The Future of Online Shopping in Russia: Challenges Ahead

The landscape of online shopping in Russia is facing a stormy forecast as changes in the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union threaten to complicate and increase the cost of international purchases. Major players in the market, including representatives from leading marketplaces, have sounded the alarm about the potential impact of these changes. The amendments, set to be ratified by EAEU member countries, will categorize cross-border e-commerce goods separately, introduce declarations for e-commerce goods, establish the concept of an e-commerce operator, and create special customs warehouses for e-commerce goods. These changes could lead to a significant rise in prices, make the import of certain goods impossible, and add layers of complexity to the process of buying goods from abroad. The implications of these changes have sparked debates and concerns among industry players, with some advocating for the preservation of current import conditions for e-commerce goods. Companies heavily reliant on cross-border trade, such as AliExpress, CDEK.Shopping, and Wildberries, as well as the Russian Post, could face substantial revenue losses if the new regulations come into effect. The potential impact of these changes has prompted calls for the establishment of a duty-free threshold for e-commerce goods to mitigate price hikes. However, the road ahead remains uncertain, with stakeholders from various sectors expressing diverging views on the best path forward. As the online shopping landscape in Russia braces for potential upheaval, the future of cross-border e-commerce hangs in the balance.