Logistics remains the largest expense item for marketplaces, and the platform inevitably shifts the increase in its cost to sellers. It is this logic that Wildberries has consolidated in the new offer, effective from July 7.
The increase ranges from 5 to 20 percentage points, depending on the job model. The most sensitive formats were those where the seller takes delivery on himself or partially: showcase with courier delivery, DBS, EDBS, courier on his own, pickup from the seller's store.
"Due to the increase in commission charges by the Wildberries marketplace, some sellers will be forced to close, and prices for the end user will rise by up to 20%," Alexey Kremenskov, president of the Association of Digital Trade Service Companies, told NSN.
He also noted the likely chain reaction: "Other marketplaces have the same sellers, there is no difference. All sellers sit on at least two or three platforms. So, Ozon may well follow Wildberries. Perhaps they will co-finance this story for some time, for example, they will raise tariffs, but at the same time they will make some bonuses to keep prices down so that sellers do not leave immediately. Usually, platforms are simply confronted with the fact afterwards."
Formally, Wildberries explained the increase by the need to "maintain the stability of service and the quality of service" against the background of increased logistical costs. There is a specific economy behind this formulation: fuel, warehouse rentals, and courier salaries are rising in price faster than the site is ready to compensate from its own margin.
For sellers on the showcase model, a difference of 20 percentage points can turn a profitable product into an unprofitable one without changing the selling price. Recalculating the unit economy for each active position is not a recommendation for the future, but a necessity for the current week. The diversification of sales channels and the transition to a lower-commission model reduce dependence on single-platform solutions, but require time to rebuild logistics, which some sellers no longer have.
