According to a new comprehensive research by RGCA (Research Group Central Asia, accredited by IPSOS), every second respondent in Uzbekistan made purchases on Uzum Market, the nation’s leading online marketplace, and 40% of respondents ordered on the platform within the last month.
According to KPMG, Uzbekistan remains the fastest-growing e-commerce market in Central Asia, projected to grow sevenfold and reach USD 2.2 billion over the next five years. RGCA conducted a study of a demographically representative sample of over 800 residents aged 18 to 54 to better understand what apps Uzbek consumers prefer, what items they order most frequently, and how they choose an online shopping platform. These studies allowed RGCA to analyze the dynamics of Uzbek consumers’ habits and how they change over time.
The study demonstrates that the awareness of the national marketplace, Uzum Market, has significantly grown over the last months. 83% of respondents mention Uzum Market among the apps and services for online shopping, and 56% name Uzum Market first when asked about services they use. Notably, Uzum Market continues to strengthen its leadership both in the nation’s capital and in the regions.
Meanwhile, OLX and Telegram, the long-time leaders are gradually decreasing, being named by only 43% and 32% of respondents respectively. Every fourth resident uses Telegram messenger for online shopping, while 23% of Uzbekistan’s population turn to OLX. This is a major shift compared to the previous RGCA study in March this year, when only 52% of respondents indicated familiarity with the Uzum Market brand, while 58% and 53% mentioned OLX and Telegram as online shopping platforms.
When studying how consumers’ habits change over time, it’s important to identify reasons that drive Uzbek users’ choice of one platform over the other.
While a rewarding loyalty program remains the most important criteria for platform selection, the ease of choice and order placement has significantly increased in importance in recent months, indicating a growing number of experienced users among the marketplace customers. Fast delivery and low prices also remain the top factors defining customers’ preferences. Uzum Market, with its wide range of goods and one-day delivery, aligns perfectly with the key considerations of Uzbek consumers, and its popularity continues to grow across all age groups.
About the Company
Research Group Central Asia was established in early 2022 as an agency providing a full range of consumer research services. RGCA primarily consists of experts with extensive experience in conducting research projects. The company conducts a full spectrum of quantitative and qualitative research and is an officially accredited agency of the international operator IPSOS.