Study code: Russians are buying gadgets by September 1st
Demand for electronics has almost tripled in the run-up to September 1. Russians are actively buying budget laptops and printers, as well as tablets — their sales have increased 1.5 times. This is due to discounts on marketplaces, the growing popularity of online educational courses and the failure of cheap Chinese equipment purchased during the pandemic and sanctions, experts say.
What kind of equipment do Russians buy by the beginning of the school year
Preparations for the school year have reached the finish line — marketplaces and retailers are recording a dramatic increase in demand for gadgets that are traditionally bought by schoolchildren and students by September 1.
Sales of laptops worth up to 25 thousand rubles increased the most at Wildberries in August compared to the same period last year, by 150% in physical terms, the company's press service reported. Multifunctional devices (MFPs) needed for printing abstracts were purchased more often by 170%, tablets costing up to 15 thousand rubles — by 58%. Demand for computer desks and armchairs is also growing, Wildberries added.
—We attribute this to an increase in the number of sellers of equipment, which means a significant expansion of the product range," the marketplace's press service noted.
MTS also records an increase in sales of tablets in the price range of 15-30 thousand rubles — by 71% compared to the same period last year, and for more expensive models — by 67%.
— In the laptop segment, we note a shift in customer interest towards more expensive devices. Sales of models more expensive than 60 thousand rubles increased by 58% compared to August last year," the representative of the operator added.
Over the past four weeks, compared to the previous "M.Video-Eldorado notes a 35% increase in demand for laptops in unit terms and 24% in monetary terms, the company said. The increased popularity of gadgets is associated with the traditional excitement before the start of the school year, as well as with the offer of interesting promotional activities, they noted.
— This year we are witnessing an early start of the Back to School season. Consumers started buying school supplies earlier than usual, going to stores and online back in July, before the start of the official advertising campaign," said Lyudmila Semushina, a representative of Inventive Retail Group. — We are waiting for the peak of sales, as usual, in the last week of August. We attribute the sales growth to an increase in traffic in shopping malls due to the start of the season.
If we compare 2025 and 2024, then, depending on the product group, sales during this period increased in units from 10% to 52%, she told Izvestia. According to her, the largest growth is observed in sales of the MacBook 13 in the segment from 100 to 150 thousand rubles. Among the most purchased accessories are portable chargers, batteries, and cables.
In a number of regions, the growth rates were noticeably higher than the national ones, Avito noted. In Yekaterinburg, sales of new laptops increased by 71%, tablets — by 63%. In Nizhny Novgorod, demand for laptops increased by 61%, and for tablets — by 12%. Sales of laptops increased by 20% and tablets by 32% in Moscow, the company noted.
Interestingly, by September 1, sales of more than just gadgets necessary for studying had jumped. Russians are actively purchasing small household appliances and home accessories, according to M.Video-Eldorado. There is talk of an increase in demand for aerogrills, juicers, cooking utensils, and the like. These data demonstrate that customers are preparing for the school season in a comprehensive manner: they are not only updating equipment for work and study, but also equipping their homes with convenient devices for cooking and household tasks, according to the press service of the united retailer.
Who reduces prices
The impressive figures can be explained by the height of the Back to School season (July–August), which is traditionally characterized by an upsurge in sales of electronics of this kind, Marvel Distribution agrees. Demand is growing for gadgets that are actively used by schoolchildren. First of all, these are budget tablets and laptops, printers and MFPs are slightly less popular, since they are quite expensive equipment that is not used as often as the same personal devices, the company notes. Separately, it is worth highlighting wearable electronics, for example, children's watches-locators that help track the location of the child.
At the same time, market participants note that seasonal growth rates are currently very high before the start of the school year. As a rule, in the budget price segment, sales growth in the Back to School season ranges from 10% to 20%, depending on the product category, according to Marvel Distribution.
Denis Kuskov, CEO of TelecomDaily, also says that the growth rate is too high for seasonality. It is significant that we are talking primarily about budget gadgets, he notes.
— Such equipment of few well-known brands was bought for studies, including distance learning, during the pandemic and during the sanctions years 2022-2023. These devices are just about to expire: cheap electronics often have reliability problems, and they often don't stay intact in children's hands for long. Again, gadgets, especially cheap ones, quickly become obsolete, they need to be replaced with something new and modern," the expert notes.
He also mentioned the growth of technology and interactivity in education: now students are offered more and more digital courses, more and more opportunities for distance learning.
MTS also attributes high growth rates to an increase in the number of online classes.
In turn, Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group, explains the increase by selling out on marketplaces.: they "kill" prices. They are often even subsidized, the expert says. Online platforms have become the main channel for buyers to purchase inexpensive products, which forces traditional retail to attract customers as well, including through various promotions, he concluded.
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