Nepal is undergoing a nationwide lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, we are following the lockdown to “flatten the curve”. But for how long? Well, there is no appropriate answer. It’s not happening anytime soon.
Thus, the ongoing situation leads to the topic of what a lot of us have been talking aside from the start of the pandemic — the “impact of lockdown in our economy”. And rightly so, we can’t just ignore it.
The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector of Nepal that is said to contribute nearly 22% of the national GDP while generating nearly 17 lakh employment has reportedly been majorly hit. Hence, reviving the sector could certainly aid in somewhat repairing the economy and moreover alleviating the impact.
With a similar attempt, Daraz has launched Daraz Seller Sahayatri Program inviting retailers and businesses across Nepal to set up their digital ventures on the platform to expand their revenue sources above traditional bric-a-brac.
The program is under implementation in all of Daraz’s operating countries and looks forward to providing a subsidy of nearly half a million US dollars with dedicated one-on-one support and access to free business consultation thereby repairing the SME sector.
Daraz Nepal, on the other hand, pledges to charge 0% marketplace fees to SMEs on the sales via its platform for the months of May and June 2020. The total local support package includes subsidies of above NPR 55 lakh. Moreover, it’s providing a swift online store setup hence allowing new businesses to sell on Daraz as quickly as possible.
Businesses are also granted access to the analytical tools, free-of-cost e-commerce education, and training via what the company calls, Daraz University that converges in educating sellers so that they can optimize their businesses on the platform. While other support initiatives under Daraz Sahayatri Program are:
- Weekly payouts to all Daraz sellers until 30th June 2020
- Dedicated campaigns and visibility on the Daraz app for all SME sellers
- Free access to analytical tools to improve performance
- One-on-one support to help new sellers set up their online shops
Daraz is convinced that the Sahayatri Program will aid thousands of SMEs to get back on their feet by leveraging the increased e-commerce activity and reaching millions of Daraz customers across the nation.
You can register for the program by signing up on Daraz’s seller sign up page or even reach out to them for assistance.
