Economist Zavyalov denied the risks of price increases due to the regulation of marketplaces

The Ministry of Industry and Trade's proposal to oblige marketplaces to coordinate discounts with sellers will not provoke price increases, but will stimulate the development of entrepreneurs and will give the potential to grow the entire digital platform market. Dmitry Zavyalov, Head of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Logistics, Dean of the Faculty of Higher School of Economics and Business at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, expressed this opinion in a conversation with Izvestia.

"The Russian market is ripe for major changes, which are proposed in the concept of the national trade model of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Gradually limiting the interference of marketplaces in seller pricing is an important step in this roadmap. It will equalize the prices of the online and offline markets, reduce sellers' dependence on digital platforms and restore healthy competition with alternative sales channels," Zavyalov emphasized.

According to him, such a restriction in the interaction of marketplaces and sellers is a generally accepted measure in world trade practice. The example of Turkey, which sets the threshold for the maximum allowable investments of marketplaces in discounts at the level of 0.3% to 2% of turnover, and China, which forbade platforms to impose discounts on sellers, prove that such protection of sellers' interests does not prevent the effective development of the digital platforms market.

The initiative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade will not cancel discounts on marketplaces, the economist draws attention. We are talking about the right of entrepreneurs to voluntarily decide whether to participate in discounts or promotions. According to a VTsIOM survey conducted last October, 61% of sellers are not aware of the principles of discount formation and product selection criteria and cannot predict sales and revenue.

At the same time, there is no need to fear a sharp increase in prices against the background of the proposed changes on marketplaces, Zavyalov is sure. According to a study by the Gaidar Institute, the potential effect of reducing platform intervention in discounts will not exceed 1-2%, and there is no risk of increased overall inflation. According to the study, reducing the interference of marketplaces in prices will have a positive effect on the platforms themselves: additional revenue growth for sellers at the level of 1-3% and revenue growth for marketplaces themselves from 0.9–1.7 trillion rubles by 2027.

"We should expect a positive effect in the economy due to the fact that sellers will stop feeling pressure from marketplaces, feel more confident in conditions of transparent competition, stable understandable pricing and revenue forecasting. They will be able to build a sustainable business model without expecting sudden changes from the site, which are now forcing this model to be constantly rebuilt," explained Zavyalov.

The draft concept of a new national trade model proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade provides for a phased change in pricing rules on marketplaces. A smooth transition should take into account the interests of all market players, equalize the conditions of competition between traditional retail chains and online platforms, protect small businesses and improve the trading ecosystem.

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