Russians explained the reasons for the price increase on marketplaces

Despite numerous discounts and promotions, prices in online stores continue to rise markedly, and this is due to an increase in commission for sellers. Askar Rakhimberdiev, CEO of ERP MySklad, told about this on July 16.

My Warehouse platform conducted a survey and found that the most unpleasant factor for sellers is the increase in commissions, as indicated by 24% of respondents. Another 16% of the survey participants noted the complete unpredictability of working conditions: commissions, tariffs, rules. According to them, all this can change at any moment. And 9% complained about the mandatory participation in discounts on online platforms.

"Commissions are one of the key reasons for the rise in prices on marketplaces, along with general economic factors. Of course, the value of goods is influenced by the ruble exchange rate, logistics, inflation, and the key interest rate. But in the cost structure of an online seller, it is the commissions and platform conditions that are becoming more and more significant and unpredictable," the expert explained in an interview with Gazeta.Ru».

Rakhimberdiev said that the commission is automatically included in the cost, since entrepreneurs will not work at a loss. According to him, for small sellers, the margin on goods ranges from 15% to 20% and any increase remains noticeable. Therefore, the seller is forced to raise the price of his goods in order to remain in the black.

In addition, he pointed out that another reason for the price increase is promotions and discounts, which create a certain illusion of benefit. Discounts and free shipping are not a gift from the site. All these bonuses are paid by the seller, who in turn includes these expenses in the cost of the product. As a result, it turns out that the promised bonuses are eventually paid for by the buyer. If the seller does not participate in the promotion, his product disappears from the issue. As a result, participation in promotions becomes a prerequisite. This means that a "discount" of 20% is already a mark—up of 25-30%, previously added to the cost of the product.

Logistics is another reason for the price increase. The expert noted that the storage of goods in a warehouse, packaging, shipping and returns are the cost items of each seller. In large cities, logistics costs have increased by up to 30% in recent years. All these costs are also initially included in the price.

"Marketplaces are really convenient. Today, they are increasingly becoming not a tool for a profitable purchase, but a system with its own internal and often expensive rules. As long as commissions, logistics, and mandatory marketing expenses grow faster than revenue, you and I will pay. So, understanding how the price is formed is no longer just an interest, but a necessity," he shared.

On July 15, Olga Borisova, Associate Professor of the Department of Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, offered to buy clothes and educational supplies on marketplaces. According to her, this will save on the child's fees for school, as the biggest discounts are on online platforms. According to her, it is possible to make centralized classroom purchases of notebooks, diaries, albums, and textbook covers for the whole year on marketplaces.