Valery Gartung, the chair of the State Duma Committee for the Protection of Competition, stated that the Wildberries marketplace plans to respond to employee complaints. He noted that the company will review all grievances from owners of ordering points, known as PVZ. He added that Wildberries has signaled it is prepared to clarify its position and potentially cancel some automated decisions, returning them to manual processing.
Gartung suggested that it would be in the company’s best interest to avoid public lawsuits. He pointed out that marketplace leadership has decided to pause and take time to address the issue, ensuring both specific and general requirements can be thoroughly considered.
On March 15, dozens of PVZ locations stopped delivering orders as part of a protest against the newly introduced penalty system. In response, Wildberries closed several points for what it described as security reasons and announced it would suspend cooperation with partners who opted for what it called uncivil forms of dialogue. Media reports also indicated that striking PVZ employees were dismissed. The State Duma pledged to amend the legislation and invited Wildberries representatives to a formal meeting to discuss the situation further.
Analysts observe that the current standoff highlights tensions between market regulation and corporate processes, with lawmakers signaling a readiness to adjust rules while online retailers seek operational flexibility. The ongoing discussions emphasize the importance of clear communication channels, fair dispute resolution mechanisms, and robust governance practices across large marketplaces. Observers note that the outcome could influence how ordering points, delivery networks, and partner relations are managed in Russia and potentially set precedents that other platforms may follow. The situation also raises questions about how automated decision systems interact with human oversight, the speed of response to employee concerns, and the balance between efficiency and accountability within digital marketplaces. Attribution: policy analysis and industry reporting.