With Eidul Azha just around the corner, the purchase of sacrificial animals via the Internet has started picking momentum.
The trend is facilitating those who do not have time to make a trip to the market to select the sacrificial animal of their choice. Customers can find the animals of their choice, order it online and get it delivered right at their doorstep.
A majority of the privileged class are relying on online goat markets to place orders for sacrificial animals, eliminating the hassle of physically visiting the marketplace and the tension of haggling over prices.
Online goat markets are providing photographs, videos, voices and other descriptions including types and prices of the goats and other sacrificial animals on the Internet.
On the other hand, traditional sacrificial animal dealers are desperately waiting for the middle-class customers in the makeshift markets as the influx of new trends and exorbitantly high rates of sacrificial animals has lowered the number of potential customers.
Muhammad Amir Raza, who purchased two goats from the online goat market, said that the trend of online purchase of animals had gained popularity because the customers could buy the animals based on their weight.
“This eliminates the haggling process that occurs in traditional markets,” he said.
Online Qurbani, a website dealing in the sale and supply of sacrificial animal states, “You can purchase Online Bakra in two different ways. Either you can select your required bakra from our image gallery or by telling us the weight of the bakra you want, and charges are with the ratio of Rupees per kilogramme”.
Similarly, in order to facilitate the customers, the websites are also offering Online Kasai (butchers).
“The animals’ price may be a little higher than the markets but it is compensated by free delivery and per weight pricing that makes the deal and the buying decision quite easy,” said Rana Tahir a resident of F-6/1.
“Last year, I purchased an animal from the online market,” he said, adding that this year too he would do the same.
Moreover, if the animals delivered are not the same as shown on the website, the buyers have the option to cancel the purchase deal and this is the reason that the websites had won the trust of the customers.