LEADING BRANDS PROFILE
Daraz
Q: What attributes do people love most about Daraz?
Heshan Perera (HP): Daraz has something for everyone. It’s a platform where people can explore, experiment and have fun.
I think people love everything about Daraz – myriad products at their fingertips at probably the best prices in town with fast and reliable delivery, all encapsulated in a simplified shopping experience. With the recent rebranding, we have provided more reasons for customers to choose Daraz.
The amplified new Daraz app offers consumers a platform to do more than shop online. Geared with entertainment, leisure, games and edutainment content, Daraz provides an unparalleled shopping experience with countless payment options.
This all-inclusive shopping and lifestyle experience has gained wide acceptance within our target groups.
Q: How does the Daraz brand connect with consumers and maintain relevance in a rapidly evolving space?
HP: The Daraz app offers users an immersive and personalised brand experience, starting from the look and feel of the user interface to the shopping and delivery experience, and the versatility of its content.
Optimising user journeys and delivering an exceptional in-app experience are vital processes that shape our brand strategy – they help Daraz connect with each user group.
The Daraz DNA is manifested more intricately in the new brand, representing progress, innovation, exploration and discovery. These attributes are brought to life by ensuring the delivery of quality products and services at each step of the customer journey, while creating new avenues of entertainment and engagement for our customers.
As part of the new branding, we consolidated all our brands under the Daraz umbrella brand to further simplify the customer experience.
Q: How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your sector and the brand in particular?
Rakhil Fernando (RF): The onset of the pandemic was a difficult time for all businesses. Our industry was no exception.
We faced challenges relating to logistics and operations due to numerous restrictions. The pandemic put our systems and infrastructure to the test, and prompted agile action to meet the demands of the ‘new normal.’
On the positive side, the transition to the new normal resulted in substantial growth of the digital economy. Due to the emphasis on social distancing, consumers turned to online shopping.
Being an established and loved e-commerce platform in the country, we were geared to step up to meet the demand by supporting more sales and embracing new technologies that created better shopping experiences. Grocery e-commerce soared, and we catered to this demand with Daraz Mart, which has also seen substantial growth.
Q: How can Daraz facilitate Sri Lanka’s transformation into a digital nation?
RF: Daraz is now a digital lifestyle destination. Our platform connects over 50,000 Sri Lankan entrepreneurs with more than three million local online shoppers in a thriving digital marketplace.
There is still a vast untapped e-commerce opportunity here, and we’re working towards realising the full potential of the digital economy. Daraz has undertaken several initiatives to empower local communities including sellers, female entrepreneurs and online shoppers.
In line with the Sri Lankan government’s vision for economic revival and growth of the digital economy, Daraz will focus on building an ecosystem that’ll support job creation within the industry, while improving accessibility for all Sri Lankans.
Seller and consumer education, financial inclusion and rural community activation will be some of our top focus areas in the coming years.
Q: How do you aim to sustain brand equity amid the rapid changes taking place in the macro environment?
HP: COVID-19 has placed a new emphasis on relationships, particularly in an era where virtual connections have taken precedence. In a world that relies less on charm and more on insights, trust is built by those who listen to customer needs and craft solutions to meet them.
At Daraz, we pride ourselves on keeping pace with changing customer dynamics to offer the most relevant products, solutions and content while connecting with them meaningfully.
Daraz was established to achieve two goals: to enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses online, and to create an immersive and personalised shopping experience for customers.
We will continue to pursue these goals, powered by cutting-edge technology and fuelled by the purpose of uplifting communities through the power of commerce.
