Evaly will now deliver goods to small traders

Evaly, a diversified online marketplace, has introduced a new service called SME Deal to deliver products to small traders directly from different factories.

"We are opening the new chapter from today [Monday]. It is an arrangement of wholesale purchases of products. Small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs – both wholesalers and retailers – will be able to purchase products from here," said Sajjad Alam, commercial head of the Dhaka-based e-commerce platform.

Speaking at a press conference at the company's head office, he said that Evaly will accept large purchase orders and a trader must buy goods worth Tk20,000 – Tk30,000 at a time.

The arrangement is mainly for traders, he pointed out.

"As a pilot project, we are currently embarking on the journey with products from 30 companies. The products will be sold on special offer for the first two hours from 10pm today [Monday]. After that, SME Deal will be considered a regular shop," Sajjad Alam added.

Rezwanul Haque Jami, head of the Rural eCommerce of a2i Program, said, "There are about 3,000 to 4,000 entrepreneurs engaged with ekShop, and we are in the process of connecting them with Evaly."

"This will make it easier for entrepreneurs in other parts of the country, including in the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) estates, to reach out to SME entrepreneurs," he added.

Products will not change the hands of middlemen and will help SME traders to get better quality products at lower prices, said Ehsan Sarwar Chowdhury, executive director (Strategy and Implementation) of Evaly.

"We try to deliver products to customers at discount rates. So far we have noticed that with many offers, many traders have bought a large number of products from us at lower prices and done good business. They are also benefiting from that," he added.

He said that taking their issues in consideration, Evaly has now come up with the SME Deal service.

"Our costs will also come down in supplying a large number of products to one place. Hopefully, there will be no problem in delivering products on time," he continued.

Evaly will sell the products from small and big factories on the wholesale market through SME Deal.

Although the company is kicking off its journey with more than 200 types of goods – like diapers, cables, stationery items – it plans to expand its product range.