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Why Are People Moving Toward Thrift Culture in Pakistan?

The urban dwellers in the big cities have often impulsively shopped for economical branded items from the treasure trove at local bazaars. These were magical dreamlands for all things fancy on display for you to steal at throwaway prices. Popularly seen on different days of the week, primarily Sundays, these bazaars have all that you could wish for—and more!

And that’s where the thrift culture in Pakistan originated.

You'll spot shoppers from all classes flock to these canopied bazaars in the sweltering heat of summers and raid the piles of shoes, sweaters, purses, and even grocery items. You'll find everything under the sun from rare animal print fashion accessories to your favorite makeup palettes that are out of production at a fraction of their original price.

The popularity of the Sunday Bazaars has introduced the nation to the fundamentals of thrift culture and localized a western concept beautifully.

Affordability is Prioritized

The quality and price of (often slightly used) goods in these markets have encouraged people to prioritize affordability over brands. Buying a 10k+ bag from Charles and Keith or Aldo is not worth spending a considerable chunk of your pay: it’s nearly 67% of the Rs.15000 minimum wage allowance in Pakistan.

It’s making buyers that not all good things come at an (exorbitant) price. It’s also shedding the taboo associated with using pre-loved or second-hand items by the elite classes. It seems like the plight to fight inflation has bridged social stratification. Who doesn't want to save a few thousand on a Prada bag with a slightly rusty zip?

Livelihood for Nomadic Sellers

The Sunday Bazaars are not just a chance to loot high-quality goods or discounted grocery items for buyers but also a livelihood for the sellers. The retailers are all nomads who travel from place to place in search of work. They're mostly laid-off factory workers or scrap dealers who are out to make a living.  

Booming demand for the Sunday-bazaar bags and shoes has created hundreds of jobs for the sellers. This may not come close to eradicating poverty but will surely put a hot meal on the table for many families!

Unique Aesthetic for The Aficionados

There’s a unique appeal of treasured retrieved from the dust-covered piles laid out on the bare ground. It's raw, rustic, and real—all things that perfumed leather bags on the other side of glass windows lack. It's not that people don't prefer new things over old ones; it’s the shared sensibility that an article of clothing or accessory carries memories of someone else’s life.

An MK bag’s used look only makes it look like it may have aged over years of hanging in your closet. All those who wish to flash around their newest purchases, needn’t do more to make their branded possessions seem more authentic. What’s stopping you from sporting a nice bag on the next lunch date with your girlfriends?

Are you planning to start a thrift business? Need a hand with marketing?

GoCheapShop is a growing online platform that offers free local classified ads posting services. Their online advertisement website allows you to find buyers who will be genuinely interested in what you offer.

They offer various categories under different tabs, so you can choose whichever suits your ad campaign.

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How to Rent a Portion in Your Double Story House?

With the economy slowed down and businesses downsizing because of the lockdown, it's hard to find jobs that can pay your pending bills. You need alternate means of earning some cash and renting out a portion of your house is an excellent option.

There are a lot of families who are living in houses that are too large for their needs. If you have a few extra rooms or an empty floor, you can take on boarders. It's perfectly legal if your mortgage terms allow that and an easy way to make money from home.

Before you jump to posting a classified ad for tenants, here’s what you need to know.

How to Become a Landlord

Be it a large space or just one room; if you're renting out your property, you're legally a landlord or lady.

Once you become one, it's essential to follow the guidelines for the tenants' rights without compromising your own. If you don’t know the legalities of the matter, that’s alright.

Consult a real estate agent who'll finalize the deal and make sure your tenant is also present in the meeting. Both parties must be in agreement with the rules.

How to Find Tenants for Your House

Unpleasant instances with tenants can cause unnecessary friction between both parties. It’s important to perform a background check, ask for identity documents and other credentials, and vet your options before renting out your portion.

The specifics that you need will depend entirely on you.

If you’re a single woman or mother with kids, you might want the tenants to be females as well.

If you’re particular about their religiosity, you might want to set ground rules for religious observances that can interrupt your routine.

If you’re of a conservative mindset, you might want to define your boundaries regarding hosting parties or inviting unidentified guests.

Whatever your requirements are, make sure you communicate them upfront before the tenant signs the deed.

How to Draft a Lease

This is a significant legal requirement, and homeowners usually hire a real estate agent for the job. Since people don't know the legalities of drafting a lease for their tenants, this job is best left to the experts.

Once your real estate agent prepares a sample, make sure to go through every clause, and negotiate if need be. Be as precise about financial details—such as the amount of rent, payment method, and security deposit—as possible to avoid inconveniences.  

Once that’s done, all you have to do is give your new tenants a date after which they can move on. But first, you need to post an ad for tenants.

