Islamabad: Online purchase of animals gaining popularity

[LahoreEstate]

Monday, November 23, 2009
Saadia Khalid

Islamabad

With Eidul Azha just around the corner, the advertisements regarding the online purchase of sacrificial animals are now appearing on internet while people this time seem most interested to opt for this way rather heading towards markets set up at different points of the twin cities.

The idea for purchasing sacrificial animals online is although not so old yet it is fast gaining popularity due to convenience it offers to the customers who otherwise have to bear the pain of searching, bargaining and then loading the animal.

Once you logged on to the computer, various advertisements offering sacrificial animals at your doorstep start appearing on the screen of the monitor and one could book the animal of ones choice just through one click.

The websites with different names belonging to different stations included the names of ebakra.com, qurbanionline.com and bakraonline.com are not only offering the animal, but also providing the logistics for the convenience of the customers.

The pictures of different sacrificial animals along with their prices have been placed on the website while a customer also have an option to visit the farm where these cattle were living if they desire to do so.

In the online gallery the animals’ details like weight, teeth, age, photo, price and its “name” are given separately to help a customer choose the animal of his choice. “Buying sacrificial was never as easy as it has been now with the introduction of online sale of animals,” said Fida Maqsood, a businessman. He said that online purchase of animal saves a lot of time and trouble, which they otherwise have to face in case of searching for them in market.

Although the animals available online were far expensive than those in open market, but according to the customers it was worth spending extra money, as it saves them from a long exercise required in visiting market and dealing with the traders.

Most of the times the online purchase of animal is done with credit cards and the animal are delivered at the doorstep of the customer on decided time. “It was very hectic for me to visit the stinking markets and choose the animal, but now the online purchase of animals has solved the problem of many women like me who themselves had to visit the market in the absence of their male family members,” said Myra Zia, a widow.

One of the big reasons behind the popularity of online purchase of sacrificial animals was the guarantee offered by these website regarding the overall health and weight of the animal. “One can trust blindly that the animal, which has been described in the website would be exactly the same as it has been claimed,” said Usman Rasool. He said that it was good to purchase the animals online in the current law and order situation of the country which government should also take steps to promote the sale of sacrificial animals through internet. “Government should formulate a proper mechanism through which the animals could be purchased online, which would not only help in maintaining the law and order situation but also help to bring down the prices of sacrificial animals online,” he said.

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