According to Belstat, at the beginning of this year the share of e-commerce in the retail turnover of trade organizations exceeded 8%. Over the year, this figure increased by 2 percentage points. And in 5 years – 2 times. Experts predict growth by the end of the year to 9-10%.
This figure is still significantly lower than in most developed countries and neighboring countries of Belarus. The global average is 22%.
Commercial Director of Ozon in Belarus Alexander Abramov, in his commentary to ibMedia.by, noted that the growth rate of e-commerce in Belarus was stimulated by the pandemic and the entry of large international players into the market. According to various sources, Russian online platforms Wildberries and Ozon account for over 40% of total online sales.
The key advantages of e-commerce that will determine further growth in the segment are a wide range, affordable prices, simplicity and comfort. However, don't expect explosive growth. Previously, the largest players were focused on gaining market share and did not care about profits. The trend is now changing, which will lead to a slowdown in growth.
This trend can be confirmed by the recent scandal around Wildberries. As it turned out, the profit from trading activities is practically zero and the marketplace receives the bulk of it from various fines of sellers and pickup point owners. Understanding the seriousness of the situation, the owner of Wildberries, Tatyana Bakalchuk, decided to sell the business to Russ Outdoor.
