Which Is Better for Pakistan — Daraz or Your Own Website?
For most Pakistani businesses, Daraz feels like the safe choice — but your own website is the smarter long-term move. Daraz gives you access to 30 million buyers from day one, but you pay 8 to 15 percent commission on every single sale and you never own the customer relationship. This guide compares both options so you can choose what actually works for your Pakistani business in 2026.
Daraz vs Your Own Website: What Pakistani Sellers Need to Know
Daraz launched in Pakistan in 2012 and is now the country's largest ecommerce marketplace. Millions of Pakistanis shop on it every month. It is fast to set up, no technical skills needed, and the traffic is already there.
But selling on Daraz comes with serious hidden costs that most sellers do not calculate upfront.
Commission fees: Daraz charges 8 to 15 percent of every sale depending on your product category. On a PKR 3,000 product, you lose PKR 240 to PKR 450 per order — before adding packaging and delivery costs. On 100 orders per month, that is PKR 24,000 to PKR 45,000 gone every month in commissions alone.
No customer ownership: When someone buys from you on Daraz, they are a Daraz customer, not yours. You cannot message them directly, email them offers, or retarget them. The next time they need a similar product, they go back to Daraz and may buy from a different seller offering a lower price.
Price wars kill your margins: Daraz is a price-comparison platform. A buyer can instantly see 20 sellers offering the same product. This forces prices down continuously. If you sell anything that others also sell, you are in a constant race to the bottom on pricing.
Account suspension risk: Daraz can restrict or suspend your seller account at any time for policy violations, customer complaints, or disputes. One suspension can wipe out your entire income stream in days.
Your own website solves every one of these problems. When a customer buys from your website, they belong to you. You have their phone number, email address, and purchase history. You can send them special offers, bring them back for repeat purchases, and build brand loyalty that Daraz simply cannot give you.
How to Choose Between Daraz and Your Own Website: 5 Steps
The right answer depends on your business situation. Here is a practical process to decide:
- Calculate your real margin on Daraz. Take your selling price, subtract the product cost, Daraz commission (10% is average), delivery charges, and packaging cost. If you are left with less than 15 percent of the selling price, Daraz is eating your profit. Many Pakistani sellers discover they are barely breaking even once they do this calculation properly.
- Ask whether your customers buy more than once. If you sell skincare, food, supplements, cleaning products, or anything consumable — repeat buyers are your biggest asset. These are far more valuable on your own website where you can retarget them for free via WhatsApp or email. If you sell one-time purchases like furniture or electronics, Daraz discovery traffic may still be worth the commission cost.
- Decide if your brand is the reason people buy. If customers choose you specifically — because of your quality, packaging, story, or reputation — you need your own website to tell that story. Daraz shows your product next to 19 competitors. Your own website shows only you.
- Compare the 12-month cost of each channel. Daraz: PKR 0 setup, but 8 to 15 percent per sale forever. Your own website: PKR 150,000 to PKR 300,000 to build (one-time), plus around PKR 5,000 per month for hosting and domain. Payment gateway fees on your own site run 1.5 to 2.5 percent per transaction via JazzCash or Easypaisa — much less than Daraz commissions. At 200 to 300 orders per month, most businesses break even on website costs within 6 to 9 months.
- Start with Daraz, then transition. If your business is new and your brand is unknown, Daraz gives you fast cash flow and product validation. Use it to find out which products sell best. Once you know your winners, build a website, run your own Facebook and Instagram ads, and gradually move loyal customers to your own channel. The goal is not to choose permanently — it is to use Daraz early and own your customers later.
Pakistan's Ecommerce Market Is Growing Fast — Own the Right Piece of It
Pakistan's ecommerce market reached $6 billion in 2024 according to Statista and is projected to grow to $9.5 billion by 2028. Mobile commerce accounts for over 80 percent of online purchases in Pakistan, meaning a mobile-first website is not optional — it is the baseline.
More importantly, research by Boston Consulting Group shows that businesses with their own ecommerce websites generate 3 to 5 times more repeat purchases than marketplace-only sellers. The reason is simple: marketplace sellers have zero direct access to their customers. Website owners have complete access.
Pakistani consumers are also becoming more comfortable buying directly from brand websites — especially when the site looks professional, offers JazzCash and Easypaisa payment options, and shows clear return policies and real customer reviews. The brands building their own websites today are positioning themselves to capture the next wave of direct-to-consumer growth in Pakistan.
How Apne Website Builds Ecommerce Stores That Move Beyond Daraz
Apne Website is a web development agency based in Lahore that specializes in building ecommerce stores for Pakistani businesses ready to take ownership of their customer relationships. We build every store with JazzCash and Easypaisa payment integration from the start — the two payment methods Pakistani buyers trust most. We also add WhatsApp order notifications, COD checkout options, and mobile-first design that converts Pakistani shoppers.
Unlike generic website builders, we design stores for Pakistani buyers specifically — local trust signals, PKR pricing, delivery timelines that match local courier networks, and return policies written in plain language. We have built ecommerce stores for fashion brands, supplement companies, home goods sellers, and B2B suppliers across Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. Our average ecommerce project runs 6 to 8 weeks from kickoff to first sale.
If you are currently doing PKR 200,000 to 500,000 per month on Daraz and you want to start keeping more of that money, your own website is the next step. View our ecommerce development services to see what we build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell on both Daraz and my own website at the same time?
Yes, and this is exactly what most successful Pakistani ecommerce businesses do. Use Daraz for new customer discovery and fast cash flow. Use your own website for repeat buyers and loyalty programs. Over time, shift your marketing spend toward your own channel to reduce the commission drain. Many sellers run both indefinitely and treat them as separate revenue streams.
How much does it cost to build an ecommerce website in Pakistan?
A basic ecommerce store in Pakistan costs between PKR 150,000 and PKR 300,000. This includes product pages, a shopping cart, JazzCash and Easypaisa integration, and basic SEO setup. A more complex store with 500 or more products, custom filters, automated order management, and loyalty features costs PKR 350,000 to PKR 600,000. These are one-time costs, not monthly commissions.
Does my own website get traffic without Daraz?
Not automatically. Your website needs SEO, social media marketing, and possibly paid ads to generate consistent traffic. Plan 3 to 6 months for organic SEO to bring regular visitors. Facebook and Instagram ads can bring traffic from the day your site launches if your targeting and creative are set up correctly. Our SEO and AEO services can help you build that organic traffic foundation.
What payment methods work on a Pakistani ecommerce website?
The most important options for Pakistani buyers are JazzCash, Easypaisa, and cash on delivery. Credit and debit card payments are also possible via HBL Pay or Faysal Bank payment gateways. All of these can be integrated into a custom ecommerce website. JazzCash and Easypaisa together cover the majority of Pakistani online buyers.
Is it hard to manage orders on your own website vs Daraz?
Modern ecommerce platforms have order management dashboards that are straightforward to use. You can see all orders, update fulfillment status, and send tracking information from one place. With WhatsApp order notification automation, you get alerted the moment a new order comes in — the same way you would with Daraz, but without the commission.
Ready to Own Your Customers?
Daraz is a great starting point for new Pakistani businesses. But if you are serious about building a profitable brand with real margins and loyal customers, your own website is the move that changes your business long-term. The commission you save in one year can pay for a professional website three times over.
If you are ready to move beyond Daraz, Apne Website will build your ecommerce store in 6 to 8 weeks with full payment gateway integration, mobile-first design, and a setup built for Pakistani buyers. Get a free ecommerce consultation at apnewebsite.com and let us show you exactly what your own store would look like.
