat with the CEO of Etimad Online, Mr. Arif Naqi who has more than 15 years of experience in retail industry. Before joining Etimad Online, Mr. Arif Naqi was heading a manufacturing company and was also a CEE of a retailing store corporation which had a chain of hypermarkets in Pakistan. With his expertise in coaching and training, he also worked as an executive coach and trainer at Dianetics center for nine years in a row as well as at Johannesburg, South Africa for three years.
When asked about Etimad Online, he said Mr. Azim A. Sheikh is the chairman of Home Pakistan Group and Etimad Online is his brainchild. He is an industrialist since 1983 and as a philanthropist, is involved in many social projects and continuously working towards the alleviation of poverty from Pakistan. After the recent economic crisis due to Covid19 where it became difficult for a common man to provide for his family, Mr. Azim realized that due to the absence of price controlling system in our country, there is a huge difference between the pricing on which a farmer or a local manufacturer is providing products and the pricing on which the consumer is buying it and he came up with this idea to bridge the gap and connect farmers/manufacturers directly to the consumers which will eventually control the artificial and unethical price rise.
Talking to Biz Today, he said that Etimad Online has a mission to provide quality products at lower prices but this is not an easy target to achieve. When we are talking about the products of multinational companies, first they are very expensive for the consumers and secondly they are not giving enough margin for the shopkeepers. The same products are available in lower prices from local manufacturers but the consumer has lack of trust towards certain local products and that was another challenge for us. Although many of these products are of high standards but they still don’t get enough shelf space because of which the consumer is not aware about their quality. To establish that trust, we have formed a quality control division which has 2 directors with a PhD from related field and they ensure the quality of products and that’s why we are confident while giving the shelf space.
Describing the business model of Etimad Online, Mr. Arif Naqi said that – Etimad Online is producing more than 200 entrepreneurs who will start their business of a grocery store and each will be employing more than three people so automatically more than 600 families will be generating income – and this is just the beginning.
Explaining the model further, he said that online shopping is the new global movement and Etimad Online provides you the perfect E-Commerce and retail shopping business solutions for consumers and also for new budding entrepreneurs to start-up something of their own. All an entrepreneur has to do is to sign-up for an Etimad Online Grocery Store franchise and we will facilitate them in setting up their stores, with inventory management, marketing, online-sales, customer order, stock delivery etc. To be a part of Etimad Online, all you have to do is to call on our number 0348 1113434 and our agents will guide you as best as they can.
On concluding note, Mr. Arif Naqi said, “We are launching 50 Etimad Online stores in different locations of Karachi and we are planning to have more than 200 stores by 2021 in Karachi, after which we will be entering other cities as it is a national project. I would like to tell this to the Pakistani nation that they should buy Pakistani products. I know that due to the lack of quality control system in our country, people have confusion towards buying local products and that’s where Etimad Online is taking the responsibility; we are not only marketing these products, but also making sure of their standards and quality. We want everyone to know that every product on our platform is only of high quality. I would also like to tell this to our readers that with Etimad Online, they are witnessing the birth of new era in commercial distribution. Etimad Online will be using the very best in terms of technology and innovation to bring forward a revolution in home essentials and consumer product market and we welcome you to be a part of this journey to a better tomorrow.
