It isn’t your most glorious moment when you request a friend flying into Pakistan to bring along your shopping. Ventures like High Street 2 Pakistan solve that problem.
“Having lived a couple of years in the UK, I realized that people were constantly in need of some stuff, and while I never declined, it did cause all sorts of problems for me, fitting in my own stuff and everybody else’s shopping within limited weight and volume allowances. 5 years ago, upon our return to Pakistan, is when the idea struck,” says CEO, Saadia Malik. High Street 2 Pakistan – often abbreviated as HS2P – was conceptualized.
HighStreet2Pakistan.com offers various shopping concierge services, mainly making purchases online for clients, and then delivering them to your doorstep within 2 to 3 weeks of order confirmation. The process is simple.
Here’s How It Works
Copy and paste links from any retail site like Zara UK, Next UK, Amazon UK – to name a few – into their Order Request form. Team HS2P will respond within 24 hours via email, seeking your confirmation. They will normally deliver to the customer’s doorstep within 2 to 3 weeks.
The website has now been operational for 4 years and has seen a steady increase in its number of customers. The rise hasn’t been phenomenal but it’s been there nonetheless. “I like to think that that’s how I would have liked it anyway.”
Saadia’s biggest challenge was to get people to trust them. Customers are generally wary of making payments in advance in Pakistan but this is something HS2P says it had to stay firm on, owing to major setbacks in the early days of its conception.
“In an attempt to attract customers, we initially offered Cash on Delivery. But quite a few people simply stopped taking our calls or responding to our messages once we had their parcels ready for delivery. The nature of our business didn’t allow for returns to be processed once the items landed in Pakistan. And so, we learnt our lesson the hard way.”
HS2P now boasts a loyal clientele, most of which, came on board from word of mouth.
“I know there are other services out there, but I trust HS2P. I’ve never had any problems, but I know that if I do, their customer services will be ready and willing,” says a client who has been with HS2P for 3 years now.
“They’ve been a godsend. I am able to order over-the-counter medicines and supplements from the UK via HS2P. I need those under all circumstances because of my health condition. Prior to HS2P, courier companies were fleecing off of me,” says Haris, who runs an organization in Lahore.
For many customers, claims HS2P, they’re the best bet because they’re the most affordable service out there and there are never any hidden charges. If a customer comes to them with a better quote, they will verify and do a price match.
As one client puts it, “ HS2P’s invoicing is completely transparent. Their conversion policy is laid out at the outset. Timely delivery and friendly management are the icing on the cake!”
The more items you order, the better bargain you’ll be able to grab with HS2P. With 90% of orders, charges are fixed at Rs.2,000 per kg, starting with an initial slab of Rs.4,000 for orders weighing between 0 and 2 kgs. So whether you order 1 pair of jeans, for example, or 4, the charges will be fixed at Rs.4,000. That effectively translates into charges of Rs.500 per pair.
HS2P gets lots of orders from mothers shopping from Next UK. Despite paying their shipping charges, importing items costs less than store prices here in Pakistan. Some of the most popular websites people order from are Next, Zara, Amazon, Louis Vuitton, and Mr Porter
Some items of sensitive nature are more easily bought online. Rabiya, who runs a chain of salons in Pakistan, says she is most thrilled about being able to order good quality undergarments without the discomfort of being ogled at.
HS2P has both male and female staff in the UK, who process all orders. For orders of sensitive natures for either gender, an agent is assigned accordingly. These agents also specialize in bespoke services. They can help customers find the right bargain, if the requirements are communicated. The website also offers to deliver gifts to friends and family across the world.
‘‘Shop Global, Sitting Local’’ is High Street 2 Pakistan’s mantra. Four years ago, when they began bringing the UK High Street 2 Pakistan, they knew of no other such service. Today, there is competition.
“That’s quite alright,” says Saadia. “Competition keeps us on our toes!”
For more information, visit their website at www.highstreet2pakistan.com. You can also choose to follow HS2P on Instagram and Facebook for discount schemes and shopping leads.
Disclaimer: This branded story was commissioned by HS2P and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ProPakistani as a whole.
That’s the most sluggish site i ever visited. They should work on its performance before marketing it.
good sounding initiative but get a professional to work on your site. Slow performance and get a security certificate…
Thank you. We had an unfortunate incident due to which, the site’s being sluggish. I appreciate your polite recommendation.
They even don’t have time to update their site, see yourself