Marketplaces Are Taking Over. Are Online Stores Dying?

Marketplaces are rapidly increasing their share of e-commerce. The largest platforms — including Wildberries, Ozon, AliExpress, Yandex Market, MegaMarket, and KazanExpress — now account for more than half of all online sales and roughly three-quarters of all internet orders, with volumes measured in trillions of rubles. But does this mean that independent online stores are destined to disappear?

Why Marketplaces Keep Growing

Several key factors drive the growth of marketplaces. First, these platforms have invested decades into developing logistics networks and marketing capabilities, becoming the default shopping destination for many consumers. Second, marketplaces attract sellers with favorable conditions, filling virtually every product niche — including those vacated by departing foreign brands. The number of active sellers across these platforms exceeds 400,000.

Third, offline retail is struggling. Physical stores face closures and inventory reductions, pushing consumers toward the convenience of online shopping with predictable selection and pricing. Finally, extensive pickup point networks make receiving goods exceptionally convenient — the largest platforms operate tens of thousands of collection points, far surpassing the store counts of major retail chains.

Is There a Future for Independent Online Stores?

Despite the impressive growth of marketplaces, the picture is more nuanced than it first appears. A significant portion of e-commerce sales still flows through specialized stores, niche marketplaces, social media platforms, and direct sales channels.

The stores facing the greatest pressure are generic, non-specialized online shops. They lose traffic to marketplaces, and many of their operators eventually become marketplace sellers themselves. However, specialized and branded stores maintain strong positions, particularly in specific product categories.

Statistics support this conclusion. Hunting and fishing stores tripled their revenue, home goods stores saw sales increase by 81 percent, and clothing retailers grew by 68 percent. These figures suggest that consumers are not replacing shopping channels — they are expanding them, buying both from marketplaces and from specialized retailers.

Key Takeaways

Marketplaces undeniably dominate the mass-market segment, but this is not a death sentence for independent online stores. Those that thrive are the ones that find their niche, build a strong brand, and offer a unique shopping experience that marketplaces cannot replicate. The future of e-commerce lies in the coexistence of different formats rather than the monopoly of a single sales channel.