News outlets report that starting October 9, Wildberries, the Russian online marketplace, began applying a commission on purchases paid with international cards issued by Visa and Mastercard. The information comes from a briefing by Dmitry Kolesnikov, the executive responsible for the development of financial and payment services at Wildberries, as cited by Vedomosti. The commission is set at 3 percent of the order value, a rate described by the company as a processing fee charged by the banks handling these payments.
According to Kolesnikov, the change reflects both the cost structure of payment processing and the operational realities of how payments are accepted on the platform. He noted that Wildberries currently does not have the ability to process direct payments from Visa and Mastercard cards issued within Russia. Shoppers are instead directed to alternative methods that do not require these cards and thus do not incur the same processing fees. These alternatives include Mir cards and the Fast Payment System (FPS), along with SberPay, which provides a payment option for Visa and Mastercard cardholders. When placing an order, customers can opt for these methods either as a prepaid choice or when paying on delivery as an invoice, offering flexibility in how purchases are settled.
Earlier, the Mash Telegram channel reported that Wildberries has decided to reduce the revenue share taken from its partner pickup points, known as POPs. The new policy, which Mash says took effect on October 6, aims to streamline the network of pickup locations by lowering the number of points open to individual entrepreneurs, thereby simplifying logistics and equilibrium between demand and capacity.
In related developments, there have been broader discussions about shifts in the Russian market toward different vehicle sales channels and delivery ecosystems. Analysts suggest the market is continually adjusting to evolving payment ecosystems, regulatory considerations, and the need to balance cost efficiency with customer convenience. Market watchers emphasize that changes in payment terms often ripple through merchant costs, consumer behavior, and the viability of small and mid-sized seller networks across e-commerce platforms. These observations are consistent with ongoing industry coverage that tracks how e-commerce markets navigate payment rails, alternative options, and logistics optimization in a rapidly changing environment. [Citations: Vedomosti, Mash]