Wildberries will raise commissions for sellers starting July 7, with the online marketplace citing the "current economic situation" including a significant increase in fuel prices and related logistics costs, Kommersant reported, citing the platform's updated offer and its press service.
The size of the increase depends on the product category and the seller's operating model. The steepest rise — 20 percentage points — applies to sellers who use Wildberries only as a storefront and deliver orders themselves, either via couriers or through pickup points. For those working from their own warehouses, the increase will be 6 percentage points, and for those using Wildberries' warehouses, 5 percentage points, according to calculations by the analytics service Wildbox.
Wildbox estimates the commission changes will lead to price increases on up to 90% of goods on the platform. Askar Rakhimberdiev, CEO of the inventory management service MoiSklad, told Kommersant that the marketplace's additional costs could be passed on entirely to buyers. Experts do not rule out an exodus of sellers from Wildberries. Sellers' expenses on online platforms already reach 50–70% of revenue, the newspaper noted.
Wildberries' decision comes amid a fuel crisis in Russia. As of June 30, fuel shortages, sales disruptions, or restrictions on gasoline sales were recorded in 88 of Russia's 89 controlled regions, according to The Insider. The crisis, the outlet said, was exacerbated by a series of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries. Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged that strikes on energy infrastructure had created problems with fuel supplies.
The updated contract between Wildberries and sellers also includes a new clause. The company has disclaimed responsibility for goods lost due to "force majeure circumstances," including the consequences of the use of weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and "aircraft (including UAVs)," The Bell noted.