Rozetka, as a leading e-commerce business in Ukraine, faced unprecedented difficulties in the first weeks after the full-scale invasion – logistics which is essential for our operations, was literally blocked, given our flagship warehouse in Brovary was in very close proximity to the frontline and under constant shelling, while customers evacuation led to a surge in returns and canceled orders. Besides, before the full-scale invasion, we had rapidly expanded our physical presence growing the number of Rozetka-branded stores to over 270 locations, operations in most of which became impossible in March, and some were destroyed or located in areas occupied by Russian forces post-February 24th.
We had always put our Clients first and knew that our reliable service was essential for millions of Ukrainians who regularly shop at Rozetka. We simply couldn’t let our Clients down. As such, the two key priorities of Management were the recovery of operations and ensuring the safety of our employees. In a matter of a few weeks, we had constructed large bomb shelters in the warehouse for our Personnel, who heroically continued to deliver critically important orders of vital goods despite non-stopping strikes of occupants. Also, we understood that SMEs are going through a tough time too. In order to help multiple domestic merchants who lost warehousing premises, we opened our facilities in Kyiv and Lviv to all in need.
We principally aim to recover activity and restore presence in the liberated areas as soon as possible. Right after the withdrawal of enemy troops from the Kyiv region, we reopened stores in Borodyanka, Gostomel, Irpin, and Bucha; the store in Kherson has been fully operational since the end of November as well. On that end, impressive 200 stores have been reopened since March, so the physical network of Rozetka-branded stores is now at the pre-war level.
In the wake of the recent energy challenge, we equipped all of our stores with generators or, if that wasn’t possible for safety reasons, with charging stations; franchise locations are on the way too. That actually turned Rozetka-branded stores into real community places where people can get warm, charge devices, or even cook cutlets. Thus, in times of blackouts, our stores become a safe harbor for the community. We also do our best to accommodate our Clients’ needs and proactively approach shifts in demand, for instance, becoming the major seller of generators, power banks, and related equipment, which sales skyrocketed by over 20 times. Thanks to the described steps and the continued loyalty of our Clients, Rozetka is on a steep V-shaped recovery pace, setting an example of resilience in the economy.
