The reduction in the number of large collectors leads to an increase in tariffs

Inkahran is curtailing classical collection, and MKB, which it joins, offers clients only an online service. Market participants are talking about increasing tariffs several times, suggesting continued growth. Experts generally doubt that the major players – Rosinkas and Sberbank – will be able to serve all former Inkahran clients amid difficulties in replenishing the fleet of armored vehicles and hiring employees. Bankers have already begun discussing measures to support the collection segment with the Central Bank.

As Kommersant learned, one of the three largest players in the collection market, Inkahran, is terminating or not renewing contracts with clients, planning to complete the process by the end of January 2024. MKB, which he is supposed to join, is in no hurry to conclude agreements with former clients of Inkakhran. As one of Kommersant’s sources in the market clarified, in 2022 the company served more than a hundred banks, it had agreements with a number of large chain retailers in different segments.

The merger of Inkakhran with the ICD was announced in the summer (see Kommersant, July 18). MKB explained to Kommersant that the bank “continues to transform the collection business and will concentrate on the development of online collection using automated deposit machines (ADM).” If clients choose classical collection, ICB “will help with finding alternative solutions.” The obligations stipulated by previously concluded agreements between Inkahran and clients will be fulfilled in full, the bank assured.

Meanwhile, Kommersant’s sources claim that “a number of legal entities, including large banks,” have already found themselves without a classical collection service provider. To transport money between branches, most large credit institutions use their own service, but its capacity, as a rule, is not enough to meet the needs of all clients.

As a result, according to one of Kommersant’s interlocutors, prices for collection services have increased several times. Another Kommersant source believes that problems with rising service costs arise primarily in small banks, for which Inkahran kept prices low – up to 100 rubles. for a visit to one point at a market price of 700 rubles. Another Kommersant source claims that prices can reach up to 3 thousand rubles. for departure.

At the same time, many banks are afraid to enter into collection agreements for their clients, for example with Sberbank, assuming that they may be “lured away to full service.” According to Kommersant’s interlocutor, there is only one option left – Rosinkas, which “can also take advantage of the situation and raise prices.”

However, even Rosinkas and Sberbank in large cities no longer have enough capacity to organize new routes, Kommersant’s sources say, since “there are no high-quality armored cars on the market.” The services of collectors themselves have also become more expensive, adds one of Kommersant’s interlocutors. Sberbank, Rosinkas and the Central Bank did not respond to Kommersant’s request.

A way out of the situation could be self-collection using ADM, Kommersant’s source believes, since they can be collected once every few days. But even with them, due to the departure of Western suppliers, there are problems – the entire fleet has to be replaced so that the bill acceptor can identify all banknotes, including new ones.

Experts agree that an increase in prices for collection services is inevitable in the current conditions. According to the head of the Association of Participants in the Electronic Money and Money Transfer Market (AED), Viktor Dostov, “the duopoly in the market will lead to an increase in tariffs: maintaining a fleet of cars and hiring employees in the current situation has become a difficult task.” “After some time,” according to him, the situation may improve due to a general drop in demand for classical collection services against the background of the growth of non-cash turnover and the spread of recycling devices and “other trends.”

Vice-President of the Association of Banks of Russia (ADB) Alexei Voylukov believes that the current situation was caused by “excessive competition in the collection market, which at some point resulted in dumping and reduced tariffs.” Today, according to him, there are two large players left, each of whom is not very interested in serving small clients: “The Association is discussing this problem with the Central Bank. In particular, we propose to cancel VAT for collectors, as was done for tour operators, and provide state support to the industry for certain operations.”

Maxim Builov, Olga Sherunkova