Russia may change the rules for returning goods purchased online. This initiative was put forward by the Ministry of Economic Development, reports Izvestia.
According to the ministry’s proposal, this measure is intended to protect businesses from dishonest buyers; however, experts warn about possible risks for consumers and a decline in trust in online shopping.
Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov presented the idea of “non-refundable tariffs,” similar to airline tickets, in the Federation Council. He proposed allowing merchants to set lower prices for certain goods if the buyer waives the right to return an item of proper quality.
Reshetnikov explained that such measures are needed because of abuse, such as customers ordering large batches or taking clothing for events and then returning it. According to him, these business costs ultimately end up being included in the price of goods for all buyers. The initiative was previously scheduled to be reviewed by the end of the year.
Lawyer Ilya Rusyaev clarified that the essence of the proposal is to give buyers a choice: a standard price with the right to return, or a discount with no right to return.
Experts confirm there is a real problem—according to the Federal E-Commerce Society, in 2024, 62% of marketplace sellers faced consumer abuse, most often involving clothing and footwear returns, which increases retailers’ costs.
At the same time, the initiative could lead to negative consequences. As expert Maria Koleda notes, stores might purposely increase prices for returnable goods to encourage buyers to choose non-refundable options. She suggests, instead of such restrictions, improving systems to identify dishonest buyers and refining dispute resolution mechanisms—and, if the initiative is adopted, strictly limiting the list of goods affected by the new rules.
Source
According to the ministry’s proposal, this measure is intended to protect businesses from dishonest buyers; however, experts warn about possible risks for consumers and a decline in trust in online shopping.
Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov presented the idea of “non-refundable tariffs,” similar to airline tickets, in the Federation Council. He proposed allowing merchants to set lower prices for certain goods if the buyer waives the right to return an item of proper quality.
Reshetnikov explained that such measures are needed because of abuse, such as customers ordering large batches or taking clothing for events and then returning it. According to him, these business costs ultimately end up being included in the price of goods for all buyers. The initiative was previously scheduled to be reviewed by the end of the year.
Lawyer Ilya Rusyaev clarified that the essence of the proposal is to give buyers a choice: a standard price with the right to return, or a discount with no right to return.
Experts confirm there is a real problem—according to the Federal E-Commerce Society, in 2024, 62% of marketplace sellers faced consumer abuse, most often involving clothing and footwear returns, which increases retailers’ costs.
At the same time, the initiative could lead to negative consequences. As expert Maria Koleda notes, stores might purposely increase prices for returnable goods to encourage buyers to choose non-refundable options. She suggests, instead of such restrictions, improving systems to identify dishonest buyers and refining dispute resolution mechanisms—and, if the initiative is adopted, strictly limiting the list of goods affected by the new rules.
Source