TRANSFORMATION OF THE RUSSIAN E-COMMERCE MARKET: MARKETING TRAPS OF PLATFORMS AS SYSTEMIC STRATEGIES FOR CREATING DEPENDENCY

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of the Russian e-commerce market from 2016 to 2025. A key contradiction is identified: despite continued growth in online sales volume and the number of orders, a steady outflow of small and medium-sized sellers from marketplaces is being recorded, and the number of business liquidations is approaching the number of registrations. Based on an analysis of open data from Statista, eMarketer, Data Insight, AKIT, and industry periodicals, the factors driving this outflow are systematized into three groups: market structure (an increase in the number of sellers with limited demand, a decrease in the average order value, and a shift in demand toward larger players), the institutional environment (tightening tax regimes, customs restrictions), and the internal environment of the platforms. Within the framework of the latter, two pressure channels were identified: economic mechanisms (a 58–63% increase in commissions over three years, unilateral rule changes, and structural inequality between Russian and foreign sellers) and marketing traps, classified into three groups: pricing mechanisms (the honeymoon effect, the illusion of organic growth), information distortions (the turnover trap), and structural traps (the warehouse logistics trap, the loss of direct contact with the customer). The concept of «platform dependency trap» was introduced, defining a situation in which a seller loses control over key business parameters but has no cost-effective alternatives. The results can be used to adjust marketplace operators' strategies and develop regulatory measures aimed at maintaining a competitive environment.