Leslie Massey
Kogan.com is an Australian company founded by Ruslan Kogan, an Australian entrepreneur born to Belarusian parents. The company was started in 2006 in Ruslan's parents' Melbourne garage, with its flagship product being a new brand of televisions. Since then, Kogan.com has expanded into various areas, including mobile phone services, insurance, and travel, becoming one of Australia's fastest-growing businesses. The company is headquartered in Melbourne and is known for its focus on making in-demand products and services more affordable and accessible to Australians.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder and CEO | Ruslan Kogan |
| Founder's Nationality | Australian |
| Ruslan Kogan's Residence | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Ruslan Kogan's Alma Mater | Monash University |
| Ruslan Kogan's Net Worth | A$575 million |
| Year of Founding | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia |
| Nature of Business | Portfolio of retail and services businesses |
| Business Model | Direct-to-consumer online |
| Product Categories | Consumer electronics, appliances, homewares, hardware, toys, etc. |
| Services | Mobile phone access, superannuation, high-speed internet, holidays, credit cards, car insurance, etc. |
| Partnerships | Medibank, Hollard Insurance, PetSure Australia, Greenstone Financial Services, Meridian Energy Limited, Vodafone, nbn Co Limited |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Ruslan Kogan, the Australian founder and CEO of Kogan.com
Ruslan Kogan is an Australian entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Kogan.com, one of Australia's fastest-growing businesses. Born in November 1982 in Belarus, Kogan immigrated to Melbourne, Australia, with his family in 1989. At the age of nine, he developed a keen interest in technology, building his first computer from bargain parts. This interest in technology and entrepreneurship continued throughout his teenage years, with Kogan starting several businesses, including a car wash service, a mobile phone repair business, and a web design agency.
Kogan's educational background includes attending Brighton Secondary College and Melbourne High School. He later graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Business Systems (Information Technology). Before founding Kogan.com, he worked in the IT departments of Bosch, GE, and Telstra and was a management consultant at Accenture until 2006.
In 2006, at the age of 23, Kogan founded Kogan.com, starting out in his parents' Melbourne garage. The company's flagship product was a new brand of televisions. Kogan.com quickly expanded its product range to include digital radios, GPS devices, netbooks, tablets, and video cameras. By its seventh year, the company achieved over A$200 million in sales. Today, Kogan.com is a leading consumer brand, renowned for its price leadership and focus on making in-demand products and services more accessible and affordable for Australians. The company has expanded into various areas, including mobile, internet, insurance, travel, and financial services.
As the CEO and founder of Kogan.com, Ruslan Kogan has been invited as a guest author for several leading publications, including Forbes, TechCrunch, Fast Company, and Business Insider. He has also been a guest on podcasts, sharing his insights on scaling businesses globally. Kogan's net worth was estimated to be A$575 million in 2020, and he was Australia's richest person under 30 from 2011 to 2012.
Climate Change: Australia's Food Security at Risk
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$18 $18
Kogan.com's beginnings in Melbourne, Australia
Kogan.com was founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006 by Ruslan Kogan, who was 23 years old at the time. The company was started in the garage of Kogan's parents' home in a south-eastern suburb of Melbourne. Kogan's upbringing and work experience inspired him to make in-demand goods and services more affordable for Australians.
Kogan.com's flagship product was a new brand of television. The company rapidly expanded to a broader range of products, including digital radios, GPS devices, netbooks, tablets, and video cameras. In September 2011, Kogan began selling complementary products from brands such as Apple, Canon, Nikon, Samsung, and Motorola.
Kogan achieved significant sales growth in its early years, reaching A$3 million in its third year and over A$200 million in its seventh. The company has been recognised as one of Australia's fastest-growing businesses and has expanded into various industries, including mobile phone services, insurance, energy, and financial services.
Ruslan Kogan, the founder and CEO of Kogan.com, is an Australian entrepreneur known for his controversial views on the consumer technology industry and his opposition to certain government policies. He has been invited as a guest author for leading publications and is a member of the LinkedIn Influencer program. Kogan has also been recognised for his wealth, being listed as Australia's richest person under 30 from 2011 to 2012.
Bumble Bees in Australia: An Unexpected Visitor?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Kogan's criticism of the Australian government
Kogan.com is an Australian company founded by Ruslan Kogan, an Australian entrepreneur. Kogan has been critical of the Australian government on several occasions.
Criticism of the Australian Government's Television Set-Top Box Scheme
In May 2011, the Australian government announced a plan to provide television set-top boxes to pensioners free of charge. Kogan criticised the scheme for its high cost, initially estimated at $350 per installation and with a total cost of $308 million in 2011. Kogan claimed that his company could deliver the same service for just $50 million. In February 2012, new figures revealed that the cost per installation had risen to $698, prompting Kogan to make further public statements attacking the government's inefficiency in spending.
