There was a time, shopping in Bangladesh used to be a family event where the whole family, including parents, siblings, cousins and uncles, would ride in cars or rickshaws, shop for hours together and come back with shopping bags and sore feet.
But those days are rapidly coming to an end. The Gen Z has brought about a revolution within the shopping culture of Bangladesh that has changed retailing completely. The Gen Z is a generation whose life revolves around smartphones and social media websites like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok along with instant delivery apps that can bring products straight to their doorsteps. Shopping in the eyes of Gen Z has been made solitary and quick by using online platforms. Today, you could be sitting at your home and making purchases from websites such as Daraz, get skincare products delivered straight from Instagram accounts and receive fresh produce via foodpanda's pandamart.
However, there is an emotional aspect that has been affected by this revolution, going on a family shopping trip used to be an experience of bonding for many families. But now everybody is doing all his or her shopping online individually through individualised timelines and digital wallets. The shopping process has become convenient but less social.
Md. Hasibuzzaman
Student
Department of Marketing & International Business
North South University