Information Technology at Wildberries
The article is devoted to the development of information technologies in the largest online store in Russia Wildberries.
Content |
2024
IT failure that made ordering points unavailable
On August 20, 2024, a large-scale failure occurred in the Wildberries marketplace. Many users complain that when making a purchase, they cannot choose the point of issue of the order.
Residents of various Russian cities faced problems in the work of Wildberries. Most reports of failures come from Moscow. Users of the marketplace, in particular, say that when trying to select one or another Wildberries order point, a message is displayed that it is "overloaded." However, according to a number of network sources, the observed situation is not true: the points of issue are operating normally, but the service shows incorrect data. The situation was commented on in the marketplace itself.
 | The Wildberries application and all services for the team work stably. For some Wildberries users, information about the load of PVZ (points of issue of orders) may not be displayed correctly. Our specialists have already eliminated this anomaly, - said representatives of the trading platform. |  |
Internet sources note that due to the failure, Muscovites are actively expressing dissatisfaction, since the problems cause significant inconvenience - especially in light of the high popularity of Wildberries.[1]
Start of construction of a data center in Dubna
At the end of June 2024, the construction of a large-scale data processing center (DPC) of Wildberries began in the Dubna special economic zone. The project provides for the creation of a high-tech facility with an area of 16 thousand square meters. m with a planned capacity of 8 MW.
Investments in the construction of the data center will amount to 6.5 billion rubles. By June 25, 2024, excavation work has been completed and the laying of the foundation begins. The commissioning of the facility is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025.
The data center will be implemented on a modular basis, which will further expand its capacity. The project includes five "compartments" with machine rooms, power electrical units and generator units, as well as a separate module for the warehouse and administrative premises.
According to the Minister of Investment, Industry and Science of the Moscow Region Ekaterina Zinovieva, the launch of a data processing center in Dubna will create new jobs for highly qualified specialists.
| | This is a complex high-tech infrastructure facility on which the most effective engineering solutions will be applied, "Zinovieva noted. | |
The Dubna Special Economic Zone provides residents with significant tax benefits. In particular, companies are exempted from paying taxes on property, land and transport, as well as receive benefits on customs duties and VAT. By the end of June 2024, the Dubna SEZ employs more than 160 residents. The placement of the Wildberries data center in this zone will allow the company to take advantage of the preferences provided and optimize the costs of the project. The construction of its own data center is an important step in the development of Wildberries infrastructure and strengthening the company's position in the e-commerce market, according to the company.
Creating a digital trading platform with Russ
On June 18, 2024, the Wildberries marketplace and the largest outdoor advertising operator in Russia, Russ, announced cooperation. The goal of the project is to jointly create a new digital trading platform. Read more here.
Launch of a neural network that generates a description of the goods in the card
At the end of May 2024, Wildberries launched a neural network to generate a description in product cards. The service can only create a description based on the name, but if the user specifies the characteristics, the text will be more detailed.
According to the press service of the marketplace, artificial intelligence provides a detailed, but at the same time concise description of the product. based on the name and characteristics of the product. Among the other advantages of the service, the retailer attributed the receipt of a description with a high rating (it is argued that the generated text will comply with the rules of the site) and the creation of a description based only on the name (when specifying characteristics, a more detailed text is given).
Wildberries also talked about the limitations of the service. First, the description can only be generated in Russian. Secondly, only up to 20 text generations can be carried out every day.
| | Sellers often turn to copywriters, generate a description in third-party services, or write it themselves. To facilitate this task and help you promote goods more efficiently at a lower cost, we launched our own service, Wildberries noted. | |
To generate a description, the seller needs to go to "Products" > Item card > Add > Create item. Under the window in which you enter a description, a button appeared - "Generate description."
By the end of May 2024, the new feature is only available to a small group of sellers. If the seller is in it, a new "Generate Description" button will appear.
