World Electric Vehicle Day is celebrated on the 9th of September every year. This special day marks the celebration of e-mobility and is a day set aside to educate people about the benefits of electronic vehicles. Drivers around the world are requested to recognize just how beneficial e-vehicles really are and how their actions could help lessen the environmental impact of fossil-based vehicles. But with that said, as the years go by, it is becoming more evident that people are becoming aware about the need to go electric. And as such, companies such as Tesla are becoming more and more popular.

Here in Nepal, the use of electric vehicle is slowly growing as evident by the growing number of electric vehicles in our roads. But long before any modern electric vehicle was ever introduced, we already had our very own electric mode of transportation – SAFA TEMPO. A small run of the mill vehicle that runs completely on electricity – more specifically through batteries. It was our past, it still is our present and it is clearly going to be our future. We can’t deny how convenient yet useful SAFA TEMPO is.

And so, on the occasion of World Electric Vehicle Day, Daraz as a socially responsible company extended its support to a cause that is sure to bring about a positive change in our society.

DARAZ USES SAFA TEMPOS TO DELIVER GOODS!

Daraz in collaboration with BijuliPower used two Safa Tempos to deliver all the orders during World Electric Vehicle Day. BijuliPower is a company that provides Safa tempos on hire for private use. This initiative was undertaken as a sign to show Daraz‘s solidarity for the global movement of a greener environment.

During the world electric vehicle day, Daraz used two Safa Tempos to deliver goods in two main areas within the valley. One Safa Tempo was used to deliver goods in all of Putalisadak area while the next one was used to deliver all throughout Lalitpur area.

A small action goes a long way in defining the future. It is our job as residents of planet earth to make sure that we do our best to protect it. Check out the vlog below to see how our DEX heroes delivered goods to our customers with Safa Tempos.

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY SHUBHAM PRASAI

Daraz has announced the re-launch of its successful Daraz Sahayatri Program, a stimulus package that was initiated last year to help the small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) recover from the economic impact of COVID-19 and to help them sell online.

Last year, Daraz waived marketplace fees for four months for the SMEs, inturn helping 8000+ businesses to sell online for the first time. As per the company, the main objective of the Daraz Sahayatri Program is to help such businesses recover faster through fee waiver, comprehensive online training, weekly payout cycles and additional financing programs. 

Furthermore, through the relaunch of the program, new businesses moving online for the first time will now be able to sell on Daraz without bearing any marketplace fee for the next three months up until the Daraz Dashain Dhamaka campaign. The Daraz Sahayatri Program has been relaunched with key  new additional initiatives which includes Seller Promises 2021.  

दराजमा विक्रेता कसरि बन्नी? आजै आफ्नो अनलाइन स्टोर दराजमा सेटअप गर्नुहोस् – (2021)

Key highlights of the Daraz Sahayatri Program and Daraz Seller Promises 2021 include the following: 

• No marketplace fees for SMEs starting to sell online for the first time for next 3 months 
• Reduced seller payout cycles from 14 days to only 7 days for all Daraz sellers 
• Exclusive SME financing partnership with preferred conditions in collaboration with banking partner Nabil Bank 
• Accelerated sign-up process enabling new sellers to go online within 24 hours of signup 
• Seller queries via live chat to be handled within 30 seconds during business hours 
• Comprehensive e-commerce training and education initiatives via Daraz University 

Managing Director of Daraz Nepal, Lino Ahlering had this to say about the relaunch of the Sahayatri Program –

“The domestic economy, particularly small and medium sized businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and the recent lockdown. Only if our sellers thrive our 10+ Lakh customers across the country can benefit. Therefore, it is one of our key objectives to help our 10,000+ sellers on the platform to recover quickly and further give more businesses the opportunity to sell online without any risk. Our Sahayatri program and our Seller Promises with its faster payout cycles, optimized onboarding, reduced fees, more training and special financing options will contribute to bring businesses back on track”.

Daraz’s SME focused initiatives are part of its mission to make it easy to do business in the digital age. Daraz Nepal hosts more than 6 Lakhs products from Electronics, Fashion, Groceries to Household products with over 10,000 sellers.

For more information on Daraz Sahayatri Program, click the link below:  

https://pages.daraz.com.np/wow/gcp/daraz/channel/np/lp/grow-your-bussiness-with-daraz?spm=a2a0e.11779170.header.d2.287d2d2b519unk

Check out the article below to further know the benefits of selling on Daraz:

Why You Should Start Selling On Daraz – Read Here!

