If cross-border e-commerce were a gold rush, Russia's Ozon platform would have been the prime destination for prospectors in 2022-2023. During its early boom period when "any inventory could sell," Ozon attracted waves of Chinese sellers who at one point accounted for 90% of the platform's transaction volume. But beneath the surface, trouble was brewing.
Recent Data Insight figures reveal that 2025 marked the first decline in active sellers on both Ozon and Wildberries, with a 2% overall drop. Ozon alone lost over 20,000 small and medium-sized sellers. What caused this mass exodus from what was once considered Russia's most promising marketplace? And does Ozon still merit consideration for cross-border sellers in 2026?
1. The Compliance Crackdown: Brand Verification Triggers Mass Delistings
In June 2025, Ozon launched a sweeping brand compliance review requiring sellers to submit documentation including trademark certificates and brand authorization agreements. By August, enforcement began in earnest, resulting in tens of thousands of product listings being removed daily—some sellers saw their entire store inventories wiped out.
For small sellers reliant on unbranded inventory dumping models, these "brand sales permits" became an insurmountable barrier. Even when products were eventually relisted, critical metrics like historical sales rankings and customer reviews reset to zero—equivalent to starting from scratch. Compounding the problem, rebuilding visibility became significantly more expensive with Ozon's advertising templates now starting at 14,000 rubles (approximately $150).
Adding insult to injury, malicious reporting became rampant. Multiple sellers reported having their stores suspended following false complaints from established local competitors, with little recourse through Ozon's appeals process.
2. Intensifying Competition: Local Sellers Rise and Price Wars Escalate
As Ozon matured, domestic sellers gained ground through inherent advantages in language fluency, cultural understanding, and logistics efficiency. This home-field advantage allowed them to better identify market needs and offer more competitive products. Meanwhile, price wars reached fever pitch, with some sellers engaging in loss-leader tactics that compressed industry-wide profit margins—a particularly challenging environment for cross-border merchants unfamiliar with local market dynamics.
3. Logistics Gridlock: Soaring Costs and Unreliable Delivery
Russia's vast geography and underdeveloped infrastructure created persistent logistics headaches. Cross-border sellers faced a triple burden: steep international shipping fees, unpredictable customs clearance expenses, and exorbitant last-mile delivery costs within Russia. Slow delivery times frequently triggered customer complaints and returns, damaging store reputations.
4. Policy Uncertainty: Trade Tensions and Regulatory Volatility
The cross-border sector remains acutely vulnerable to geopolitical shifts. Recent years saw escalating trade frictions, while Russia's domestic e-commerce regulations grew increasingly stringent—including abrupt tariff adjustments and new trade barriers. Sellers must maintain constant vigilance toward policy changes that could upend business models overnight.
5. Currency Turbulence: Profit Erosion and Payment Hurdles
The ruble's volatility introduced significant financial instability. Exchange rate fluctuations could instantly erase profit margins when converting ruble-denominated sales back to yuan. Payment collection presented additional complications due to restrictions on international money transfer channels, often forcing sellers to absorb substantial currency conversion fees.
Does Ozon Still Offer Value in 2026?
Despite these challenges, Russia's e-commerce market continues expanding with sustained consumer demand for imported goods. For sellers possessing strong brands, premium products, and sophisticated operations, Ozon may still warrant consideration—provided they implement strategic safeguards:
- Compliance-first approach: Strict adherence to platform policies and product standards
- Brand investment: Developing distinctive brand equity to stand out
- Data-driven operations: Leveraging market analytics for precise targeting
- Logistics optimization: Partnering with reliable fulfillment providers
- Risk mitigation: Continuous monitoring of policy and currency risks
Ozon's era of easy profits has ended. The platform now demands meticulous, compliant operations—a reality that will separate strategic sellers from opportunistic ones in Russia's evolving e-commerce landscape.