Going online with Shwapno

Shwapno, one of the leading supermarket chains of Bangladesh, has been providing quality produce and other necessary goods required for everyday life. During the pre-pandemic days, it was quite easy to walk to a Shwapno outlet nearby and buy whatever grocery was needed. However, the same cannot be said for now. As we are now suggested to stay indoors and avoid crowds for our own safety, Shwapno has adapted to the situation as well to keep providing all things necessary to make for a comfortable lockdown. Even the global pandemic which has put the entire world on hold, has not been able to slow down the efficient service and availability of fresh products Shwapno has to offer.

Shwapno as an e-commerce has been around since April 2017. Although the online shopping platform has recently become more preferred due to the pandemic, the main incentive behind shwapno.com was to give customers easier and safer ways to access what they needed to purchase. It eliminates the requirement of standing in long queues and bumping into people blocking the aisles, as one can easily browse through the wide range of products at one go and as many times as necessary. Catering to the situation at hand, shwapno.com has begun home deliveries in more areas than before, expanding its reach all the way to Sylhet and Chattogram.

Starting from everyday staples like rice and oil, fish and meat, vegetables, snacks and packaged goods to various clothing items and toys to stationery and electronic equipment, the online platform is a mirror reflection of the physical outlets. The customers have access to a range of daily essentials, household necessities, frozen and fresh food all being delivered straight to their doorstep. Although products might vary location to location, there is always something in stock to satisfy any requirement.

The website incentivises customers to shop online and to stay at home by providing a range of items on offer. Other than that, they assure quality produce, particularly fish and meat, which one would ought to inspect for themselves before purchasing. It may be difficult to resist the temptation of physically going to the store to determine the condition of the poultry products, but rest assured, they not only provide the best, but also maintain proper safety procedures in handling the produce. Changes the e-commerce operation has witnessed in terms of the increase of such purchases imply that customers have more than enough faith in Shwapno to fulfil their requirements.

Shwapno.com does not stop here. It also offers low prices of imported products, free home delivery and multiple payment options from cash on delivery to online payments through card, and Bkash. On top of all that, the free home deliveries can be scheduled as per one's requirement. Various time slots are provided along with the option of same day delivery to make receiving the groceries as convenient and smooth as possible.

In a situation where there is no other option but to go to the store physically, Shwapno is prepared to maintain all safety and social distancing protocols. The store is one of the first in placing floor markings, each being three feet apart from the next, to tell customers where to stand while maintaining a safe distance from those sharing the same space. Hand sanitisers are also provided to each customer before they are allowed to enter the store and they are strictly implementing their 'no mask no entry policy.' So, a gentle reminder to bring face masks while going to the store even if you forget to bring along a sanitiser. The safety measures are not only limited to the customers, but also apply for all the employees who are provided personal protective equipment, face shields and masks.

When the face of everyday normal is changing at a rapid pace, Shwapno has not held back in adapting to the situation. Having foreshadowed such a future where people would opt to shop for groceries online to save time, energy and simply for more convenience and safety, the online grocery store has made surviving in isolation less stressful with one less thing to worry about.

Photo: Prabir Das