Experts explained the unhealthy hype around online goods
An interesting study was conducted by the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT). According to her, last year, Russians began to spend more money on the purchase of household appliances in the virtual space. At the same time, the demand for products via the Internet has decreased markedly.
Here are the dry numbers: the average check of Russians in the category “digital and household appliances” has grown over the year from 8817 rubles to 11 260. And in the category “food” it has dropped to 1406 rubles. against 2080 rub. in 2020.
A decrease in the average check was also recorded in the categories “clothes”, “tools and garden equipment”, as well as “goods for children”. Moreover, the enthusiasm to buy children’s things in the virtual space fell as much as 2 times: from 3357 rubles to 1656.
“MK” expressed his version of what is happening Candidate of Economic Sciences Sergey Suverov.
“On the contrary, chain supermarkets, according to my data, are seeing an increase in online sales,” he says. – Consumers have realized how convenient it is to buy online. Moreover, sellers take delivery costs. But if the data for 2020 and 2021 are given for comparison, then this trend can be explained by the lifting of the self-isolation regime.
If two years ago, frightened citizens were sitting at home and couriers and volunteers became a real salvation for them, now people have “came out of the twilight.” Many of them, apart from pensioners, are already free to move. And if the demand for products via the Internet has fallen, it is only thanks to them. After all, it is important for them to touch the apples, examine the tangerines, check the integrity of the string bag with potatoes and the tin can with green peas. And they are quite understandable.
– But then what is the reason for the growth in demand for household appliances?
“High inflation and the expectation of devaluation are pushing citizens to make such purchases,” Suverov continues. – People buy something that will serve them for a long time to save their money from depreciation.
The geopolitical situation will show how far-sighted their actions are. The expert does not exclude that the ruble will become stronger. But if we consider pessimistic forecasts and assume an increase in the risk of unleashing a war (which few people believe in today), then the ruble could fall very strongly. A sharp decline in demand in online stores for children’s things explained “MK” Candidate of Economic Sciences Vitaly Sergeev. According to him, this trend was influenced by the new policy of such distribution channels. If earlier it was possible to pick up a pile of clothes, try everything on and pay only for what you left for yourself, now you, as a rule, pay for everything that you ordered. And then, if necessary, issue a refund. So with children’s goods, everything is relatively clear. In order not to part with large sums of money even for a while, mothers take their children for shopping in real outlets.