Previously, the ability to create a description of goods using the YandexGPT neural network was provided to Yandex Market sellers. The neural network uses the product data that the seller transferred to Market. The more characteristics indicated, the "better" the description will be obtained.[2]
The beginning of the use of industrial robots in warehouses. Video
Wildberries began using industrial robots in warehouses. As the press service of the marketplace reported in May 2024, robotic transporters were created in conjunction with AstaBot and are designed to automatically transport cargo up to 350 kg. Read more here.
2023
Testing the rating of carriers and couriers
Wildberries is testing the rating of carriers and couriers. The company announced this on September 15, 2023.
This will allow the company to further increase the level of service for both buyers and entrepreneurs - sellers of goods on the online platform and owners of points of issue of orders: the social rating will motivate carriers and couriers to a more responsible approach to the provision of services.
After each delivery through the operating interface, the PVZ managers assess the status of the boxes, the integrity of the package, the correctness of the mark on the route and destination address. If the manager of the point of issue of orders gives a rating below 5 points, he needs to leave an additional comment in free form and clarify what kind of shortcomings the carrier made. This will eliminate fictitious valuations by managers.
In accordance with the company's plans, in the future, the rating indicators, taking into account the speed of delivery, the overall assessment of PVZ, the share of scrap of goods, and other factors, will be taken into account when calculating the additional financial motivation of carriers. And "drivers" with high ratings will be able to choose the most profitable directions and routes for themselves.
| | We develop the principles of platform in all Wildberries services because we believe that everyone's individual contribution should affect their income level, and responsible attitude to work and care for customers should be encouraged. The use of a social rating allows us to assess this most objectively and additionally encourage performers for a high level of service, the Wildberries press service commented. | |
This functionality is being tested. After collecting and analyzing feedback from the managers of pick-up points, carriers and logicians, it can be finalized.
Launch of an automated sorting line in the Tula region
Wildberries on June 13, 2023 announced the launch of an automated order sorting line at one of the country's large warehouses.
The online platform increases the level of automation of warehouse processes: this will further increase the speed of delivery of orders to buyers throughout Russia.
The conveyor is installed in one of the company's regional logistics centers in Aleksin, Tula Region. It is designed to sort the outgoing commodity flow - that is, when forming orders before their transportation to the points of issue of orders and the courier service.
In accordance with the company's plans, the work of this transporter will allow processing up to 160 thousand goods per day, which will increase the speed of sorting orders by 4 times, and in the future - deliver orders to customers faster.
After the end of the test period, Wildberries will consider the installation of automated lines in other logistics centers of the company.
Testing the search format for products by video
Wildberries on April 3, 2023 announced that it was testing a modified format for search results of goods by video.
This option will allow sellers to increase the number of views of item cards and reduce the share of returns
A special filter has appeared on the Wildberries website and mobile applications, thanks to which users can choose products with video reviews.
In line with the company's expectations, this tool will allow sellers to increase conversion and reduce the share of returns of goods by 20-30%. With the help of videos, buyers will be able to better familiarize themselves and evaluate goods, almost as "live": to see how this or that equipment works, how it is assembled, disassembled and operated.
For the test period, this filter was added in the "Garden and Cottage" section: it contains about 60 thousand products. According to the company's plans, a video filter can be added to other product segments.
Optimization of the arbitration service for challenging charges for substitution of goods
Wildberries on March 16, 2023 announced that it had improved the arbitration service for challenging charges for replacing goods and was suspending new charges until the replacement control system was finalized.
As a result of regular meetings with various initiative groups to test the mechanism for strengthening control over the substitution of goods by owners and employees of order points, the online platform strengthened the arbitration system and improved feedback
| | Substitution of goods is an extremely sensitive problem for entrepreneurs - sellers of goods, which we are actively engaged in with them and which actively support us. On the one hand, we have been strengthening our control for several days to prevent possible fraudulent actions. On the other hand, we are temporarily freezing the mechanism of write-offs for substitutions from owners of partner points of issue of orders and PVZ managers in order to understand all controversial situations, the company said. | |
Wildberries recalled that they regularly meet with various initiative groups when introducing any new tools in order to improve their services. The purpose of such meetings in this case is to make the mechanism for controlling the substitution of goods more effective together with other parties.
