Digikala
{{Short description|Iranian e-commerce company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| logo = File:Digikala logo (en).svg
| logo_size =
| image =
| image_caption =
| type = Private
| industry = E-commerce
| founded = {{start date and age|2006|07|01|df=yes}}
| area_served = Iran
| hq_location_city = Tehran
| hq_location_country = Iran
| num_employees = 8,200 (2021){{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}
| subsid =
| website = [https://www.digikala.com/ digikala.com]
| services =
| founders = Hamid and Saeed Mohammadi
}}
Digikala ({{langx|fa|دیجیکالا|translit=Dijikalâ|lit=digi(tal) goods}}) is an Iranian e-commerce company based in Tehran, founded in July 2006 by Hamid Mohammadi and Saeid Mohammadi.{{Cite news |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=14 July 2015 |title=The Washington Post:What the Iran deal means for the country's surprisingly strong tech industry |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/07/14/what-the-iran-deal-means-for-the-countrys-surprisingly-strong-tech-industry/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205123135/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/07/14/what-the-iran-deal-means-for-the-countrys-surprisingly-strong-tech-industry/ |archive-date=5 December 2020}}{{cite news |title=Digikala is the Largest Online Marketplace in Iran and the Middle East|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/digikala-largest-online-marketplace-iran-150000109.html |access-date=3 September 2021 |work=finance.yahoo.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903140144if_/https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/digikala-largest-online-marketplace-iran-150000109.html |archive-date=3 September 2021 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |date=9 February 2016 |title=Iranian Startups Come of Age |url=https://iranwire.com/en/society/61636/ |access-date=18 September 2022 |website=Iran Wire |language=en}}
Digikala offers a wide range of consumer products, which includes sports and entertainment goods, electronics, groceries, personal products, and digital products with a return option and express delivery service. The group also has subsidiaries involved in other areas of ecommerce.{{Cite web |date=9 February 2022 |title=Total guide on DigiKala's return services |url=https://www.zoomit.ir/howto/378820-how-report-return-counterfeit-products-digikala/ }}
History and growth
File:Digikala HQ in Tehran by Mardetanha (5) 75.jpg
Digikala was founded in 2006 by the brothers Hamid and Saeid Mohammadi, prompted by an unpleasant experience they had trying to buy a digital camera. The pair used $10,000 of their own savings to start the company.{{cite web |last1=Guttman |first1=Amy |title=Meet The Twin Brothers Transforming How Iranians Shop |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyguttman/2015/01/26/twin-brothers-transforming-how-iranians-shop/3/#60aa5f533fd5 |website=Forbes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220918054425/https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyguttman/2015/01/26/twin-brothers-transforming-how-iranians-shop/?sh=42eb215c57aa |archive-date=18 September 2022 |language=en |date=26 January 2015 |url-status=live}} The company's valuation was $150 million in 2014 and $500 million in late 2015.{{Cite news |last=McFarland |first=Matt |date=10 November 2014 |title=Here's what it's like to launch a start-up in Iran |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2014/11/10/heres-what-its-like-to-launch-a-start-up-in-iran/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520175652/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2014/11/10/heres-what-its-like-to-launch-a-start-up-in-iran/ |archive-date=20 May 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{Cite web |last=Sharif |first=Hossein |date=12 October 2015 |title=Iran's digital start-ups signal changing times |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34458898 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423232648/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34458898 |archive-date=23 April 2022 |website=BBC}} As of 2021, more than 4 million products have been offered for sale by nearly 160,000 sellers.{{cite news |title=وضعیت دیجی کالا در پیک چهارم کرونا چگونه است؟ |url=https://www.farsnews.ir/news/14000129000579/%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%B9%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AC%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9-%DA%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%85-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA |language=Persian}} In 2021, the platform had 30 million visitors per month{{cite news |date=23 August 2021 |title=Iran E-Commerce Trending Higher |agency=financialtribune |url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/sci-tech/109916/iran-e-commerce-trending-higher |access-date=1 October 2021}} and 17.2 million visits per day.{{cite news |date=22 August 2021 |title=Iran E-Commerce Trending Higher |agency=eghtesadonline |url=https://www.en.eghtesadonline.com/Section-iran-economy-67/35567-iran-commerce-trending-higher |access-date=1 October 2021}} In May 2022 it was ranked as Iran's 2nd most visited website.{{Cite web |title=Alexa: Top Sites in Iran |url=http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/IR |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501153829/https://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/IR |archive-date=1 May 2022 |website=Alexa}}
Digikala has benefited from the Iran's increasing digitization. By 2017, 62% of Iran's households were connected to the Internet and this development has driven demand for Internet services that mirror Western digital platforms.{{Cite web|url=https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iranian-startups-offer-opportunities-in-an-unstable-economy/29710513.html|title=Iranian Startups Offer Opportunities In An Unstable Economy|website=RFE/RL|date=15 January 2019 |language=en|access-date=9 May 2019}} The company does not publicize its revenue, but has said sales are growing at a rate of 200% a year, and that it is receiving orders from even the most remote villages in Iran.{{Cite news |title=FT:Iranian e-commerce thrives despite obstacles |newspaper=Financial Times |date=October 2014 |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e44136e6-3cdb-11e4-9733-00144feabdc0.html |url-access=subscription}}
Iran's economic volatility forced Digikala to lay off 175 workers in 2018.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2018 |title=In Face of Hard Times Iran's Digikala Remains Upbeat |url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/sci-tech/93086/in-face-of-hard-times-irans-digikala-remains-upbeat |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 May 2019 |website=Financial Tribune |language=En}} To survive, the platform adopted several initiatives such as a pay-per-sale strategy which allow users to receive a commission if a directed customer purchases a product.{{Cite web |date=21 September 2018 |title=Digikala Enlists Pay-Per-Sale Strategy |url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/sci-tech/93861/digikala-enlists-pay-per-sale-strategy |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 May 2019 |website=Financial Tribune |language=En}} In March 2019, Digikala also addressed the issue of author authenticity of products in the platform after receiving complaints over the quality of goods being sold. In a statement, the company claimed that only 0.2% of the 2 million products sold were unoriginal and that the company has taken steps to implement stringent quality control.{{Cite web|url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/sci-tech/97148/digikala-to-carry-out-stringent-quality-control|title=Digikala to Carry Out Stringent Quality Control|date=12 March 2019|website=Financial Tribune|language=En|access-date=9 May 2019}}
Shareholders
The ownership structure of Digikala e-commerce group was publicly the CEO of Digikala. Accordingly, 33.12% of the company's shares belong to Hamid and Saeed Mohammadi, the co-founders of Digikala, followed by IIIC European Investment Fund with 32.67%, Sarava Pars Company with 25.64%, incentive shares for managers and key employees with 4.46%, and other shareholder companies with 11.4%, including Lilian Mod Tejarat, Bazar Ati Ara, Pomegranate Investment AB, Kia Asa Tejarat Toos, and Pars Gostar Dina. {{Cite web |title=Hoe investeerders uit Nederland en België verstrikt raakten in dictatoriaal Iran |url=https://fd.nl/bedrijfsleven/1466654/hoe-investeerders-uit-nederland-en-belgie-verstrikt-raakten-in-dictatoriaal-iran |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=FD.nl |language=nl}} {{Cite web |title=دیجیکالا با انتشار ساختار سهامداری خود اعلام کرد: سهامدار حاکمیتی نداریم |url=https://digiato.com/article/2022/11/06/digikala-shareholders-announced |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=دیجیاتو |language=fa-IR}}
Number of employees