As the second wave of Covid-19 hit Nepal hard, frontline workers, national and international health organizations banded together to provide as much support to those in need. From collecting funds, procuring food supply to arranging hospital beds and oxygen, they continued to support the Nepali people relentlessly.  

And as a socially responsible company, and being the leading online marketplace in Nepal, Daraz Nepal, also extended its support to several of these non-profit organizations to help them in their efforts.

Daraz partners with BHORE – Food Relief Packages Supplied for Distribution

BHORE is a campaign based and research focused philanthropic organization working to contribute in building prosperous Nepal with dignified lives of all Nepali citizens. During the pandemic, BHORE has been working tirelessly to collect and distribute food to different locations in and outside the valley.

Daraz offered its support to BHORE by providing 100 sacks of 25kg Rice, 100 Kgs Lentils, 100 Kgs of salt and 100 kgs of oil that was to be distributed to over 100 families in Sarlahi – Province 2.

Daraz supports FEED THE HUNGRY – Food Relief Packages Supplied for Distribution

Feed the Hungry Nepal is a Non-Profit Organization founded on June 5, 2020, currently operating on a national level with over 100 active members and volunteers. They are a legally registered Non-Profit Organization, working towards a hunger free Nepal. They distribute rations to those stranded by the pandemic.

Daraz offered its support to FEED the HUNGRY by providing 100 sacks of 25kgs Rice, 200 Kgs of Lentils, and 200 Kgs of Salt that was to be distributed to over 100 families in Humsekot, a small Village Development Community in Nawalparasi District.

Daraz offers support to Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) – Essential Health Care Supplies Offered for Distribution

Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) is a member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and is a major partner of the Government of Nepal’s national family planning program, contributing larger number of all family planning services in Nepal annually.

Daraz offered its support to FPAN by providing safety essentials items such as Face Shields, Hand Sanitizers, PPE suits, Hand Wash Soaps, Digital Thermometers, Disposable Gloves, Face Masks, Medicines and Vitamins.

Daraz lends a hand to Nepal Ambulance Service – Surgical Gloves for Medical Response Team

Nepal Ambulance Service (NAS) is a non-profit initiative dedicated to the establishment of an emergency medical response system (EMS) in the greater Kathmandu and Patan municipalities.

Daraz offered its support to the NAS by providing 140 pieces of surgical gloves that was to be distributed to the medical response teams of NAS.

Daraz and UNICEF Nepal join hands – Transportation Facilities Provided for Distribution of Essentials

Daraz offered its support to UNICEF Nepal by offering transport facilities and supplies that was required to deliver the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies to the most vulnerable provinces in Nepal.

The essentials in regards to the current COVID pandemic and the upcoming monsoon needed to delivered as quickly as possible and Daraz in line with UNICEF made sure it was undertaken effortlessly.

Daraz offers Medical Supplies to Pyuthan District Hospital

As a sign of further support, Daraz offered medical supplies such as Surgical Caps, Disinfectant Sprays, PPEs, Masks, Gloves, Face shields, Disposable Gowns, and Nasal Prongs to Pyuthan District Hospital.

Mental Wellbeing session organized in collaboration with Happy Minds

FOR FONTLINE WORKERS

Frontline health workers are the true heroes of this pandemics. And although their hard work and resilience often gets applauded, the psychological trauma and mental health issues they face aren’t nearly addressed enough. And as such, Daraz, in collaboration with Happy Minds, organized a webinar to shed light on the mental health issues and psychological traumas faced by the Covid Frontline Health Workers.

The webinar aimed to not only address the issues faced but also to provide insights and ideas on how such issues can be resolved. Various coping mechanisms, relaxation techniques was addressed via the webinar conducted on 3^rd of June.

FOR DARAZ CUSTOMERS

The pandemic has been a stressful situation for everyone. And during such a time, it is crucial to be fully aware about ones’ mental state and be prepared for any issues that might arrive. To address such, Daraz organized a webinar for all its customers in collaboration with Happy Minds. The webinar, hosted by clinical psychologist Dr Suraj Shakya was a discussion about Mental Hygiene, Common Health Issues, COVID guidelines, Grounding techniques, and ideas about how to deals with stress, anxiety and the loss of a loved one.

The webinar was conducted on 25^th May 2021.

