Lecture 22 | eCommerce Overview

T H E F A C I L I T A T O R S A C A D E M Y Lecture 22 | Module 5: eCommerce eCommerce Overview Amazon vs Daraz vs Shopify — market sizes, income paths and which platform to choose Duration: 60–70 minutes • Bring your laptop Supervised by: Muhammad Sohail Ashraf 20+ Years Freelancing Experience The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 Today's Lecture — Full Roadmap What we will cover in the next 60–70 minutes Section 1 0–5 min Homework Review Review L21 — 5 business research sheets, first contact attempts and one-page proposal Section 2 5–18 min eCommerce in Pakistan — The Opportunity Market size, growth rate and why Pakistani freelancers are perfectly positioned for eCommerce Section 3 18–35 min Platform Deep Dive Amazon, Daraz and Shopify — how each works, who sells on each and what freelancers do Section 4 35–50 min Choosing the Right Platform Decision framework for clients and for freelancers — which to learn first and why Section 5 50–62 min eCommerce Freelancer Income Paths Every way a freelancer earns from eCommerce without owning inventory Wrap-up 62–70 min Platform Comparison Activity + Homework Students build a platform recommendation for a fictional client — class reviews reasoning The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 Lecture 21 Homework Review Section 1 • Minutes 0–5 • Share your field research with the class Task 1 5 local business research Read out 2 businesses from your list. What specific gap did you identify? Which one do you think is the easiest to close and why? Task 2 2 first-contact approaches What happened? Did anyone agree to a meeting? What objections did you hear? Class helps you respond to each objection. Task 3 One-page proposal written Read your proposal aloud — just the 'What I will do' and 'Investment' sections. Is the scope clear? Is the price right for that business size? Task 4 Discovery call conducted — Bonus Share your call notes. What did you learn about the client? How did the proposal you wrote reflect what they actually want? The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 Section 2 eCommerce in Pakistan — The Opportunity Minutes 5–18 • Market size, growth and why now is the time The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 Pakistan's eCommerce Market — Explosive Growth and Untapped Potential Pakistan is one of the fastest-growing eCommerce markets in the world — and it is still early Pakistan's eCommerce market crossed $6 billion in 2024. With 130+ million internet users and a young population, it is growing at 30% annually. Businesses that are not selling online are already losing ground. $6 Billion Pakistan eCommerce market size 2024 130 Million Internet users in Pakistan — 60% under 30 50 Million+ Registered buyers on Daraz Pakistan alone 30% p.a. Annual growth rate of Pakistan eCommerce Why Pakistani Freelancers Are Perfectly Positioned: ✓ English fluency: Amazon is a global English platform — Pakistani freelancers can serve sellers in USA, UK, UAE and Canada ✓ Time zone advantage: Pakistan (UTC+5) overlaps with Middle East clients and covers morning hours for European clients — high demand time zones ✓ Low cost of living: Charging $15–30/hour is very competitive globally while providing excellent local income — best of both worlds ✓ Amazon experience: Sohail's 20+ years includes Amazon PPC — real instructor experience, not textbook knowledge ✓ Growing local market: Daraz, Shopify and local eCommerce stores in Pakistan need operational support — domestic AND international opportunities The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 eCommerce Income Paths — You Do Not Need to Own Products There are 6 ways a freelancer earns from eCommerce — most require zero inventory Product Research Specialist Find winning products for Amazon or Daraz sellers using tools like Helium 10, Jungle Scout or manual research. Charge per research report or monthly retainer. Rate: $50–150 per product research report | $300–600/month retainer → Zero inventory. No capital needed. Just research skills. Listing Optimization Write and optimize product titles, bullet points, descriptions and backend keywords to rank higher in search and convert better. Rate: $25–80 per listing | $200–500/month for ongoing optimization → Requires copywriting + SEO understanding of the platform. PPC Manager Manage Amazon Sponsored Ads or Daraz Ad campaigns — keyword targeting, bid management, ROAS optimization. Rate: $200–600/month per account + % of ad spend (5–10%) → Highest-paid eCommerce freelance role. Requires L25 skills. eCommerce VA Day-to-day operational support: order processing, customer service, inventory tracking, returns management, review requests. Rate: $5–15/hour | $300–700/month retainer → Best entry point. Combines VA skills (Module 3) with eCommerce platform knowledge. Shopify Store Builder Build and design complete Shopify stores — theme setup, product upload, payment gateway, shipping zones and apps. Rate: PKR 30,000–150,000 per store | Ongoing maintenance PKR 5,000–15,000/month → Requires basic web skills. No coding needed for most stores. Account Manager Manage a seller's entire Amazon or Daraz account end-to-end — listings, ads, customer service, inventory, reporting. Rate: $500–1,500/month per account → Premium role. Requires all eCommerce skills combined — Module 5 builds toward this. The Facilitators Academy • Lecture 22: eCommerce Overview • thefacilitators.net • +92 304 5224838 Section 3 Platform Deep Dive Minutes 18–35 • Amazon, Daraz and Shopify — how each works The Facil