In 2022, Digikala planned to increase its number of associates to 10,000. {{Cite web |title=معاون منابع انسانی دیجیکالا: امسال یک خانواده ۱۰ هزار نفری میشویم • اتاق خبر دیجیکالا |url=https://www.digikala.com/mag/video/digikala-human-resources-interview/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=دیجیکالا مگ |date=3 June 2021 |language=fa-IR}} As of 2021, Digikala employs more than 8,000 people. {{cite web|url=https://digiato.com/article/2022/02/21/hr-report-digikala-1400 |title=گزارش سرمایههای انسانی دیجیکالا: افزایش 39 برابری نیروی انسانی طی 8 سال }}
Products and services
Digikala initially started as an online retail platform focused on digital and electronic products.{{Cite web |last=hamsite |title=همکاری آژانس دیجیتال مارکتینگ هم سایت |url=https://hamsite.co |website=آژانس دیجیتال مارکتینگ هم سایت}} Since 2014, Digikala expanded its strategy to become an online marketplace, offering a wider range of products.{{cite web|url=http://www.ictstartups.ir//fa/content/57604|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116095932/http://www.ictstartups.ir//fa/content/57604 |archive-date=16 January 2019 |title=دیجیکالا تا یک سال دیگر «یونیکورن» میشود - ictstartups.ir }}
Subsidiaries
The Digikala Group is active in logistics, e-commerce, content, fintech, martech, and innovative fields.{{cite web |title=گزارش سال ۱۳۹۹ دیجیکالا |url=https://www.digikala.com/mag/lp/report-1399/ |website=digikala.com |publisher=Digikala |access-date=3 September 2021}} Digikala owns more than 10 subsidiaries, including Fidibo, Digistyle, Digipay, Pindo and Komoda.{{cite web |title=Pomegranate Investment AB (publ) Releases Financial Report for the period of 6 months ended October 31, 2020. |url=https://news.cision.com/pomegranate-investment-ab/r/pomegranate-investment-ab--publ--releases-financial-report-for-the-period-of-6-months-ended-october-,c3258369 |website=news.cision.com |date=18 December 2020 |publisher=Pomegranate Investment AB |access-date=3 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=فروشگاهی که هلدینگ شد؛ نگاهی به ساختار و عملکرد گروه دیجی کالا |url=https://www.zoomit.ir/tech-iran/372691-digikala-market-as-holding/ |website=zoomit |date=17 July 2021 |access-date=1 October 2021}}
= Fidibo =
Fidibo is a Persian e-book store that has been operating since March 2014. Digikala bought an interest in the company in 2016 and became its main owner in 2017.{{cite web |title=واگذاری یکی از اپلیکیشنهای کتابخوان به یک فروشگاه اینترنتی |url=https://www.mehrnews.com/news/3904173/%D9%88%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B0%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D9%BE%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%B4%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AA%DB%8C |website=Mehrnews Agancy |date=13 February 2017 |access-date=3 September 2021}}
= Digistyle =
= Digipay =
Digipay was founded in 2018, focusing on mobile and web payments. Digipay services include Smart IPG, merchant management dashboard, mobile payment gateways, customer refund services, personal and organizational wallets, mobile payment applications, and installment purchase facilities.
= Komoda =
Komoda is a social buy-and-sell startup platform. It was founded in July 2018 and has been a Digikala group member since late 2019.{{cite news |title=دیجی کالا در استارتاپ کمدا سرمایهگذاری کرد |url=https://www.zoomit.ir/tech-iran/348124-digikala-investment-in-komodaa/ |access-date=3 September 2021 |agency=zoomit |publisher=ZoomIT |date=2 May 2020}}
= Pindo =
In 2021, DigiKala launched Pindo, a platform for registering Consumer to Consumer advertisements.{{cite news |date=4 April 2021 |title=دیجی کالا اپلیکیشن پیندو را رسما برای دانلود در دسترس عموم کاربران قرار داد |language=Persian |agency=Digiato |url=https://digiato.com/article/2021/04/04/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%88 |access-date=3 September 2021}}
= Smartech =
Smartech offers marketing technology services and was added to the Digikala group in 2019.{{cite web |title=About Smartech |url=https://smartech.ir/about |website=Smartech |access-date=1 October 2021}}
= DigiExpress =
= Digikala Jet =
Launched in 2021, DigiKala Jet is a personalized online grocery shop in major cities like Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, and Shiraz.{{cite news |title=محصول جدید گروه دیجیکالا آغاز به کار کرد / دیجیکالا جت؛ ارسال رایگان و سریع سفارشهای سوپر مارکتی |url=https://way2pay.ir/239560/ |access-date=22 October 2021 |work=راه پرداخت |date=5 August 2021 |language=fa-IR}}{{cite news |title=دیجیکالا جت برای ارسال سریعتر سفارشها با شرکتهای لجستیکی همکاری میکند |url=https://www.zoomit.ir/tech-iran/375237-digikala-jet-started-operating/ |access-date=22 October 2021 |work=زومیت |date=10 October 2021 |language=fa}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.digikala.com/}}
Category:Retail companies established in 2006