Biglion

About Biglion

Biglion is a Russian online marketplace for discount coupons and cashback services, often compared to the Groupon model. Founded in 2010 by Oleg Savtsov, Irina Savtsova, and Vladimir Vinogradov, the company emerged during a peak in the popularity of coupon services in Russia. The platform provides users with daily deals and discounts ranging from 50% to 90% on a wide variety of services and products.

The company operates in over 50 cities across Russia, partnering with more than 15,000 businesses. Its offerings span numerous categories, including restaurants, beauty salons, health clinics, fitness centers, entertainment, travel, and retail. In addition to coupons, Biglion provides cashback opportunities from online stores and offers for services such as home appliance maintenance and dry cleaning. The business model is commission-based; Biglion takes a percentage of the coupon's price, with the remainder going to the partner merchant. Customers can purchase and redeem coupons directly through the company's website or mobile applications, which are available for various devices.

In December 2011, Biglion secured a significant Series B funding round of $25 million, led by Tiger Global Management, with participation from RTP Global and Frontier Ventures. This investment fueled its growth and expansion in the Russian market. Over the years, the company has experienced internal conflicts among its shareholders regarding business strategy, particularly concerning the sale of goods versus focusing on services. Despite these challenges, Biglion has maintained a strong market position, reporting the sale of approximately 5.7 million coupons in 2018 and a turnover of 4.34 billion rubles.