Completing a single online sale in Bangladesh can involve switching between Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, WhatsApp, spreadsheets and delivery platforms, often requiring the same information to be entered multiple times.
Pathao has recently launched Pathao Commerce, an all-in-one platform that brings storefronts, sales channels, orders, inventory, payments, delivery and customer communication together in one place to enable merchants to manage and grow their business efficiently, said a press release on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s social commerce ecosystem comprises 200,000 merchants and represents over 80 per cent of all digital commerce. Pathao said the launch addresses merchants managing more orders, customers, sales channels and operational tools than ever before. Built around three core needs- Management, Efficiency and Growth- Pathao Commerce helps businesses reduce manual work, simplify everyday operations and focus on scaling.
Pathao CEO Fahim Ahmed said, “For years, merchants have trusted Pathao to take the hassle out of deliveries and help them get their products to customers reliably. With Pathao Commerce, we are taking that commitment beyond delivery, giving entrepreneurs a single platform to manage everything from their storefront and orders to inventory, sales, payments, delivery, and customer communication. By taking away the burden of juggling multiple tools, we are giving merchants greater control and confidence to focus on their customers, build their brands, and turn new opportunities into growing businesses.”
Under Management, merchants can manage their product catalog, orders, payments, inventory and deliveries, and create a professional online storefront from a single platform. The platform connects with third-party sales channels such as Shopify, WooCommerce and Daraz, with sales, orders, inventory and earnings automatically updated.
Under Efficiency, a unified chat inbox brings customer conversations from the communication channels into one place through official Meta integrations. Merchants can view order histories within conversations and use AI-enabled support, backed by Pathao’s database of nearly 10 million unique nationwide addresses, to enter delivery information faster. Merchants can generate an Instant Checkout link directly within a customer chat window, allowing customers to complete their order and payment in a single step. Once the order is placed, a pickup agent is automatically dispatched to the merchant’s doorstep and a tracking link is immediately shared with the customer.
Under Growth, businesses can customise their storefronts, track sales and inventory, use analytics to make better decisions, and will soon be able to run sponsored campaigns directly through Meta Catalog integration. Secure payments, instant payouts through Pathao Pay, real-time delivery tracking and customer trust ratings help merchants sell with greater confidence.
Built using historical data, these trust ratings keep the return percentage for social commerce at a single-digit level, compared to around 30 per cent for online marketplaces in Bangladesh.
Pathao Commerce also allows merchants to publish their entire catalog to Pathao Shop, unlocking an additional sales channel in a few clicks. With Pathao’s Instant Delivery, merchants can fulfil orders that require faster delivery, which they can also automate via direct API integration with Pathao Commerce.
To get started, merchants are requested to visit commerce.pathao.com.
