Digital platforms have become the main sales channel for businesses

For 91% of entrepreneurs engaged in trade, digital platforms are the main sales channel. 70% sell their products through marketplaces, 59% through bulletin boards, and 51% use social media. These are the results of a study by the Platforma Center for Social Design, the data of which was presented to Izvestia by RVB (the combined company Wildberries & Russ).

The surveyed entrepreneurs rated the impact of the development of digital platforms on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at 8.08 points out of 10. The respondents attribute the greatest influence (8.23 points) to the dynamics of demand and the solvency of the population. Legislative policy regarding small businesses came in third place with 7.89 points.

"Digital platforms are becoming a priority choice due to their greater flexibility compared to traditional retail. They provide control over sales and pricing, the opportunity to work with small batches, as well as easier conditions for getting started (66% of respondents rate getting started with marketplaces as easy)," the study says.

The survey also showed that entrepreneurs working on marketplaces are almost twice as likely to rate the dynamics of their own business as positive, which proves the high importance of platforms as a driver of development.

The growth of digital platforms is associated both with the strengthening of the position of SMEs and with a positive effect on social life in the regions. 66% of the population notes that with their advent it has become more convenient and faster to shop, 55% — that the available range of goods has expanded, and 34% note the emergence of new jobs.

The Code Battle: how digital labeling can displace illegal trafficking of consumer goods

Labeling does not completely exclude the appearance of counterfeiting, experts say.

Anton Gushchansky, Director of Control and Supervisory Activities at the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT, labeling operator), announced on October 7 that the labeling and traceability of Honest Sign products for the period from January to September 2025 revealed over 50 million episodes of sales violations carried out on marketplaces. It was clarified that starting in 2023, his company will work with such sites as Wildberries, Ozon, and Yandex. Market, AliExpress, Samokat, Cooper, Sbermegamarket, Lamoda and Russian Post are monitoring signals about potential violations.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.