CloudPayments analysts, part of the Cloud group, examined how online interest shifted across different goods and services as February 23 approached. Their findings were shared publicly by socialbites.ca, painting a detailed picture of consumer behavior in the run-up to a notable holiday period.
Hotels emerged as the category with the most pronounced surge in online activity. Online turnover in this sector rose by 80 percent, while the number of transactions increased by 27 percent. The average purchase value also climbed significantly, from 21,713 rubles to 30,722 rubles, a rise of 41 percent. The timing of this spike aligns with the long weekend dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day, suggesting a strong vacation-driven impulse among travelers and celebrants alike.
Trailing closely was men’s clothing, which experienced a robust 33 percent growth in online turnover and a 14 percent uptick in transactions. The average check advanced from 4,132 rubles to 4,751 rubles, marking a 15 percent increase and indicating a willingness to invest more per purchase within this fashion segment.
Gift and souvenir stores followed, recording a 22 percent rise in online turnover and a 13 percent increase in transactions. The average invoice expanded from 3,828 rubles to 4,160 rubles, a 9 percent gain, underscoring continued consumer appetite for commemorative and celebratory items around the holiday period.
Cosmetics retailers ranked fourth in popularity, with online turnover up by 20 percent. Transactions, however, dipped by 7 percent, while the average purchase value surged by 29 percent, moving from 3,496 rubles to 4,520 rubles. This pattern suggests a shift toward higher-value cosmetics purchases during the shopping window.
Rounding out the top five was sporting goods, which saw a 12 percent increase in both turnover and transactions. The average check in this category edged up by 1 percent, rising from 11,232 rubles to 11,306 rubles, a signal of steady interest in physical activity and outdoor leisure gear as the holiday nears.
Beyond these core categories, there was growing interest in festive tea sets, florariums, mousse cakes, and bento cakes featuring Defender of the Fatherland Day themes. Flowwow, a local-store marketplace partnered with CloudPayments, reported heightened attention to gift sets available in traditional tea and coffee formats as well as in novelty variants that include meats, nuts, or other fillings. Indoor plants, with a particular emphasis on low-maintenance cacti, also attracted shoppers ahead of the holidays, reflecting a broader trend toward practical, decorative gifts for the season.
Albina Arndt, who leads the accounting team at Flowwow, observed that the average value of gift certificates continued to rise, noting a 30 percent increase in nominal value. She added that the current-year average price for these gifts stood at 4,401 rubles, a figure that underscores a sustained willingness to invest in flexible, shareable gifts during peak shopping periods.
Earlier reports pointed to a similar pattern around Valentine’s Day, with online demand for microloans increasing by 68 percent in the days leading up to the holiday, highlighting how financing options can play a role in driving consumer spending during festive periods.