The company also stressed that it has strengthened its feedback channels. Every day the company considers about 3 thousand tickets for problem situations. As a result, already in March 2023, thanks to the dialogue and the feedback mechanism with points of issue and entrepreneurs, more than 10,000 incorrect fines for the substitution of goods were canceled, in the near future they will be reflected on the PVZ balance sheets.
| | In the near future, the feedback system with employees and partners of the company will be updated, thanks to which the speed of processing tickets for problem situations will increase several times, "Wildberries said. | |
2022
Launch of a free auto-fairy tale service when filling out product cards
Wildberries on November 21, 2022 announced the launch of a free auto fairy tale service when filling out product cards.
The option will help you fill out the cards of goods correctly, which will increase their search positions on the marketplace
When entering information, the service will provide advice on changing product cards: it will help structure and optimize product information, which will attract the attention of buyers and increase the position of the card in search results on the marketplace.
As of November 2022, three items are available to work with the service: women's boots, jackets and parks. After testing is completed, the service will be expanded to all categories.
| | The service developed by our IT teams will help novice entrepreneurs and self-employed to simplify and speed up the process of filling out cards, as well as avoid typical newcomers' mistakes, the Wildberries press service said. | |
Launch of the product verification service on the online site
On November 8, 2022, Wildberries announced the launch of an additional verification of goods on the online platform: the tested products are marked with a special sign.
First of all, such socially significant goods as food, children's products, cosmetics, clothes, etc. undergo additional verification.
To carry out the verification procedure for their products, entrepreneurs need to enter information on the presence and validity period of a certificate or declaration of conformity in the product cards. Document verification is carried out through the services of Rosaccreditation online and automatically. After confirming the documents, the note "Confirmed certificate/declaration" appears in the item card.
| | We at Wildberries pay considerable attention to the safety of purchases. Additional verification of documents for products is another important step in this direction, - said the press service of Wildberries. | |
| | Wildberries are actively involved in the process of checking goods on the Internet. There are plans to check at least 25 million goods by 2022 by the end of the year. Thanks to the service of Rosaccreditation and the participation of large trading platforms, counterfeit goods when sold on marketplaces are becoming less, "said Alexander Solovyov, deputy head of Rosaccreditation. | |
Earlier, the online platform began cooperation with Roskachestvo - goods that were checked and certified in this department began to stand out as a state quality mark on the pages of goods on the marketplace.
{{quote "Placement of Russian Quality Marks in product cards will help Wildberries customers choose the highest quality Russian products and increase the level of consumer literacy. We are confident that the marketplace will continue to work on notifying buyers about the quality of goods and promoting the best domestic products, - said Anton Kukanov, deputy head of Roskachestvo. }}
In addition, Wildberries launched the first of the online platforms in October integration with a register of state registration certificates ECE in the dietary supplements category.
In August, Wildberries introduced its own Digital Arbitration system, which strengthened the protection of entrepreneurs from possible violations of their copyright by other market participants. The company is also the founder of a unified information system of Internet platforms for anti-counterfeit: in the event of illegal products on one of the platforms, information about violating sellers is entered into a common database, which prevents the spread of counterfeit goods in the online segment as a whole.
Daily Salary Plan
Wildberries on June 27, 2022 announced that it would pay salaries daily.
The online platform launches this payment service for PVZ managers, which will significantly increase their payment frequency. In the near future, the company will switch to weekly payments to PVZ managers, and in the medium term - to daily ones, including specialists in logistics complexes - order collectors, goods receivers, etc.
| | This financial service is developed for the convenience of our employees: in the future they will be able to independently determine the frequency of payments - even every day. Our goal is to make a payment tool that will improve their lives and provide complete freedom in managing their earned funds, the Wildberries press service said. | |
At the first stage of the development of the fintech service, an interface has been launched and access to independent transfers has been opened: the money earned is instantly reflected on the personal balance, and the user himself indicates his bank account, to which he is convenient to receive a transfer.