FOR DARAZ EMPLOYEES

Daraz employees are the heart and soul of the company. Their wellbeing is the company’s number one priority. And during such a stressful time, it is important to address any mental issues that could hinder the lives of Daraz employees. To address such concerns, Daraz in collaboration with Happy Minds hosted a Stress Management and Coping Strategy Session. The session was a discussion about self-care techniques, Relaxation techniques and Mindful Grounding.

The session was conducted on 21^st May 2021.

TOGETHER WE CAN

Daraz has been and will continue to offer its support to all those in need. This is a time to band together and offer as much support as we can. We can only get through this if we unite and work together. We also encourage you to offer your help. Even the tiniest of effort can save somebody’s life.

Nepal’s leading online shopping marketplace, Daraz, has initiated COVID-19 vaccinations for all of its frontline and delivery workers in collaboration with the Department of Health Services (DoHS). Owned by the Alibaba Group, Daraz operates in 5 South Asian Markets including Nepal. At present, Daraz employs 600+ people across various cities in Nepal alone. Around half of them are frontline workers working primarily in logistics and delivery services.

The company flew employees from 8 different locations nationwide in and out of Kathmandu over the course of the last 2 weeks in order to facilitate the vaccination program.

Since the rise of COVID-19, e-commerce companies  and its respective frontline workers, have been playing a crucial role in making sure customers have access to what they need without having to leave their homes. This is an important initiative not only for the health and safety of Daraz employees, but for the communities where they live and work. 

“We’re glad that we could execute the vaccination initiative in collaboration with the department of health services here in Nepal. Local authorities deserve praise for taking a progressive decision to protect the ones who are on the frontline every single day. E-commerce companies have been an integral part of sustaining the economy in Nepal and around the world. Nearly 10,000 sellers sustain their businesses while at the same time millions of customers are able to shop safely via Daraz. Without our frontline teams, especially our delivery riders, this would not be possible. Hence, it is an important step to keep society safe amidst a potential second wave of the pandemic,” said Lino Ahlering, Managing Director, Daraz Nepal.

Frontline workers form the backbone of the company, and are at most risk of contracting COVID-19 . Thus, the riders and front line workers were the first ones to receive the COVID-19 vaccine within the company.

“Being vaccinated means protecting yourself from the virus so you can be there for your family, friends & colleagues. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Daraz for arranging and executing the vaccination drive on a very short notice especially for those who operate outside the KTM valley. ” said Hub Supervisor, Vishal Shrestha who received the first dose of the Verocell vaccine.

Daraz has and will continue to follow strict hygiene measures to ensure safety of all its employees. The internal structure of the company has been reshaped to make sure all our actions were in compliance with the standard guidelines. From routine temperature checks, to social distancing, Daraz is making sure that it provides a safe working environment for all its employees.

Almost all of us had hoped 2020 would be the year we’d make things right. Whether it was time to start hitting the gym, getting married or taking a much needed vacation, it was our time to shine or so we thought. Unbeknownst to any of us, we were taken aback by the sudden rise of the COVID-19 virus. In just a matter of just few months, the entire world was left shaken by this deadly virus.

We were witnessing a global pandemic.

And as the months went by, countless lives were lost, businesses were shutdown, and our livelihood was shaken to its very core. A lingering question circled our minds – Would it ever end?

It’s now 2021, the COVID-19 virus still hasn’t been fully eradicated. But there’s hope. Vaccines have been developed all around the world which has been used to prevent infection or cure anyone who’s been infected from the COVID-19 virus. Maybe, it will end!

Despite such a difficult time, Daraz, Nepal’s biggest online marketplace, managed to provide its customers with the best service possible. Customer were able to acquire all their basic necessities without having to leave their homes. And even during deliveries, Daraz made sure to follow the best hygiene practices to ensure the safety of the all customers and its delivery riders.

But what about its employees? How did Daraz manage its internal workflow during lockdown?

During the nationwide lockdown, all of us here at Daraz were working from home as was the case with many organizations. For about 6-7 months, the office was closed but the work did not stop, the work could not stop. Employees followed their daily 9-6 working hours from their home. It was indeed a unique experience for all of us.

But what about post lockdown?

Once the lockdown eased up and as offices started to open up, Daraz followed up with the same. But times were different, COVID still hasn’t been fully eradicated and we needed to adapt. A lot has changed since COVID happened. And so Daraz came up with a list of practices which ensured safer working environment for all its employees.

Let’s look at how Daraz has been keeping its employees safe post lockdown.

