BYD releases updated SONG PLUS DM-i UzPride model for the Uzbekistan market with new features

The private sales market in Uzbekistan is undergoing a transformation thanks to digital technologies, and the emergence of the 'Listee' platform aims to completely replace the concept of second-hand goods.

Although e-commerce has long been familiar to over 10 million residents in the republic who use marketplaces such as Ozon, Alibaba, and Uzum, on July 31st in Tashkent, the international resale platform 'Listee' was presented. This platform was launched in test mode in August.

The project, developed by IT entrepreneur Vitaliy Tumanov, is a digital trading platform operating on a C2C (consumer-to-consumer) model. It utilizes advanced technologies and modern security services.

According to Tumanov, who presented the project with partners, its goal was to create a progressive trading ecosystem that would stand out in the market due to a high level of convenience, transaction efficiency, and reliability.

A key feature of 'Listee' is the ability for individuals to buy and sell not only new but also used items, including clothing, furniture, and household appliances.

Tumanov intends not just to raise the standards of electronic C2C trade but also to attract users who currently most often use 'Telegram' and other social networks for personal transactions. He noted that while 'Telegram' is an excellent messenger, it is completely unsuitable for trading as it provides no assistance or protection to users.

Vitaliy Tumanov believes that the main obstacle to the development of C2C trade is the factor of trust. Therefore, a high degree of security is presented as a fundamental element of trustworthy e-commerce on 'Listee'. To ensure this, he and his team plan to use tools for protecting business communication, a system for monitoring all transactions on the platform, and a rating system for sellers and buyers.

Another important advantage is the integration of a built-in payment system and the involvement of payment and logistics partners, which serves as an additional guarantee against fraud. Tumanov explained that the buyer's money passes through the payment partner, and the seller receives funds only after the item is delivered and the buyer confirms that it matches the order, eliminating the need to transfer funds via suspicious links.

The platform will also use artificial intelligence technologies. This will allow for fast and efficient content moderation, personalization of product offers, and significant simplification of the listing process.

The creation of 'Listee' was carried out by a team of experts with experience working in large international companies and deep knowledge in online platform development. Vitaliy Tumanov himself previously held management positions at 'Google', 'Avito', and 'Yandex', and the team included specialists from 'Wildberries', 'X5 Group', and 'Coca-Cola', as well as local experts familiar with the specifics of the Uzbek online market.

'Listee' is planned to be scaled internationally in the future, but the current test launch in Uzbekistan will allow the team to study user needs and form a further development strategy. The choice of Uzbekistan as a starting point is due to the fact that, according to Tumanov, there is active growth in the number of internet users in the country, predominantly youth, and rapid development of digital technologies.

Tumanov emphasized that despite the fact that the internet is already widely available in Uzbekistan and e-commerce has boomed, the actual volume of online purchases remains relatively small. With a population of about 40 million people and a high level of digitalization (according to Tumanov, about 9 out of 10 residents of Uzbekistan use the internet), less than 10 million people make online purchases. Nevertheless, he is confident that thanks to technological development, the growing popularity of marketplaces, and the predominance of youth among users, the e-commerce market will expand rapidly, achieving results in 3–5 years that would take other countries 10–20 years.

A new set of measures is being developed in Uzbekistan aimed at developing the social protection system. These proposals concern expanding access to education for children with disabilities, changing the approach to supporting the homeless and victims of human trafficking, and transitioning transport benefits to a digital format.

These initiatives were announced at a meeting attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It was noted that the social assistance system has significantly strengthened over the past years: the number of types of social services has increased from 23 to 140, and the annual coverage has reached 4.6 million cases, with almost half of these cases resolved at the mahalla level.

Support for Children with Special Educational Needs

Special attention is paid to children with special educational needs. Currently, there are over 168 thousand children with disabilities registered in the country, but about 34.6 thousand of them do not participate in the educational process. To eliminate this problem, targeted work with families is planned, where each child's needs will be assessed at an early stage to select optimal learning conditions. A pilot project is scheduled for October 2026 in the Khorezm and Navoi regions.

Starting from the new academic year, individual study plans will be introduced in specialized schools. Assistants and helpers will be provided to visually impaired teachers and primary school students. Private educational institutions that open correctional classes near children's residences can apply for state subsidies, and the most successful projects will be awarded grants annually.

Furthermore, starting in 2027, a voucher system is planned to provide children with necessary assistive technologies, such as Braille displays and text-to-speech devices. Additional conditions will be provided for people with disabilities during exams, including extended time, assistance from assistants, and sign language interpreters.

Changes in Working with Homeless People and Victims of Human Trafficking

The reform will also affect people without a permanent place of residence. Existing rehabilitation institutions will be converted into temporary accommodation and social reintegration centers. In these centers, people will receive support in restoring documents, receiving medical treatment, acquiring a new profession, and finding employment. Mechanisms for employment support will also be developed, including providing training vouchers and establishing job quotas.

Regarding victims of human trafficking, it is proposed to start the functioning of a system for assessing their situation through 'Inson' centers in September 2026, after which they will be referred to the relevant services. The network of rehabilitation centers for women and children will be expanded by increasing the number of available places. Concurrently, the introduction of separate criminal liability for child trafficking and restricting the activities of individuals involved in such crimes is being considered.

Digitalization of Transport Benefits

Another significant change concerns simplifying the process of obtaining discounted travel. Currently, more than 48 thousand people use this benefit, and in the future, the entire system will become fully digital. Paper travel tickets will be abolished, and the right to the benefit will be verified using an ID card or biometric passport. Starting in 2027, purchasing discounted tickets will be possible online through the Baraka mobile application.

The President approved all the proposed measures and instructed a thorough elaboration of their implementation process. Relevant agencies must now prepare all necessary documentation and ensure the gradual introduction of new social support mechanisms across the country. It should be noted that in 2025, 4.9 million applications were submitted to Uzbekistan's social protection system, more than double the figure from the previous year, when applications totaled 1.9 million.