The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released its “Pakistan Digital Ecosystem Report” for the year 2023, revealing that Pakistanis indulged in record-high online spending during the year. 

According to the report, consumers in Pakistan spent a staggering $10.42 billion on online shopping in 2023.

Out of the total e-commerce expenditure, approximately $5.45 billion was spent on products, while $4.3 billion went toward services. Additionally, Pakistanis spent $590 million on subscription-based digital media platforms.

In product purchases, electronics dominated with a total spend of $3.25 billion. Fashion followed with $1.06 billion, beauty products with $320 million, food items with around $170 million, and medicines with $110 million.

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In terms of services, $2.3 billion were spent on airline tickets, $245 million on train tickets, $285 million on car rentals, $690 million on hotel bookings, and $620 million on holiday packages.

The report also highlighted a significant trend in payment methods: over 90% of e-commerce transactions in Pakistan were conducted through cash on delivery. This reliance on cash reflects a widespread lack of consumer trust in merchants and online payment systems.