Daraz on the 27th of August held a Press Conference at Kathmandu Marriott Hotel. The highlighting agenda of the event was to talk about how Daraz is Creating a Change in Nepal’s E-commerce industry. The conference was hosted by Daraz Global CEO, Bjarke Mikkelsen and Managing Directors, Lino Ahlering and Jai Kavi.
Besides a slew of media personnel, the event was also blessed with the presence of many field expert, sales partners, and celebrity figures. Among them were the keynote speakers, the Honorable Under Secretary from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Mr. Buddhi Prasad Upadhyaya, and Section Officer, Mr. Ashbin Kumar Pokharel. They were also joined by the Deputy CEO of Nabil Bank, Mr. Anil Khanal; Samsung General Manager – IM BIZ, Mr. Pranaya Ratna Sthapit; and the CEO & Founder of Sonam Gears, Mr. Tashi Chombe.
During the event, the Daraz Global CEO, Bjarke Mikkelsen took to stage to give a brief introduction about Daraz. He also shared some numbers on various achievements of the company. Mr Mikkelsen also elaborated on the need for a digital era and the role of Daraz in further promoting it. He also shared Daraz’s mission to make it easy to do business anywhere in the era of the digital economy and how they aspire to lead Nepal into the digital era by 2022.
As mentioned earlier, Mr. Mikkelsen also shared some number regarding their achievements. This is the first time they have done so! He stated that as of now Daraz empowers 2500+ sellers in Nepal to transact through its technology. They also provide immediate and easy access to 250,000 plus products in more than 100 plus categories. Talking about the daily app usage, he stated an impressive 75,000 Nepali people use Daraz app on a daily basis.
Daraz is a mall, a marketplace, and a community in your pocket. We provide immediate and easy access to 250,000 plus products in more than 100 plus categories. Today, more than 75,000 Nepalese use Daraz every day. We deliver more than 100,000 packages every month to all corners of Nepal. We estimate that Daraz has created 5,000 jobs in Nepal, and every month 500 new sellers are educated through our university,” said Daraz Global CEO Bjarke Mikkelsen on the current status of Daraz in Nepal.
The next to take the stage were the Managing Directors, Lino Ahlering and Jai Kavi. They were prompt and announced the six aspirations of Daraz to lead Nepal into the digital era by 2022. They are as follow:
- To drive 100%+ annual growth of the e-commerce market.
- Reach 20,000 active Daraz sellers (all educated through Daraz University).
- To fully digitalize the logistics ecosystem with real-time visibility for customers regardless of location.
- Engage 5 million Daraz users monthly by being relevant, convenient and service-minded.
- To introduce digital payments to 5 million new customers.
- Create 100,000 thousand jobs for marketplace participants.
The presence of the Government ministry was a reassuring move from Daraz towards a better digital era. The Honourable Minister Personal Secretary and the keynote speaker, Mr. Dev Sharan Yadav and the Under Secretary, Mr. Buddhi Prasad Upadhyaya assured everyone about the importance and support of the government towards a digital economy. Mr. Yadav further added that the government is working on building a stronger legal and institutional framework regarding e-commerce, infrastructure for networking and high-quality internet access, scientific naming of every street, and providing greater access to financial and electronic systems.
Daraz also officially launched its card pre-payment in Nepal since New Year 2076 and this would not have been possible without their digital banking partner, Nabil Bank. The Deputy CEO of Nabil Bank, Mr. Anil Khanal came on record to show his support on Daraz’s mission to push Nepal into the digital era. He was then followed by the General Manager of IM BIZ, Mr. Pranaya Ratna Sthapit and the CEO & Founder of Sonam Gears, Mr. Tashi Chombe, both of whom thanked Daraz for bringing the online business to a newer level in Nepal.
And at the end of the program, Daraz announced their new campaign for the upcoming festive season. The Dashain Dhamaka Campaign will begin from Sep 15-30 (Bhadra 29 – Ashoj 13) where customers can enjoy exclusive offers for various brands across all categories. Following the Dashain Dhamaka Campaign, Alibaba’s global 11.11 campaign on November 11 (Kartik 25 gate) will come, which they say will be Nepal’s biggest online sale day.
Daraz Creating Change Press Conference: Verdict
The Daraz Creating Change Press Conference was an insightful event. We are happy that Daraz opened up and shared their achievements and future plans with us. Daraz definitely has come a long way since its inception but has miles to go.
Although their plans might seem too ambitious, I believe they can achieve them. As a part of the digital era, I would love to see a revolution in the field. And it is very important that such a revolution comes! It will not only benefit the consumers but also the economy as a whole. Can’t wait to see how Daraz brings changes to the slow-paced digital economy of Nepal.
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