The report is based on the publication of a business publication and is confirmed by comments from regulators and market representatives. There were no signs of fake information.
Sellers of the Ozon marketplace appealed to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation with a complaint about the current refund system. The reason was that the decision to return the product if the buyer refuses is made by the platform itself, not the seller, which, according to sellers, disrupts the balance of interests and leads to additional costs.
In the appeal, sellers ask regulators to check the practice of Ozon and exclude from the offer items that allow the marketplace to solely approve the refund without the seller's consent. They also insist on bringing logistics processes "in line with the principles of a transparent market." Now, if the buyer refuses the product, the decision to return it is made automatically by the platform.
The FAS confirmed receipt of such complaints. The ministry noted that appeals are considered in accordance with the established procedure, and if there are grounds, antitrust response measures can be taken.
Ozon's position is that sellers consciously choose a model of cooperation. The representative of the marketplace stressed that only the commission for the sale is mandatory, while logistics, storage and promotion are enabled at will. According to him, a quick and easy refund increases customer confidence, increases the frequency of orders and ultimately contributes to the growth of sales turnover.
Market experts attribute the conflict not only to the terms of the offer, but also to the broader problem of so-called "consumer extremism." Evgeniya Chernitskaya, Chairman of the Association of E-Commerce Market Participants at AUREK, noted that customer abuse is regularly raised in relevant reports to the authorities. Alexey Fedorov, head of the e-commerce Council of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed a similar position, stressing that similar refund mechanics are used on other platforms, including Wildberries and Yandex Market.
Mikhail Burmistrov, CEO of Infoline Analytics, explained that buyers often return used goods, shifting costs to sellers and sites. In response, marketplaces are forced to shorten refund periods and tighten individual procedures.
Experts suggest introducing tools to protect against systemic intruders: restrictions for buyers who abuse refunds, and expanding the practice of mandatory prepayment. Otherwise, the financial burden falls on sellers and bona fide customers.
The office of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko recalled that the law "on the platform economy" has already been adopted, which will enter into force on October 1, 2026. Until then, the government is preparing by-laws that may also affect refunds.