Team A/B Implementation

Ever since the Daraz office resumed post lockdown, employees have been following the Team A-Team B system where employees are assigned to either Team A or Team B. The teams then have to come to the office every alternate week. For instance, let’s suppose this week is for Team A. So all those who are in Team A will have to come to the office for their regular duty hours while Team B will be working from home. And next week, Team B will come to the office while Team A works from home.

Since the number of employees here at Daraz is quite large, this system allows for a more safer working environment.

Sanitizers & Handwash Availability

Employee safety is the main priority here at Daraz. We follow the best hygiene practices to ensure a safer working environment for everyone at the organization. Hand sanitization and hand washing has become a basic routine for all of us ever since COVID came about.

At Daraz, we have hand sanitizers stationed at different parts of the office such as on every desks, near elevators, in the kitchen, by the doors and meeting rooms.

By placing hand sanitizers in strategic locations throughout the office, Daraz encourages employees to improve their hand hygiene, and make the office a healthier working environment.

Temperature Checks

Temperature checks have become vital during the COVID pandemic. It gives you a quick idea whether or not a person could be infected or not. Which is why it’s crucial to screen an employee’s temperature before they enter the office premise.

Daraz follows a similar pattern. Each employee is screened before they enter the office. If the temperature is below or equal to 37.7 Celsius then they are allowed to enter the office. If the temperature exceeds 37.7 or is much higher than that, entry is denied and necessary precautions are taken.

To date, there hasn’t been any case of an employee who’s temperature has exceed 37.7 Celsius. But you can never be too safe.

Routine Cleanups

Here at Daraz, health and hygiene is of the utmost importance. Which is why we have regular cleanups. All the door handles, desks, switches are sanitized and cleaned daily. Every creek, every corner is swept and cleaned.

Basically the entire office premise is sanitized and cleaned daily.

Shuttle Service

Because of COVID and the lockdown, all the public transportations had been closed off. And even though the lockdown had eased up, public vehicles were not allowed to resume and even if it did, during such a time, there was always the risk of it being overcrowded as is the case with public vehicles in Nepal. This was a major issue for many of the Daraz employees who’d been using the public transport for their daily commute to and from the office before the pandemic.

To counter this, Daraz came up with its own solution – provide shuttle service. It’s our own transportation service for those who require it. The shuttle picks and drops the employees at their required location.

And unlike the public transportations, the Daraz shuttle service is not crowded, it’s sanitized and cleaned daily. So it’s a much more safer option.

You can never be too careful when it comes to your health. The COVID-19 virus is yet to be fully eradicated. Which is why you still need to make sure that you follow the best hygiene practices to ensure your safety as well as your loved ones.

It starts with you!

Remember to wear a mask while in public, sanitize your hands frequently, and follow all the necessary precautions.

Stay Safe! Stay Happy!

Nepal’s leading online shopping marketplace and a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group, Daraz, has got all 442 of its employees insured against COVID-19 in partnership with NLG Insurance, as confirmed by both companies in a statement.

Following the insurance coverage, any employee working for Daraz will receive Rs 1 lakh as insurance security for one full year in case of contraction related to COVID-19.

This move by the company has been highly appreciated by all the employees and especially those that are involved in the field as Dex Heroes. One such Hero is Sagar, who was also featured in many news articles as the unsung heroes of the pandemic.

We’re following all the safety protocols and have got good response from the customers which is very encouraging. However, it is more encouraging when you know that the company is also well behind you and thinks for your safety.

Sagar Shakya, DEX HERO

In order to promote safety measures, Daraz is also encouraging its customers to make use of digital payments rather than cash. Daraz has also introduced payments via eSewa and is providing discounts of up to 15% (upto Rs. 500) for pre-payments made using Bank Cards.

Nepal’s largest online marketplace, Daraz, hosts more than 4000 sellers selling products across 100 plus categories with a total assortment of 3.5 lakh products ranging from groceries to electronics. Daraz also delivers to more than 25 cities in Nepal including all the major areas such as Biratnagar, Pokhara, Chitwan. 

With many SMEs in turmoil due to the pandemic, Daraz is also encouraging all businesses that wish to transition online to reach out to the company or register via Daraz’s seller sign up page under the Daraz Sahayatri Program, a stimulus package of 55 lakhs, intended to help SMEs get through the crisis by expanding their revenue streams.

For more information, please click here: Sell on Daraz

Or contact the marketing department:  9801114969 / media@daraz.com.np