Looking for fast-growing, responsive ad websites?

GoCheapShop is a growing online platform that offers free ad posting in Pakistan. Their online advertisement website allows homeowners to let out room(s) or portion(s) to tenants by posting an ad for their house online.

They offer various categories for local ads, so you can choose real estate from the tabs. Join today!

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Things You Should Know Before Selling Used Appliances

Whether you’re moving to another country or city, no longer need a particular appliance, or are looking to invest in a better one, selling off your household appliances is a good idea. It reduces waste, allows you to make some extra cash, and provides people an affordably-priced product.

However, selling used appliances is a huge responsibility. You need to be upfront with potential buyers about the state of the appliance. Before selling your household appliances, here are some things to keep in mind:

Check recall lists

A recall list mentions all the products that have been recalled due to potential accidents. For example, the renowned technology giant, Samsung, had to recall their Note 7 smartphone due to manufacturing defaults that caused the smartphone to explode. Therefore, it’s always good to check recall lists to make sure your appliance is safe to use.

Have a professional inspect the product

When putting a product up for sale, you need to have it inspected thoroughly. This inspection must be done by a qualified technician. The inspection entails checking whether the product is safe to use, its remaining life, and an approximate value. Based on the approximate value, you can set your selling price.

Implied warranty

Once the entire inspection is completed by a qualified professional, it’s ready for sale. However, there’s still a risk of liability due to implied warranty. An implied warranty, in layman’s terms, is an understood promise that the product being sold is in usable condition and will do the job well.

When selling an appliance, you need to make sure it’s in good condition. At the very least, you need to ensure its condition is clearly stated to the buyer. Upselling and charging a high price for a product that barely works will scam your buyers and affect your credibility.

Online ads

Once your appliance is ready to be sold, create attractive online ads so that you can find a buyer. The more traction your ads get, the more potential buyers will be interested. You can negotiate for a higher sale price when there are many interested parties.

While some online ads posting sites require you to pay a fee to promote your product, there are some leading websites that provide free online advertising. Sign up with such sites and promote your household appliance for free.  

Are you looking to sell your household appliances fast? Get in touch with GoCheapShop. This free classified website allows you to post and view free classified ads in Pakistan.

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How to Renew Your Book Collection Without Paying a Penny

Book swapping is becoming quite popular on the internet. There are a ton of websites and apps that enable avid readers to connect, exchange preloved books, and get access to new ones at nominal rates.  

But while the world gets used to buying and cherishing second-hand books, Pakistan has held that tradition close for decades. Big cities boast entire marketplaces and bookstores that sell old books at throwaway prices. In such a landscape, why should you turn to websites like gocheapshop.com? Here’s why!

Finding books is easier

While old bookstores are a haven for passionate readers, shopping trips there also are time-consuming.

Most stores don’t have a proper catalog to keep track of where books are placed. In such a store, finding a specific book can be like finding a needle in a haystack — virtually impossible if you’re short on time.

With an online platform, you can look up the book’s name and find many offers from various sellers, all of whom are willing to sell or exchange that particular book. You get the job done faster, and in limited time.

It’s more convenient          

Online platforms offer convenience like no other. You can use them any time of the day and you won’t be restricted to the timings of a bookstore. Be it a Sunday or 6 AM, you can go browsing for new books 24/7!

Furthermore, you don’t have to step out of the house to look for books. You can sit at home, choose which ones you want, and they’ll get delivered to your doorstep in no time.

It’s more economical

If you’re passionate about books, there’s no doubt that your reading addiction can prove to be costly. But now, you don’t have to worry about what’s in your wallet. The websites offer several quotes from different vendors, and you can choose the option that’s most feasible for you monetarily.

Further, with a one-stop-shop like gocheapshop.com, you can easily get the delivery charges waived if you’re ordering multiple products together.

You can also post free ads in Pakistan to sell or exchange preloved books. This way, your wallet won’t get overburdened, and you can renew your collection at a minimal cost.

It saves the environment  

Recycling and exchanging old books reduces the need to print new ones, saving the environment. With decreased demand for paper, fewer trees will need to be cut, enabling you to contribute to an environmental cause. We believe that even one individual can make a difference, and online platforms give you the chance to save nature, one old book at a time.

If you’re on the lookout for new books at affordable rates, visit gocheapshop.com. As one of the best classified websites in Pakistan, it offers countless options for book lovers to expand their collections.

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Why Are Consumers in Big Cities Looking for One-Stop Shopping Solutions?

One-stop shopping solutions are stores that carry products from multiple categories. Due to the fast-paced life in big cities, such stores and online businesses are becoming more common since they provide convenience to customers.

One-stop shops have been particularly useful during the COVID-19 outbreak. With smart lockdowns being imposed in various areas in large cities of Pakistan, consumers require an effective and efficient shopping solution.

