Тhe Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan held a practical seminar at Berdakh Karakalpak State University in Nukus on “Opportunities to support small and medium-sized businesses in Uzbekistan through e-commerce”, to help local entrepreneurs make wider use of e-commerce, bring national products to domestic and foreign markets and increase their export potential. 

The seminar brought together around 200 local entrepreneurs, artisans, young people and women. Representatives of the international marketplace Wildberries spoke about the advantages of selling on the platform and the opportunities it offers.

In the Republic of Karakalpakstan, too, business activity is growing year on year. Today in the region more than 21,300 active businesses are operating. In the industrial sector, nearly 3,000 small businesses are in operation. The number of artisans has reached 2,600 and selling through e-commerce platforms in domestic and foreign markets gives them an important opportunity to find new buyers, increase sales and promote their products more widely. These figures show that, alongside entrepreneurship itself, the region’s need for digital solutions and modern business services is also growing.

Another important aspect of e-commerce is the development of logistics and delivery services. In the Republic of Karakalpakstan, more than 900 businesses operate in transport and storage, which shows that the region has the potential to build e-commerce infrastructure.

During the seminar, participants were provided detailed information on the practical side of selling on e-commerce platforms. In particular, they learned how to open an online store, upload products to a platform, prepare product listings, find and communicate with buyers, accept and deliver orders, and use logistics and payment services.

At the seminar, participants discussed opportunities to develop online sales for producers of clothing, cosmetics and beauty products, leather goods and footwear, sporting goods, handicrafts, jewellery, souvenirs, children’s toys, electrical goods, dried fruit and spices, stationery, car accessories, homeware and plastic and rubber products.

The main purpose of the practical seminars that the Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship holds in the regions is to help entrepreneurs use e-commerce tools effectively, build their digital skills and adapt to the demands of today’s market.

At the end of the seminar, the organizers agreed on the next stage of work with entrepreneurs, which will involve selecting businesses that are ready to sell online, reviewing their products and giving them practical help to launch sales on marketplaces.