Online shopping — new recreation areas: how marketplaces are becoming part of the digital leisure of Russians
According to recent data from the Yandex Rhythm analytical platform, 57% of Russians began to perceive marketplaces and online stores not only as shopping platforms, but also as a space for recreation. In conditions of information overload and digital fatigue, people strive for a harmonious and predictable digital environment where shopping is combined with leisure, and content inspires rather than tires.
The study notes that more than half of the respondents feel tired from the excessive flow of information on the Internet. At the same time, 63% prefer to be in a single digital space where personalized content from brands and bloggers is combined with the ability to instantly switch to products. This confirms the growing demand for selective content — content that simplifies navigation, minimizes noise, and makes online experience more enjoyable.
54% of users encounter the so—called "empty scrolling" - when it takes time to find ideas, but there is no result. A selective approach to content helps streamline the consumer experience and regain a sense of control.
Unlike social media, which is often dominated by unreachable images, marketplaces are beginning to play an inspiring and creative role. People want to see product collections (52%), shopping ideas (31%), aesthetic images (25%), and content from their favorite bloggers (21%) in their feed.
Almost 60% of the respondents admitted that they regularly browse the pages of online stores without a specific purpose, and one in three has made purchases on social networks in the last two weeks. 62% regularly encounter products in the feed that they are really interested in, and 79% return to the product they like several times before buying.
Digital fatigue pushes users to choose content that they can trust — calm, aesthetic, and useful. According to Yandex Rhythm experts, this is the new norm of online behavior: not to search more, but to choose better. This is especially true for younger generations — buzzers and alphas who spend more than six hours a day on the Internet.
The peak of user activity is in the evening, from 17:00 to 22:00, and 56% make impulsive purchases before going to bed. These data make it clear that online stores and marketplaces are no longer just a sales channel — they are turning into a digital space of comfort, inspiration and choice without pressure.
