E-commerce has changed from a side channel into the main way many people shop. Some sellers ship physical products; others sell digital products that download instantly. Both are growing, and Pakistan, including Bannu, is now part of this market.
This article explains what the research says about e-commerce growth, how digital and physical selling compare, and how a business or student in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can take part.
What McKinsey says about e-commerce growth
In its well-known research “The Quickening”, McKinsey showed that during 2020 US e-commerce reached in about three months the level of growth previously expected over ten years. That shift did not reverse. Customers kept the habit of buying online.
McKinsey’s newer research on agentic commerce looks at the next stage: AI agents that search, compare and buy on a customer’s behalf. It estimates this could account for $3–5 trillion of global retail by 2030, including up to $1 trillion in the US. It also found that 44% of people who have used AI-powered search now prefer it as a way to discover products.
The lesson for sellers: products need clear, accurate, well-structured listings, because the next customer may be an AI assistant reading your store.
Pakistan is moving online too
According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s Annual Payment Systems Review for FY2025-26, 92% of retail payments in Pakistan now go through digital channels, with about 13.2 billion digital transactions in the year, up roughly 65%. Mobile banking, wallets and Raast make it much easier for Pakistani customers to pay online, and for local sellers to get paid.
Digital products vs physical products
| Digital products | Physical products | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Planners, templates, e-books, printables, design packs | Clothing, handicrafts, cosmetics, electronics, local brands |
| Starting cost | Very low: skills and a laptop | Stock, packaging, photography |
| Delivery | Instant, automatic | Couriers, customs for exports |
| Main platforms | Etsy, Shopify, Gumroad-style stores | Daraz, Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, social commerce |
| Main risk | Copying and competition: originality matters | Returns, cash on delivery, inventory |
Many successful sellers do both. Digital products teach the marketplace with low risk, and physical products build a brand once demand is proven.
How Javeria Tech & Sols helps
For students: learn to sell
Our E-Commerce Course in Bannu is the first in Bannu to teach the selling of digital products, alongside Etsy, eBay and Shopify for physical products.
For businesses: we build and run your store
Our agency builds online stores and manages them, from product listings and photography to ads and order handling. See our e-commerce store management service, website development and digital marketing.
Talk to us on WhatsApp at 0345 9792421 or visit our Bannu office, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.