The Russian e-commerce and resale market is among the top ten in the world and the fastest-growing among them, claimed the largest Russia-based classified Avito at a business development event. According to Denis Zubov, Head of Strategy at Avito Goods, online sales of goods and services grew by 33% last year with resale accounting for 14% of all e-commerce. The growth is mostly due to the move from offline to online shopping, with its share rising four-fold since 2018, he said.
Nikita Zakharov, Head of Fashion at Avito, estimated that 58% of shoppers purchased resale fashion items at least once last year. Among millennials and generation Z, this figure rises to 68%, he said, noting that fashion is one of the leading categories on Avito, accounting for 27% of all transactions and attracting over 27 million monthly visitors.
Premium brands are proving particularly popular in the resale market. Their share of the fashion category on Avito exceeds 15%, which is almost twice the luxury market share (8%) of the overall Russian clothing market. Young people aged 18-24 are quite prominent in second-hand purchases of clothing, electronics and furniture.
The changes in their shopping habits are driven by environmental concerns, and bargain hunting for rare and unique items that can be found among second-hand goods, Zakharov said. The most-in-demand are items with cultural and historic value, Zakharov observed, like those from the Soviet era. The resale of vintage items is a good entry point into business, he opined.
Almost half of Russians polled by Avito said they buy goods on resale sites, and one in five regularly sell unwanted items online. Every second respondent have listed items for sale or purchased them from private individuals at least once. “Most often, users sell clothing, shoes, electronics, and children’s goods. For some, it’s a way to make money, for others, it’s a way to free up space,” observed Alexey Li, commercial director of Avito Goods.
In 2024, 41% of sellers earned up to RUB10,000 ($123) 8% earned between RUB10,000 and RUB30,000, and 5% earned more than RUB30,000. The average income among those who indicated a precise amount was RUB11,000.
