Products from the new category are marked in the catalog with the "From abroad" label. Logistics and customs clearance are provided by Citylink's partners — the buyer interacts only with the familiar website interface. The warranty and after-sales service remains with the sellers.
To place an order, the buyer specifies the passport data and the INN. The information is transmitted through a secure channel during registration. This procedure is explained by the specifics of customs declaration: the goods are imported as an international postal item for an individual, and not as a commercial shipment.
"The launch of cross-border delivery from the UAE is a continuation of Citylink's omnichannel development strategy. We provide customers with access to an expanded range of global brands at competitive prices," Pavel Kurdyukov, Director of Citylink's Procurement Department.
The company explains the price advantage by the specifics of deliveries for individuals: the duty-free threshold and the reduced customs burden on parcels make it possible to keep prices below retail prices. It is this mechanism that makes the scheme competitive against the background of standard parallel imports through legal entities.
The UAE has established itself as one of the main transit hubs for electronics supplies to Russia after 2022. A large retailer building its own cross-border channel through the Emirates is actually institutionalizing a route that previously existed mainly in the gray area of small wholesale purchases.
So far, the range is limited to smartphones, portable electronics and accessories. Citylink announced plans to expand the categories and attract new partners — specific dates and nomenclature were not disclosed. For other market participants, the launch means increased competition in the segment of affordable branded electronics: a federal retailer with a developed audience gets the opportunity to offer products that were previously available only through niche channels.
Related materials:
- The threshold of 200 euros and a 5% duty for e-commerce of the EAEU from January 2027 — how long will the duty-free benefit of such parcels last
- Technological fee for laptops and smartphones: rates from December 2026 — what fee will be imposed on the same electronics from December
- Parallel import: a magic word that you misunderstand — what is actually allowed when importing branded equipment