This service, in addition to increasing the frequency of payments, will also allow specialists of points of issue and logistics centers to fully and online control their finances - view information about receipts and transfers, manage bank accounts for transferring earned funds and even spending in - online store in the future this process will become seamless, will allow making purchases without use bank card and receive instant accruals for returns of goods.
2020: Plan to hire an additional 200 IT professionals
On August 7, 2020, online retailer Wildberries announced the expansion of its IT workforce. Residents of all regions of the country can apply for vacancies, work can be carried out in a remote format. Thanks to the influx of personnel, the company expects to accelerate the development of IT projects.
Online trading platform Wildberries plans to hire another 200 IT specialists to implement various projects of the company. Wildberries requires project managers, iOS and Android developers, QA engineers, DevOps, Data engineers, SQL Developer, Rust Developer, Golang and other specialists. Vacancies are open in various departments of companies.
The headquarters of Wildberries is located in Moscow, but the place of residence of future employees does not matter: the work can be carried out in a remote format, the company emphasized. A mandatory requirement is the presence of citizenship of Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan.
| | "Wildberries is an IT company with a fairly large developer workforce. At the beginning of August, Wildberries has more than 700 IT specialists, after the closure of vacancies, their number will increase to 900. The influx of new personnel will allow us to accelerate the development of projects on which our IT employees are working and launch new ones, "said Maxim Beshketa, HR Director of Wildberries. | |
It is assumed that the new IT specialists of the company will work on mobile applications, a trading platform and an online store, engage in the automation of business processes, develop internal infrastructure, etc.
2018
IT Transformation
Wildberries decided to move away from the "monolithic" IT department model and fundamentally change its work, securing small IT teams for business units. This was announced in March 2018 by the technical director of Wildberries Andrei Revyashko at the TAdviser IT Retail Day conference.
There is a frequent situation when various departments, for example, finance, logistics, warehouse, who would like to implement a particular task and face misunderstanding, turning to a single IT window with requests to implement functionality. Wildberries faced the same thing, Revyashko noted. Many tasks accumulated, and I had to choose whose will be completed and whose not.
In addition, there were problems with the preparation and rework of SOWs by business customers. During the time the TKs were remade, the task lost its relevance. As a result, more than half of the tasks that IT workers had in the queue died off, added the technical director of Wildberries.
In addition, the IT department often turned out to be "extreme" if the idea from the business did not take off. The company tried to change this situation with the creation of a department that would closely deal with the TA for performing tasks, but in the end, the tasks got stuck there too.
After that, Wildberries decided to fundamentally change the work of the IT department. It was decided to assign to each business department of the company "mini IT department" with subordination to the head of the department. The services of such an IT department are paid from the budget of the customer of IT projects. This forced the business to more rationally approach the introduction of new technologies, more specifically formulate tasks.
Responsibility for the unsuccessful result from the implemented tasks began to be assigned to business customers.
The financial department had the most urgent task of implementing IT tasks, so it became the first to implement a new principle of interaction between IT and business.
Due to this, the IT division in the company was able to transform into a full-fledged service structure, which is able to quickly respond to business requests and offer it truly effective solutions. At the same time, thanks to the close interaction between IT and business, specialists from both parties got the opportunity to establish mutual understanding and improve their qualifications, says Andrey Revyashko.
At the same time, this approach has disadvantages, said Andrey Revyashko. For example, having a number of disparate IT commands, sometimes there was a duplication of this or that functionality. For example, two departments could do the authorization service at once. To avoid conflict, several architect specialists left the "big" IT department from the previous one. Their task is to generally monitor the IT tasks performed in the company in order to avoid strangulation.
IT projects at Wildberries
{{# ITProj: Wildberries (Wildburries)}}
| The site content is translated by machine translation software powered by PROMT. The machine-translated articles are not always perfect and may contain errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. Read original article If you find inaccuracies or errors in the results of machine translation, please write to editor@tadviser.ru. We will make every effort to correct them as soon as possible. |