Ozon

Ozon Holdings PLC operates as a prominent multi-category e-commerce platform, often referred to as "the Amazon of Russia". The company was established in 1998 by the Russian software house Reksoft, co-founded by Alexander Egorov, initially starting as an online bookseller. Egorov, a graduate of St. Petersburg University of Aerospace Instrumentation with an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics, founded Reksoft in 1991 with fellow students and played a key role in launching Ozon as an independent business project. From its origins in selling books, CDs, and DVDs, the company progressively expanded its product range to include everything from electronics to apparel.

Ozon's business operates on a hybrid model that incorporates both first-party (1P) sales, where it sells products directly, and a third-party (3P) marketplace model, which was introduced in 2018. This marketplace allows over 450,000 active sellers to list their products, contributing to an extensive catalog of over 200 million SKUs across more than 20 categories. The company primarily serves customers in Russia and several other CIS countries. Revenue is generated from multiple streams, including direct product sales, commissions from third-party sellers, and fees for services like logistics, fulfillment, and advertising. A significant and rapidly growing component of its business is Ozon Fintech, which provides a suite of financial services for both consumers and business clients. These services include the Ozon Card, a co-branded debit card; Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options; and financing for sellers. The fintech division has seen substantial growth, with its revenue increasing by 191% in fiscal year 2024.

The core of Ozon's service is its extensive e-commerce platform, accessible via its website and a mobile-first approach, with over 90% of orders placed through its app. The platform offers a vast array of goods, including electronics, fashion, home goods, and groceries. Supporting its e-commerce operations is a formidable logistics and fulfillment network. This infrastructure includes numerous fulfillment centers, a large network of over 65,000 pickup points and parcel lockers, and a dedicated courier service, enabling delivery across Russia's eleven time zones. In addition to its core marketplace, Ozon has expanded its ecosystem to include Ozon.Travel for booking flights and train tickets, Ozon fresh for express grocery delivery, and Ozon Global for cross-border shopping. The company also offers a digital storefront model, allowing sellers to use their own delivery services or third-party logistics partners while leveraging Ozon's platform as a sales channel.

Keywords: e-commerce platform, Russian marketplace, online retail, third-party sellers, fulfillment services, logistics network, Ozon Fintech, Ozon Bank, digital payments, Buy Now Pay Later, seller financing, multi-category retail, Ozon Travel, Ozon fresh, cross-border commerce, last-mile delivery, pickup points, parcel lockers, mobile commerce, Alexander Egorov, Reksoft