Here are some reasons why there’s an increase in demand for such businesses:

Saves time

The biggest benefit of a one-stop store is that you don’t have to visit multiple stores to get your required products. Such stores offers customers a wide variety in terms of products and brands. Due to the longer working hours in big cities and the generally busier lifestyle, consumers here prefer timesaving solutions like such stores.

We also end up wasting a lot of time commuting from one place to another due to the number of vehicles on the roads and development projects going on in cities. A one-stop solution saves time that would otherwise go in commuting from one store to another.

Reduces your exposure to others

The COVID-19 cases in Pakistan began to increase at a rapid rate, making it dangerous to step out of homes. Individuals had to take all the precautions necessary to stay safe, the most significant precaution being, not interacting with others.

One-stop shopping stores are great at reducing the time you’re out of your home and can be effective in reducing your exposure to the virus too. Having all SOPs in place is the best way to reduce chances of infection.

Save money in delivery charges

Online one-stop shopping businesses tend to be more popular as customers can save money on delivery charges. Most e-commerce businesses here charge customer’s delivery costs that can range between PKR 100 to PKR 250. This not only increases the price of your overall order, but can add up to a significant amount if you order from various websites. Moreover, one-stop online shops tend to provide free delivery above a certain order level.

Reduces your carbon footprint

Pollution and environmental degradation is very apparent in today’s world. We need to do our part in reducing our carbon footprint wherever possible. Whether ordering online or visiting the store, one-stop shopping stores can reduce fuel consumption. You don’t waste fuel going to multiple stores, nor do multiple delivery services have to be engaged in completing your order.

So whether you’re looking for a reliable all-in-one store online, or you’re a business looking to advertise, get in touch with GoCheapShop. This free classified ads website allows you to post and view shopping ads in Pakistan.

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How Do Online Services Allow You to Be Active Beyond Work Hours?

As the pandemic has forced businesses to pull their shutters down, e-commerce is expanding at a meteoric pace.

The online industry in Pakistan was estimated at PKR 99.3 billion in the fiscal year 2018, with an annual growth rate of 92%! In the same year, the country had a population of 200.81 million, out of which 44.61 million were active e-commerce users.

Pakistan has one of the largest untapped markets in e-commerce. Online services, during COVID-19, have not only adapted to the growing needs but also allowed businesses to remain active beyond work hours.

Does that mean people in e-commerce businesses are working round the clock? Not necessarily, because there are other ways of staying online during off-hours.

Scheduled Ad Posting

When it comes to posting ads or social media posts, marketers have full control over when their content goes up. It can be scheduled during the 9–5 work hours or beyond that. Online services allow you to stay on top of your posting schedule without manning the desktop during off-hours.

All you need to do is set the time and date for the post and leave the rest to the internet. This allows your marketing campaigns to be time-sensitive, punctual, and relevant to the ever-changing digital world.  

Check Engagement Results

Be it online classified ad posting or a new campaign—if you’re experimenting with a new marketing strategy, it can be a hit or a miss. The only way to check its success rate is by analyzing engagement results on your website.

Google Analytics allows you to see page views and create custom tracking. This way, you can know how many users are clicking on your website and which links are getting the most activity. You can also zoom into the specific geographical regions, devices, and traffic sources generating the results.

This allows you to stay up to date about target markets that are most rewarding, traffic hours that generate the most traction, and content that invites the highest engagement.

Catch Busy Hours

If you want your ad to appear on your potential buyer’s Instagram feed or Facebook timeline, you need to catch them when the online traffic is heaviest. During workdays, the working population is early to rise.  

Despite the work routine, the first thing they'll do after waking up is check their phone. That's why the busiest hours are between 7 am to 9 am. They want to catch up on all the news that happened while they were offline. This is an excellent time to post your ad so that you can plant an idea in their minds before their day begins.

Around midday, between 11 am and 12 pm, is also a popular time when people take a lunch break and check their phones. Similarly, the time after the work shift ends is also a busy hour that can be lucrative for advertising.

However, high-traffic hours can vary from the different groups of buyers that businesses are catering to. For instance, times will be different for Gen-Y and Gen-Z, so make sure to educate yourself on changing trends.

If you have all the basics of online ad posting under your belt, you must be looking for a reliable classified advertisement website. You’ve come to the right place.

GoCheapShop offers free online advertising for local businesses in Pakistan. Check out all the various categories of classified ads and contact them for any questions.

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Why Is It Important For Businesses To Address Issues Related To COVID-19 Through Online Campaigns?

As shops, restaurants, and malls have shut down, citizens have been locked inside homes and away from the outside world. This has created feelings of gloom, alienation, and anxiety. This pandemic is more than a health crisis and an economic disaster—it’s weakening the ties between the business community and the buyers that sustain them.

