Business is not in a hurry to the platform – Newspaper Kommersant No. 225 (7426) of 12/05/2022

Despite the rapid development of digital platforms in the Russian Federation, in 2021 only 14.7% of organizations used them, according to a study by the Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

For the first time, experts analyzed the demand for platforms in industries and found that they are most common in the financial sector (used by 33.2% of companies), higher education (31.9%), wholesale and retail trade (24.6%), IT- industry (23.2%), information and communications (21.3%). They were least used in construction (8.5%), in the field of culture and sports (7.6%), as well as in the real estate sector (7.5%). Foreign-owned companies worked most actively with digital platforms (every fifth). Among the enterprises of the Russian and joint forms of ownership, there were 14% of such enterprises.

The most important digital platforms and ecosystems for the economy and in demand among consumers for buying and selling goods and services via Internet marketplaces in Russia were used by 9% of companies in 2021. According to this indicator, the Russian Federation is comparable to Poland and Slovenia, ahead of Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands (8% each) and quite a bit behind the leaders – Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy (10-11%).

In 2021, 6.9% of organizations in the Russian Federation sold goods, works or services through marketplaces (excluding small businesses). The most popular platforms are Wildberries, Avito, Ozon, Aliexpress Russia, SberMarket. Marketplaces were most popular among retail companies (17.5%), hotels and catering establishments (13.1%), and financial sector organizations (8.8%).

It should be noted that, according to a study by DRT (the former subsidiary of Deloitte in the Russian Federation) on the role of ecosystems and marketplaces in the development of small and medium-sized businesses, in 2021 trading on marketplaces brought small businesses an average of 29% of revenue (plus 9 percentage points to the level 2019). The ISSEK notes that digital ecosystems and platforms give businesses access to technology and innovation, provide significant competitive advantages, and simplify interaction with customers, partners and contractors. Therefore, experts believe that in the future their demand will only grow.

Venera Petrova