Overseas online shopping has grown by 30% thanks to China
Chinese goods drove cross-border trade growth in 2025, increasing order numbers by one-third. China's share of these imports exceeded 90%.
Purchases from foreign online stores grew by 33% in 2025, according to data from the СДЭК.Shopping service cited by Kommersant. Analysts note the growth was primarily fueled by small orders: the average check for the year decreased by 20% to 16.5 thousand rubles. Research from the consulting company Strategy Partners confirms this trend, recording a 20-30% increase in market turnover alongside a similar 20% drop in the average check.
According to estimates from the agency Data Insight, last year Russians placed 209 million orders from abroad, 24.4% more than the year before. Their total value amounted to 404 billion rubles, a 22.8% increase. China played a key role in this growth, accounting for 90% of the monetary turnover and 98% of the physical volume of parcels.
Experts cite the strengthening of the ruble and the policy of marketplaces actively attracting foreign sellers as reasons for the boom in overseas online shopping. Their goods are often cheaper due to the absence of VAT, state support measures, and reduced commissions. Attracting Chinese sellers has become the main growth driver for the platforms. Under these conditions, some Russian companies have begun to re-register as foreign entities to utilize these competitive advantages.