The Daraz 11.11 sale has become a household name in Sri Lanka, marking the calendar as the country's biggest online shopping event. At the helm of this e-commerce revolution is Oshan Ranatunga, Chief Commercial Officer of Daraz Sri Lanka.

As the 11.11 sale enters its next chapter this year, Oshan offers insights into what’s new for consumers, how the sale drives opportunities for sellers, and the trends shaping e-commerce in Sri Lanka.

1. Daraz 11.11 has become Sri Lanka's most eagerly awaited sale event, which consumers look forward to every year. What new offerings will customers find this year?

When we first introduced 11.11 in Sri Lanka, the idea was to encourage e-commerce adoption and help drive Daraz’s growth. Over time, it has evolved into much more than just a sale—it’s now an ecosystem. For many brands and sellers, it’s the key event they plan their inventory and strategies around, and for consumers, it’s something they save up for and eagerly look forward to every year.

This year, we’ve stayed focused on meeting the expectations that come with 11.11, and if I had to highlight one key offering—it’s the lowest prices of the year. That’s not something we say lightly because Daraz has always been known for competitive pricing, but this year, we’re taking it to the next level. Shoppers can expect up to 90% off across all categories, along with Free Shipping on every order for the first time ever.

We’ve also added features to make the experience even more rewarding. For example, Voucher Max helps customers unlock additional savings, while Flash Sales offer limited-time deals of up to 90% off on popular products. We’re also introducing New Arrivals with exclusive launches and fresh product assortments. Options like "Buy More, Save More" encourage bundled purchases, letting customers maximize their savings.

2. How are brands and local sellers benefiting from the sale, and what measures has Daraz taken to empower and support them during this major retail event?

The 11.11 campaign is one of the most active periods on the Daraz platform, drawing some of the highest user engagement within a short timeframe. This gives brands and local sellers a unique opportunity to maximize visibility for their products, generate awareness, and reach a wide audience. Through our curated schemes and attractive offers, sellers can make the most of this event to highlight their products and appeal to shoppers to drive trial.

For local sellers, 11.11 is a chance to overcome geographic barriers, allowing them to showcase their products to customers across the island and grow their presence.

Established brands, meanwhile, use the event to enhance their omnichannel strategies. By offering a consistent experience across all shopping touchpoints—both online and offline—they not only drive sales but also strengthen their market position and build stronger connections with consumers. 11.11 is truly a game-changer for sellers at every level

3. The Daraz 11.11 sale is currently in full swing. What initial consumer trends and purchasing behaviors are you observing right now?

We’re seeing a significant shift in how people approach online shopping. Customers are now much more comfortable purchasing across a wide range of categories—whether it’s fashion, beauty, or even groceries. This change is fueled by the convenience online shopping provides. Being able to receive their orders at home or work, without dealing with traffic, large crowds, or rising fuel costs, is something shoppers really value.

In terms of purchasing behavior, it’s not just about price-offs anymore. Customers are looking for value in quantity, which is why offers like 1+1 deals and bundled savings options such as "Choice" have been very popular. These features are frequently showing up in shopping carts.

Another trend we’re excited to see is the growing interest in home-grown labels. Local brands on Daraz are thriving, with some of the top-performing ones seeing growth of up to 8X. It’s a great sign of how much consumers are embracing and supporting Sri Lankan businesses.

4. Consumer trust is crucial in e-commerce. How does Daraz work to build and maintain trust with its customers, especially when it comes to online payments and product authenticity?

Building trust with our customers is a top priority at Daraz, especially given the scale of our platform. One of the ways we ensure this is by offering a full refund policy for orders that arrive damaged or do not match their description. To make shopping even more reassuring, we’ve extended our return policy to 14 days across the entire marketplace, giving customers added peace of mind.

We also invest heavily in maintaining high standards for the sellers on our platform. Our team works closely with them, providing education, gathering feedback, and introducing policies that benefit both sellers and customers. This ensures that the quality and authenticity of products meet expectations.

Fraudulent activities are taken very seriously, with Daraz’s Quality Control team actively monitoring and addressing any issues. We pay close attention to metrics such as returns, customer response time, timely order processing, and cancellations, ensuring these remain at an optimal level. By combining these measures, we create an ecosystem that prioritizes safety, reliability, and trust for all our users.

5. How is Daraz leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and big data to enhance its services and improve customer experience?

At Daraz, being customer-centric and data-driven is at the core of everything we do. Our investments in advanced technologies are always aimed at improving services and enhancing the overall customer experience. Thanks to the resources and expertise of our parent company, a leader in technology innovation, we have access to cutting-edge tools that we’ve introduced as industry firsts in our market.

These technologies are applied across various aspects of our operations, such as product recommendations, customer service, fraud detection, and inventory management. By streamlining complex processes, we’re able to scale our business efficiently while ensuring that the customer journey remains seamless.

We recently revamped our app to deliver a more personalized shopping experience for every user, and the results have been clear—higher conversion rates and more satisfied customers. Personalization has become a key priority in today’s diverse market, where factors like age, gender, income, and location heavily influence preferences. With million of products available across multiple categories, we’re constantly optimizing our platform to present options tailored to individual needs.

On the seller side, our Seller Center has been upgraded to make it easier for businesses to manage and scale. Enhanced features include a more intuitive UI, better guidance for new sellers, and access to granular data that helps sellers understand and respond to customer demand. Automated tools like product recommendations and real-time chat agent monitoring further empower sellers to grow their businesses while ensuring they meet evolving customer expectations.

By integrating these technologies, we’re not just improving operational efficiency—we’re creating a shopping experience that’s smarter, faster, and more intuitive for everyone.

Image Caption : Oshan Ranatunga, Chief Commercial Officer