How Is COVID-19 Affecting Buyers

The Journal of Consumer Psychology highlighted the benefits of retail therapy for buyers. It attests to the fact that it uplifts their mood when they’re caught between routine stresses or depressive episodes. It’s not just a momentary distraction from a sour mood but also offers something that brings a positive change—no matter how minor—in their lives. From testing lip shades in a makeup store to trying on new heels in a shoe shop, shopping used to be an exhilarating experience.

As businesses have adapted to the pandemic, everything has become digital. While shoppers can still order products online, they can't help miss the human interaction in the pre-COVID days. The transformation of brands into plain computer screens will take a toll on your business before you realize it.

Why Humanize Your Brand  

When a regular customer walks into a clothing store, they are greeted by familiar faces. The sales staff knows them and directs them to collections that are best suited to their taste. The buyer may not know the CEO of the company, but they identify the brand with these human faces.

A pleasant chat with their sales staff could automatically convert any buyer and boost the sales. They can convince the buyer to purchase an Eid suit and even add some accessories to go with it. This is why human interaction is essential.

Online buyers don’t want to face a blank screen when they add to their cart, click their way to checkout, and proceed to payment. That just makes the experience monotonous and standardized across all brands, unless you make an effort to advertise differently. You need to give your brand name a face that people can relate with, and humanize the digital shopping experience.

How Online Marketing Can Help

If you realize the fallout that online business is causing, you'd know that lack of human interaction is a major factor behind this. As a business, you need to step up and address the issues surrounding COVID-19 empathetically. You need to exercise the agency that online marketing grants you and call out to your brand family. If you truly feel one with your entire customer base, you need to let them know.

Online advertising allows you to do that cost-effectively. Apart from just posting about new products and old services, you should tailor your content and talk about non-business issues. A video addressing your buyer community can be a game-changer.

Not everyone is tech literate, and going on online forums is a challenge for them. Address those issues through empathy marketing and present helpful tips to guide them through the process. Simplify your interface and make it easy for users to navigate.

All grand plans need a place to start. Looking for a digital front to post your COVID-related ads? You’ve come to the right place.

GoCheapShop is a classified advertisement website that offers free ad posting services to local Pakistani brands and workers. If you want to list a classified ad on a notable forum, this is the largest portal you’ll find in Pakistan. They categorize ads according to education, fashion, real estate, cars, mobiles, etc.

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Pro-Tips for Targeting Audiences with Classified Ads

Worried about whether your newsletter will land in the right hands? Traditional advertisement strategies had major shortcomings. Reaching the right audience topped the list of failures. Say hello to classified ads and you’ll never have to worry about that again.

Online advertising seems daunting until you get a taste of its reward. With cost-effective marketing strategies, you can tailor your campaign to your budget restrictions. No budget is too small for hopping on the bandwagon of online advertisement. Classified ads are one such advertisement channel that opens endless possibilities for growth.

As a business, you don’t want to waste time or resources on futile marketing attempts. Classified ads allow you to save both of those by enhancing your brand image on the digital front. It can help bridge the gap between you and the target audience. Here are some pro-tips to get you started.

Evaluate the Subject Matter of the Ad Posting Website

Before signing a deal and publishing your classified ad on a website, check the subject matter that they usually publish. Make sure they have previously published content similar to yours. There should be material relevant to the industry that you belong to. This will ascertain whether the traffic that the website receives will be useful for you.

It’s important to gauge the playing field before getting in the game. Don’t jump to the first option you find. Survey all possible ad posting avenues that will be suited to your requirements. Narrow you’re your choices based on reviews, subject matter, and audience. Once you settle on the right fit for your business, you can rest assured that your brand voice will be heard loud and clear in the audience.

Focus on Geo-Tagging

Geo-tagging is crucial. You need to know if the website is tapping into locations that you’re aiming for. For instance, you can’t post for job vacancies in Karachi, on a website that only caters to Punjab. The same rule applies to retail commerce. You can’t sell products online to an audience that can’t get them delivered in their region.

Geo-tagging makes your outreach specific and focused on maximizing conversion rates. But to milk it for what it’s worth, you need a website for classifieds that caters to the regions you’re looking at.

Filter by Age, Gender, Income, and Occupation

There are a variety of ad posting websites and each one invites a different kind of viewership. Some may have more college students from middle to upper-middle classes, in their audience. Others will attract senior citizens or retirees.

Classifications such as age, gender, income groups and occupations hold immense value in online advertising. The best fit for your needs will be a site that offers a variety of sub-categories that can tap into your target niche.

GoCheapShop is a leading online classifieds site in Pakistan. You can post free ads in Pakistan through this platform.