Opposition to the Australian Government's Proposed Internet Filter
Kogan has expressed opposition to the Australian government's proposed internet filter. In 2009, Kogan.com received media attention for parodying Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's 2007 election campaign with its "Kevin 37" television, a 37-inch TV marketed at the same price as the economic stimulus payments made to Australians in April 2009. The company also released a fictional parody product, the Kogan Portector, to voice its opposition to the internet filter proposal.
Criticism of Australian Business Scene's Focus on Regulation
Kogan has criticised the Australian business scene's focus on regulation rather than innovation. He has also been vocal about his opposition to the introduction of 3DTV in homes worldwide, claiming that some of Australia's biggest retailers were too reliant on Apple products.
Issues with Customer Service and Breaking Australian Consumer Laws
Kogan has faced allegations of misconduct, including issues with customer service and breaking Australian consumer laws. In 2020, Australia's competition regulator, the ACCC, took legal action against Kogan.com for deceiving customers with fake price discounts. The company has also faced previous accusations of misleading customers and has been criticised for its handling of customer complaints.
EFTPOS in Australia: Millions of Daily Transactions
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Kogan Mobile, an Australian pre-paid mobile provider
Kogan Mobile is an Australian pre-paid mobile provider. It was founded by Ruslan Kogan, an Australian entrepreneur, in 2012. Kogan Mobile was the first pre-paid mobile provider to use the Telstra network.
Kogan Mobile offers a range of plans to suit different needs, including small, medium, and large monthly plans, as well as 365-day plans. The plans offer unlimited calls and texts, as well as data allowances. One of the key benefits of Kogan Mobile is its competitive pricing, with no hidden fees. The company also offers various promotions and discounts, such as bonus data and discounted first-month offers.
In addition to its mobile services, Kogan has expanded into other areas, including insurance, energy, and financial services. Kogan Insurance offers a range of insurance products, including home, contents, landlord, car, and travel insurance. Kogan Energy provides power and gas deals to Australian households.
Kogan Mobile's parent company, Kogan.com, was founded by Ruslan Kogan in 2006. Kogan.com is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and started out in Ruslan's parents' garage. The company has since grown significantly and is known for its direct-to-consumer online business model, making in-demand goods and services more accessible and affordable to Australians.
News Corp Australia: Government Influence and Ownership
You may want to see also
Kogan's partnerships with Australian companies
Kogan.com was founded in 2006 by Ruslan Kogan, an Australian entrepreneur. The company was started in his parents' Melbourne garage, and its flagship product was a new brand of television. Since then, Kogan has expanded into a range of areas, including mobile phone services, insurance, travel, and credit cards.
Kogan has formed several partnerships with Australian companies to expand its business. Here are some examples of Kogan's partnerships with Australian companies:
- Kogan Mobile: Kogan Mobile was launched in December 2012 as a pre-paid mobile phone service provider in Australia. While it used the Telstra network, Telstra stated that it was not in a partnership or any direct relationship with Kogan. However, Kogan Mobile experienced issues with customers being suspended for "overuse" despite offering "unlimited call" plans.
- Kogan Insurance: Kogan entered the insurance business in 2017 through partnerships with Australian companies. Kogan Health, a health insurance brand, was created in partnership with Medibank. Kogan Pet, for pet insurance, was established through an agreement with Hollard subsidiary PetSure Australia.
- Kogan Energy: In September 2019, Kogan launched Kogan Energy in partnership with Meridian Energy Limited. Kogan Energy provides power and gas deals to Australian households.
- Kogan Credit Cards: Kogan introduced its credit card product in October 2019 in collaboration with Citigroup Pty Ltd. The card offers uncapped Kogan reward points, no annual fee, and complimentary Kogan First membership.
- Kogan Super: Kogan.com offers a low-fee Australian superannuation fund called Kogan Super, which was launched in partnership with Mercer Australia.
- Kogan Pantry: In January 2015, Kogan.com ventured into online grocery delivery with Kogan Pantry, offering non-perishable foods, cleaning products, toiletries, and pet food.
These partnerships demonstrate Kogan's commitment to expanding its business and providing a diverse range of products and services to Australian consumers.
Essence of Australia: Sizing Up the Brand's Inclusivity
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Ruslan Kogan is the founder and CEO of Kogan.com. He is an Australian entrepreneur who founded the company in 2006 at the age of 23.
Kogan.com is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.
Kogan.com is a portfolio of retail and services businesses, including Kogan Retail, Kogan Mobile, Kogan Insurance, and Kogan Travel. The company focuses on making in-demand products and services more affordable and accessible through digital efficiency.
