Russian online retail sales to grow 15–20% in November sales season

Russian online stores expect turnover to rise 15–20% year on year during the November 2026 sales season. Analysts at YooKassa, the payment service inside fintech group YooMoney, published the forecast. That figure marks a clear deceleration from the double-digit surges of the past two years.

What do the numbers show?

Growth during discount days is slowing. On November 11, 2024 — the Singles' Day sale date — online store turnover grew 32% year on year, and the number of payments jumped 45%. On the same day in 2025, turnover rose just 12% and payments 7%.

The gap is sharp. Turnover growth has nearly halved; payment growth has dropped by roughly 38 percentage points in a single year.

Why are shoppers slowing down?

Analysts link the shift to more rational buying behavior. In a 2025 YooKassa survey:

• 40% of respondents compared prices across platforms and tracked them in advance;
• another 27% prepared shopping lists before sales began.

Buyers increasingly assess the full cost of an order — including delivery, installation and warranty service — rather than the sticker discount alone. Sellers, in turn, are gradually moving away from mass markdowns toward personalized offers.

Which categories will lead?

For November 2026, analysts expect the top-selling categories to remain unchanged:

• clothing and footwear;
• electronics;
• gadgets;
• home appliances.

What role does AI play?

Nikita Tsoy, head of sales at YooKassa, said artificial intelligence is becoming a tool for both buyers and businesses. Users apply AI to compare product specifications and search for items; online stores use it to create content, analyze the market and adjust promotions.

What does this change for retailers?

Growth in the upcoming sales season will come from two drivers, analysts estimate: the continued migration of shoppers to online channels, and more precise targeting of distinct customer segments by stores. Mass discounts alone no longer deliver the traffic they once did. Retailers that segment audiences, personalize offers and price in total order cost — delivery, installation, service — are positioned to capture the 15–20% upside.