The marketplace Wildberries will open its first pickup points in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, on March 21 – coinciding with the Navrouz holiday. This was reported to Asia-Plus by an informed source.
The first pickup point is already set up in the city center, located in a new building opposite the former “Green Bazaar.” Wildberries' signage has already been noticed by local residents.
What sets this marketplace apart is its vast assortment of products, including clothing, electronics, cosmetics, home goods, and much more.
The platform is user-friendly, with easy navigation, fast delivery, and the ability to choose from a wide range of products from around the world.
Wildberries offers various payment methods, including online payments and cash on delivery.
Currently, Wildberries operates in several countries, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Uzbekistan. Its expansion into the Tajik market is part of the company's plan to strengthen its presence in the region.
The opening of the marketplace in Tajikistan was discussed last year. At that time, the company’s owner, Tatyana Kim, told Asia-Plus in an interview that an agreement had been signed with Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support local producers, enabling them to sell their products on the Wildberries platform and exchange experience and knowledge.
Wildberries products are already quite popular in Tajikistan. Numerous online stores on social media offer delivery from the marketplace through intermediaries. The markup on such orders is relatively high, sometimes exceeding the cost of the product itself.
Tatiana Kim, a former English teacher and mother of seven, started e-commerce retailer Wildberries in 2004. She reportedly founded the business at age 28 in her Moscow apartment while on maternity leave. Her husband, Vladislav Bakalchuk, an IT technician, soon joined her to help build the business.
In 2017, Wildberries became Russia's largest online retailer, surpassing Ulmart. The company, originally based in Milkovo, Moscow oblast, relocated to Moscow in 2018. In 2018, Wildberries pulled in US$1.9 billion in sales and attracted 2 million daily visitors. Based on Forbes’ analysis, Kim is worth approximately US$1 billion in 2019.
Since June 2021, Wildberries has started online sales by installment and on credit in Russia. In July 2023, Wildberries announced the launch of travel services on its platform. Users are offered package tours, as well as booking hotels and hostels, both in Russia and abroad. At the time of the launch of the service, the company sold only offers from travel agencies and aggregators. In June 2024, Wildberries announced a merger with the outdoor advertising firm Russ Group to build a digital market and a payments platform. The merger was completed by October.
