In the first quarter of 2023, Russians increasingly turned to online purchases for furniture. Across Russia, online orders grew by 9% year over year, while Moscow saw a 10% rise. Purchase amounts grouped into ranges such as 80–100 thousand rubles, 50–80 thousand rubles, and 30–50 thousand rubles. Analysts from YuMoney, the fintech company, and Chek Index, a Telegram-based research resource from OFD Platform, identified these shifts. Socialbites.ca summarized the findings, highlighting a notable move toward digital furniture buying.
From January through March 2023, internet furniture purchases rose by 9% compared with the same period in 2022. Spending became more deliberate, with impulsive buys diminishing sharply. The average receipt declined by 23%, settling at 22,690 rubles. Within Moscow, the share of furniture bought online grew by about 10%, and the average spend dropped by 20%, to 23,350 rubles.
Experts from Chek Index note continued price fluctuations in the furniture market due to parallel imports. When compared with spring 2022, the overall spending level in 2023 followed the expected downward trajectory as demand cooled after a surge in 2022.
Shoppers began to favor higher-priced furniture less frequently, contributing to a 43% drop in online sales within the 100–500 thousand ruble segment in the first quarter of 2023 versus the previous year. At the same time, smaller segments such as 80–100 thousand rubles, 50–80 thousand rubles, and 30–50 thousand rubles saw modest gains in share.
Looking back at 2022, analyses of payments indicated a gradual stabilization of the furniture market starting in July. Relative to June, purchases rose by about 7%, while turnover fell by around 3%. By November, month-over-month growth reached approximately 24% in purchases and 22% in turnover. This pattern reflected a broader shift to online channels as consumers adjusted their buying behavior in response to price dynamics and supply conditions.
In the broader consumer sentiment, more than 40% of Russians were considering home renovations within the next three years, signaling sustained interest in updating interiors and a possible uptick in demand for furniture and related products as households plan improvements and investments.