Market Insights: Large Cities Drive Russia’s Shopping Pulse
A recent survey reveals that a majority of respondents regard Moscow as the top shopping hub, with 59 percent choosing it above all. St. Petersburg follows with 36 percent, while Kazan and Kaliningrad share third place at 14 percent each. These insights come from a collaboration between Rabota.ru and YuMoney and were reviewed by socialbites.ca.
Vladivostok drew 12 percent of votes for best shopping, and Yekaterinburg earned 11 percent. Sochi and Krasnodar each captured 9 percent, with Novosibirsk at 7 percent and Nizhny Novgorod at 6 percent as other notable contenders.
When selecting a shopping destination, respondents emphasized several criteria. Sixty-nine percent highlighted the abundance of shopping centers and retail sites. Thirty-nine percent look for international brands, while 31 percent want local brands and designers to be well represented in the city. An additional 21 percent noted the importance of lower prices.
YuMoney analysts observe that over the past year, more local brands have begun replacing international players in Russia, and the online clothing market has shown both a decline in some areas and steady growth in others. Their analysis considered demand ahead of Russia’s November sales, with Moscow and Yekaterinburg among the cities where purchases of clothing, electronics, and home appliances surged significantly.
From September 1 to November 5, online sales of clothing and footwear rose 37 percent year over year, and the number of purchases grew by the same margin. The average ticket remained around 1,557 rubles.
Electronics and white goods retailers reported positive momentum as well. In the same two-month window, nationwide purchases in this category more than doubled versus the previous year, with a 33 percent rise in buyers and a 44 percent increase in buyers, while the average bill climbed 63 percent to 22,337 rubles.
In Yekaterinburg, the week leading into sales saw turnover in electronics and home appliance shops double compared with the prior year, with 16 percent more transactions and a 24 percent rise in buyers. The average bill surged to 34,890 rubles, up 85 percent. During the off-season from August 20 to September 19, Ekaterinburg electronics and appliance turnover increased sixfold versus the prior month, while buyer activity tripled and the average bill rose 62 percent to 23,624 rubles.
Moscow residents also increased electronics and home appliance spending ahead of sales. From November 1 to 5, 2023, turnover in these stores more than doubled versus the same period in 2022, with 64 percent more transactions and 60 percent more buyers. The average bill rose 42 percent to 27,164 rubles. Earlier, between August 20 and September 19, online sales for electronics and appliances in Moscow rose fivefold as families prepared for the new school year, with purchase and payment activity up fourfold and the average bill up 28 percent to 24,124 rubles.
In summary, Moscow stands out as a premier shopping destination, and overall consumer spending on electronics and home goods shows robust activity across major Russian cities during key sales periods. Analysts note that the shift toward more local brands and the resilience of online channels are shaping the retail landscape as regions respond to seasonal demand and price considerations. (Attribution: Rabota.ru; YuMoney; socialbites.ca)