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Pakistan Ecommerce

Daraz vs Shopify vs Amazon: Where Should Pakistani Sellers Start?

By Shaheer Khan, founder of Markify Ecommerce

If you want to sell online from Pakistan, three names come up again and again: Daraz, Shopify and Amazon. They are very different things. Daraz is a Pakistani marketplace, Shopify is software for your own online store, and Amazon is a global marketplace you use to sell abroad. Choosing between them is really choosing who your customers are and how much of the business you want to control.

The one-minute answer

  • Want to sell to Pakistani customers quickly, without building a website? Start on Daraz.
  • Want to build your own brand in Pakistan and keep your customers? Build a Shopify store, and use Daraz alongside it for extra reach.
  • Want to sell abroad and earn in dollars or pounds? Amazon, with stock in Amazon's warehouses abroad.

Side-by-side comparison

Daraz Your own Shopify store Amazon (US/UK)
Customers Shoppers in Pakistan Whoever you attract: Pakistan or abroad Shoppers in the US, UK and other countries
Traffic Built in You bring it (ads, social, SEO) Built in, very large
Main costs Commission and fees per sale, set by category Monthly plan, apps, payment fees, advertising Monthly plan, referral fee, FBA fees, advertising
Getting paid Payouts in PKR to your Pakistani bank COD through couriers, local gateways; foreign company for international cards Payouts in foreign currency to a supported account
Delivery Daraz's logistics or your drop-off; fulfilment by Daraz in some cases Your couriers in Pakistan, or a 3PL abroad Amazon FBA (most common)
Customer data Limited Fully yours Limited
Brand control Low to medium Full Medium (more with Brand Registry)
Startup capital Low Low to medium Medium to high
Rules risk Marketplace policies and penalties Payment and ad platform rules Strict account health and IP rules

Fees and policies change. Check each platform's current seller centre for exact numbers before you calculate margins.

Daraz in more detail

Daraz is Pakistan's largest online marketplace and part of the Alibaba group.

Good for: testing products quickly with Pakistani buyers, sellers who do not want to build or market a website, and products people already search for on Daraz.

What to know:

  • Registration needs your CNIC (or business documents), a bank account in the same name and product details.
  • Daraz charges a commission that varies by category plus other fees, and runs frequent campaigns (such as 11.11) where participation can bring volume but squeeze margins.
  • Competition on price is intense, including from sellers of unbranded products.
  • You have limited access to customer details, so building repeat business is harder.
  • Seller performance (cancellations, late shipments, returns, ratings) affects your visibility.

Your own Shopify store in more detail

Shopify gives you your own website with your brand, your prices and your customer list.

Good for: brands that want to own the customer relationship, sell at their own prices, and build repeat business through WhatsApp, email and social media.

What to know:

  • You must drive traffic yourself, usually with Facebook, Instagram and TikTok ads, content and, over time, Google search.
  • COD is the main payment method for Pakistani customers, so plan for refusals and confirm orders; see reducing COD refusals.
  • Shopify Payments is not available in Pakistan; use local gateways, bank transfer and COD, or a US LLC or UK Ltd for international customers.
  • Full guide: Shopify in Pakistan: costs, payments, couriers and setup.

Amazon in more detail

Amazon lets Pakistani sellers reach customers in the US, UK and other countries. Pakistan has been on Amazon's list of supported seller countries since 2021.

Good for: products with demand abroad, especially where Pakistan has manufacturing strengths (textiles, leather, sports goods, beauty and surgical instruments, home textiles).

What to know:

Which should you start with?

Choose Daraz first if you have products for the Pakistani market, little capital and want to test demand without building a store.

Choose Shopify first if you want to build a brand, you are comfortable with social media marketing, and you want to keep your customers.

Choose Amazon first if you want to sell abroad, have access to good products and enough capital for stock and advertising, and can follow strict rules.

Combine them when ready. A common path for local brands: Shopify store as the home of the brand, Daraz for extra reach. For exporters: Amazon for volume, plus Etsy or a Shopify store abroad for brand building. See multichannel selling for keeping stock in sync.

Frequently asked questions

Is Daraz better than Shopify?

Neither is better overall. Daraz gives you buyers; Shopify gives you control. Many brands use both.

Can I sell on Amazon from Pakistan without a company?

Yes, Pakistan is a supported seller country. A US LLC or UK Ltd is optional for Amazon but helpful for banking and other marketplaces. See do Pakistani sellers need a registered company?

Which is cheapest to start?

Selling on Daraz or social media with a small stock is usually the cheapest start. Amazon typically needs the most capital.

Can Markify help?

Yes. We build Shopify stores and manage Amazon and other marketplaces from our office in Bahria Orchard, Lahore. See our services or start with how to start an ecommerce business in Pakistan.

Work with Markify Ecommerce

Markify Ecommerce (listed on Google Maps as Markify Ecommerce - Unicored Technologies) is an ecommerce marketplace management agency in Bahria Orchard, Lahore. We manage Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, Etsy and TikTok Shop accounts, and we set up US LLCs and UK Ltd companies for Pakistani sellers.

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