NUR-SULTAN – Wildberries, Russia’s largest international online retailer, will be opening a branch within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and building a large distribution centre in the country.
“We are confident in the high potential of our partnership with local producers, small and medium-sized businesses of Kazakhstan; therefore, we are investing in the creation of infrastructure and educational projects that will increase the sales of producers of the republic on Wildberries,” said company director general Tatyana Bakalchuk.
The distribution centre will increase the turnover of Kazakh manufacturers, significantly reduce their logistics costs and expand the range of local products on the company site, as well as create new jobs in the country, she added.
The decision about the store was made during a Kazakh delegation visit to Russia led by Prime Minister Askar Mamin, when AIFC and Wildberries also agreed to promote Kazakh producers through the largest online store in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
The company agreed to share its electronic commerce experience and information. The first Wildberries B2B e-commerce expertise centre will open in the capital, combining logistics and educational functions for suppliers. It will hold seminars featuring company employees and retail and online commerce experts, with topics such as ways to directly accept goods from local partners 24/7. The company is also planning to launch e-commerce examination centres in other cities.
Wildberries will continue to expand its network throughout Kazakhstan, equipped with comfortable dressing rooms with mirrors for customers to fit clothes and shoes. The company currently has 129 outlets in the country and established 60 new order centres this year.
Founded in 2004, Wildberries operates in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Its turnover in 2018 increased by 72 percent to $1.8 billion. The company employs more than 25,000 individuals and receives approximately 500,000 orders per day. Wildberries offers in excess of 2.6 million items from 22,000 Russian and foreign brands, including clothing and shoes, appliances and electronics, accessories, beauty products, children’s items, household goods, jewellery, food and books.
