«People are afraid to order». A Wildberries seller lost over $10 thousand but isn't leaving

«For a medium-sized business, this is a significant loss»

— We have been working with Wildberries since 2024. We started with minimal investments and small volumes — essentially, we were testing the platform and setting up processes without significant budget strain. Today, our monthly turnover has reached 500 thousand rubles. Such growth became possible due to a clear strategy, risk control, and a focus on stable product quality — and even in the current difficult conditions, we manage to maintain momentum.

We learned about the first fire at the warehouse in Elektrostal from the news. According to reports, 75 to 100 thousand square meters burned down then. We first promptly conducted an inventory and recorded the remaining stock to accurately understand the extent of losses and have a documentary basis for further actions.

On that warehouse, we had about 400 units of goods — totaling 20 thousand Belarusian rubles at cost price. For a medium-sized business, this is a significant loss: such losses tangibly affect turnover and require resource reallocation to maintain work pace.

Later, goods stored in warehouses in the Vladimir and Tula regions also suffered from fires. The total amount of our losses grew to 40 thousand rubles at cost price.

«Now we have completely switched to sales from our own warehouses»

We continued to work in normal mode without interruptions. We have no financial partners — we acquired all goods with our own funds, and this gives us flexibility in decision-making; we depend on no one.

At the end of July, Wildberries compensated us 2.5 thousand rubles in two installments (I remind you, the total amount of losses is 16 times greater). But we planned to make a profit of 120 thousand from these goods — therefore, the compensation covers only an insignificant part of the lost profit. No further payments have been received from Wildberries.

Now we have completely switched to sales from our own warehouses. Yes, sales for individual goods have decreased — largely due to delivery speed. At the same time, the problem of delivery times is common for Wildberries today and affects many sellers.

We managed to maintain our product card positions at the previous level — and overall, profit and demand continue to grow. Although for some positions, a sales decrease of approximately 10% is observed.

«There is no universal "safety button" on Wildberries anymore»

Do we plan to continue cooperating with Wildberries under the current conditions — yes, of course. Our company has its own warehouse facilities for storing goods — and this gives us the necessary safety margin and the ability to flexibly manage inventory.

What conclusion we drew: unfortunately, there is no universal "safety button" on Wildberries anymore. The marketplace's internal insurance only compensates for goods in transit to the buyer and is limited to a 100 thousand ruble cap per incident. External insurance companies practically do not accept risks related to drones for warehouse premises.

The only real protection today is infrastructural independence.

«For the Ministry of Taxes and Duties, a fire certificate is not considered valid»

Is it possible to legally write off losses in accounting — absolutely. Wildberries is currently massively sending out force majeure certificates to sellers' personal accounts.

However, for Belarusian sellers this is not enough: the certificate only confirms the fact of the fire and removes responsibility from the marketplace, but for the Belarusian Ministry of Taxes and Duties, it is not considered a primary accounting document for writing off losses.

To legally write off burned goods as expenses and not pay tax for "nothing," a seller in Belarus must, based on this certificate, conduct an internal inventory and, importantly, download a detailed report from their personal account with specific items and the cost of the destroyed goods. Only this package of documents will protect the business during a tax audit.

«Support often gets confused with the rules and tries to apply Russian laws to us»

Everyone writes about communication with Wildberries support — it's a common market pain. We don't feel any prejudiced attitude towards ourselves because we are Belarusians. Support is equally robotic for everyone, and answers often come in templated, script-based forms.

However, we have our own specifics and complexities: we work through a Belarusian legal entity (IMVB) and a local offer. Because of this, support often gets confused with the rules and tries to apply Russian laws and standards to us, completely forgetting about the requirements of our Ministry of Taxes and Duties. Any non-standard questions or financial reconciliations for Belarusian sellers always take many times longer — and this is a systemic problem, not an isolated incident.

«In court, the key battle will unfold around force majeure clauses»

Are we considering suing Wildberries? We have already written pre-trial claims, so the legal mechanism has been launched, and now we are awaiting an official response within the legally established timeframe.

As for lawsuits against Wildberries — it's certainly not a utopia. Practice shows that sellers regularly win cases when it comes to the destruction or loss of their goods. The court assesses not the company's scale, but the documents, and our position is now fully legally supported.

If the marketplace sends a refusal or ignores us, we will file a lawsuit. In court, the key battle will unfold around force majeure clauses: it is important to prove that the terms of the agreement do not allow for entirely shifting risks to the seller, especially when it comes to the safety of goods in the marketplace's warehouses. The process will be long, but it is a legal way to get our money back.

«Wildberries means colossal sales volumes with high risks, Ozon is a more comfortable environment»

We work not only with Wildberries but also with Ozon. We do not plan to enter Emall yet.

When comparing platforms, Ozon attracts with its predictability and "civilized" processes. It has adequate support, transparent rules, and internal analytics provide clear and useful data — this significantly simplifies sales management. The main disadvantage of the platform is the high cost of promotion: without paid advertising, it is practically impossible to sell there today.

On Wildberries, I like the huge volume of traffic and high sales speed. If a product is in demand, it can "take off" on its own — without colossal marketing budgets.

However, the flip side of this dynamic is the absolute vulnerability of the seller. Constant chaotic fines, reception failures, and now the situation with fires, where the platform effectively shifts all risks onto the sellers' shoulders — create an atmosphere of constant stress.

So Wildberries, in essence, means colossal sales volumes with high risks and a feeling of "a game without rules." Ozon is a more comfortable and technological environment, but for this comfort, one has to pay with increased commissions and serious advertising expenses.

Given that Wildberries warehouses now pose a high risk to working capital, we have maximally reduced shipments to the marketplace's warehouses.

«People are afraid to order electronics or expensive clothing on Wildberries: there's a risk it burned down»

Changes in Wildberries buyers' moods are noticeable, though it hasn't escalated to a global boycott of the platform.

Based on observations and feedback from clients and acquaintances, I would highlight three main trends.

Buyers have become significantly calmer about delivery delays. Everyone sees the news about the fires, understands the scale of the logistical collapse, and is willing to wait longer than usual for their orders — without excessive negativity.

A distinct fear of prepayment when buying expensive goods has emerged. People are afraid to order electronics or expensive clothing on Wildberries: there's a risk that the item will burn down or get lost, and a refund could take months.

A partial outflow of audience to competitors is observed. Buyers still actively order basic and inexpensive goods (for example, household chemicals and various small items for home) on Wildberries. But when choosing serious purchases, people are increasingly preferring Ozon or other marketplaces — simply to minimize risks.

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