The expert warned about the risks of introducing non-refundable tariffs in online commerce

When discussing the initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development to introduce a non-return rule for goods in online commerce, a balanced approach is needed. Maria Koleda, head of the information department of the independent trade union Novy Trud, pointed this out in an interview with Izvestia.

Unfair sign: the Russian Federation may create a list of unscrupulous buyers on marketplaces

Those who systematically do not buy goods will be blacklisted.

"The essence of the proposal is to give people a choice — to buy the product at a standard price with the possibility of a refund or with a significant discount, but with the condition that the purchase is irrevocable," the expert explains.

The measure is designed to protect online commerce from abuse by consumers.

"According to a study by the Federal Network Trading Society, in 2024 alone, 62% of sellers on marketplaces faced so—called 'consumer extremism,'" Koleda recalls.

This creates significant costs for bona fide sellers, who are forced to include them in the final cost of goods.

"There are, however, risks that may appear during the implementation of the initiative," warns the Izvestia interlocutor.

She clarified that, for example, stores may start specifically inflating regular prices in order to encourage the choice of a no-refund option that is more profitable at first glance.

"The list of items that cannot be returned should be strictly limited. First of all, these can be items for individual use or personal hygiene, cosmetics, underwear, perishable products," Koleda lists.

She added that with all this, consumers should still have the opportunity to check the quality of the purchase upon receipt.

"When implementing tariffs, the main thing is to ensure full transparency and voluntariness: to clearly inform about the consequences of choosing a non—refundable tariff at all stages of making a purchase, including duplicating warnings in electronic receipts and SMS notifications," the expert is convinced.

Read more about the mechanism of "non-refundable tariffs" in the Izvestia article:

"Without the right to make mistakes: in the Russian Federation they proposed to introduce a "non-refundable tariff" for goods purchased online"