Attacks on Wildberries warehouses caused prices to rise in Russia and changed the lives of Russians
Drone attacks on Wildberries warehouses have begun to affect the Russian e-commerce market. Due to increased risks, suppliers are reducing the volume of shipments to the marketplace’s warehouses, which could lead to higher prices for goods and a partial return of shoppers to traditional retail.
According to Alexei Fedorov, head of the Committee on E-Commerce Development at the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry, major marketplaces have begun revising their contracts with suppliers. These contracts now include clauses exempting them from liability for goods destroyed due to “force majeure,” and some companies are also attempting to avoid liability for damages caused by the actions of air defense forces or emergency services during firefighting operations.
The most convenient model for sellers was the scheme of storing goods in Wildberries’ warehouses; however, following the attacks, many suppliers have become reluctant to hand over their products to the marketplace. Some sellers have switched to selling from their own warehouses, but this slows down delivery and lowers the products’ search rankings.
The change in logistics has created additional problems. Sellers report long lines at Wildberries’ warehouses, where they now have to wait between three and 12 hours to drop off goods. Some suppliers also note that nighttime deliveries have become more dangerous due to the risk of new attacks.
Some sellers have already suspended their operations on the marketplace. One major seller of home appliances stated that they are not willing to risk storing expensive goods in warehouses, and delivery via pickup points is not feasible due to the large volume of products.
Experts expect that the main consequence will be rising prices. Sellers’ additional costs for risk insurance, changes to logistics, and potential product losses will likely be factored into the final product price. In addition, marketplaces may offset their own losses by raising commissions and other fees for sellers.
Another consequence could be a faster return of Russian consumers to brick-and-mortar stores. Some sellers are already developing their own websites and sales channels through social media, as this allows them to offer goods at lower prices than on marketplaces.
Thus, the issues with Wildberries’ warehouses could reshape the structure of Russian e-commerce, increase business costs, and make shopping on marketplaces more expensive for consumers.
Earlier, a Wildberries seller called on Russian authorities to support businesses following the attacks on warehouses.
Previously, Wildberries removed the search for military goods following a request from “Everything for the Special Military Operation.”
As a reminder, Ukrainian drones struck six Wildberries warehouses in Russia and Crimea.
Estonian intelligence estimated Russia’s losses from the strikes on Wildberries at $2 billion.
