Customs and eBay auction have several necessary rules. How much per month can you buy on Aliexpress? Are there limits and how to get around them? Excess weight at customs

Are there any restrictions on purchasing goods on Aliexpress? This question interests many avid shoppers, since this trading platform is a real shopping boon. To determine the answer to this question, we suggest understanding a little the basics of customs law. This will help you find out not only the restrictions on the monetary parameter, but also on the weight one, which is no less important.

If you refer to the rules of purchases on this trading platform, then there is no monetary limit for orders on Aliexpress. This means that you can safely order goods for any amount your heart desires. But there is one small “but”. Intrigued? The thing is that when purchasing goods in foreign online stores, you also need to take into account customs rules. Experienced buyers know that exceeding the limits established by the customs legislation of the country can affect the family budget. After all, if you exceed certain indicators, you will have to pay customs duties. But let's understand everything in order.

In 2010, uniform weight and monetary limits were established at the legislative level, within which the delivery of goods is carried out without the collection of customs duties. Moreover, such limits are the same for all organizations that process postal items, regardless of whether they are public or private legal entities.

Another feature of such limits is that they are provided for a period of one month.

Thus, the maximum monetary value for parcels from abroad is 1000 euros per month. As for the weight, it reaches 31 kg.

Taking these indicators into account, the buyer can adjust his orders and try to stay within the allowed limits. Otherwise, customs duty cannot be avoided, but is it really so high now that you need to carefully count your parcels during the month?

Duty on orders on Aliexpress

Many people know that exceeding the norm and cost of the order will lead to the obligation to pay customs duties. But only a few understand the essence of this concept. Simply put, this is a certain amount of money that will need to be paid if the limits are exceeded. Turning to the legislative framework and the theory of jurisprudence, we can highlight the following characteristic features of customs duties, answering the following questions:

  • What is a duty? - This is a mandatory payment.
  • In what cases is it charged? — When moving goods across the customs border.
  • Which public authorities are authorized to collect it? - Customs.
  • What ensures the fulfillment of the obligation to pay it? — Measures of state coercion, including legal liability, both administrative and criminal.

As you can see, it is not for nothing that this payment is called mandatory, because the consequences for non-payment can be dire. To prevent this from happening, remember two main indicators - 1000 euros and 31 kg. The slightest excess and you will have to pay.

When it comes to how much you can buy on Aliexpress without duty at one time, it turns out that not everyone knows the exact rules regarding customs duties and the specifics of limits depending on the weight and value of the goods. These are the ones that will be discussed in this article.

What you need to know about customs regulations

Currently, there is still debate about the benefits of purchasing goods online. It is worth considering that payment of taxes and fees is mandatory and must be made for each purchase, including through AliExpress. The list of functions of the customs service also includes the inspection of each parcel in order to identify items that are prohibited for shipment by law. The AliExpress system has its own rules, according to which it is the buyer, not the seller, who must bear customs costs; if the price of the postal item and the weight of the parcel do not exceed the permissible limits, the IPO will be sent to the recipient and safely delivered to the specified address. It is best to find out in advance how much the tax and duty will be in each specific case.

Sometimes customs officers detect violations of these rules. If this happens, the MPO is sent to the recipient and an additional notice is attached to it with the amount that will need to be paid for exceeding the permissible standards. The price of the parcel is usually indicated in the “Declared Value” field, since sometimes sellers can indicate a lower value for a specific product, a customs officer has the right to independently check the compliance of this price and then revalue the parcel.

If goods are purchased on sale or at a promotion, their cost will be much lower than the market price. In this case, it is better to ask the seller to attach a discount coupon or other document confirming the price reduction.

How much duties and fees must be paid?

All countries that are members of the Customs Union have their own rules regarding the payment of duties, taxes and fees, which should be discussed in more detail. They are specified in a special agreement that applies to the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan; in Belarus, the norms for sending goods are regulated by national laws and are more stringent.

So, according to the rules of the agreement:

  1. Each person residing in the territory of one of the countries of the Customs Union can receive MPO containing goods intended for personal use for one month. Moreover, the total cost of such goods should not exceed 1000 euros, and their weight should not exceed 31 kg.
  2. For various reasons, these standards may be exceeded, depending on the category and type of specific product. In this case, the buyer is obliged to pay customs duty, which is 30% of the difference obtained by deducting the cost of the goods from the permissible limit of 1000 euros.
  3. In terms of excess weight, the buyer must pay at least 4 euros per 1 kg.
  4. There is also an additional customs fee of 12.5 euros, which must be paid for MPOs containing goods worth less than 200 thousand rubles.
  5. When purchasing goods worth less than 200 euros, you will not need to fill out a declaration.

To better understand this principle, let's look at a specific example.

Specific example

If a product costs 1,500 euros and its weight is 10 kg, you will have to pay 150 euros for excess cost, and 76 euros for excess weight.

For furniture, household appliances and other goods whose total weight is more than 35 kg, different rules apply; in this case, the buyer must make a total payment, including duty, excise tax and VAT.

For example, for a sofa weighing 40 kg, the price of which is $500, you will need to pay an additional $242.7 to receive the ordered product.

Features of ordering goods for citizens of Belarus

According to the rules of the Republic of Belarus, all MGOs whose customs value does not exceed 22 euros should not be subject to duty. Otherwise, the amount of such duty will be 30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros per kilogram; there is also an additional fee of 5 euros for processing the parcel at customs. The weight of one parcel should not exceed 10 kilograms, and delivery is carried out without any difficulties.

How to order goods in Ukraine

According to the current rules of the country's Customs Code, duty will not be required for MPO for individuals whose price does not exceed 300 euros and whose weight is less than 50 kilograms.

For buyers, all restrictions on the number of parcels that can be received during the month have been lifted. If these standards are exceeded, the buyer will be required to pay customs duties.

Acceptable limits when ordering on AliExpress

Many buyers want to know how much they can order goods on AliExpress, so that information about additional taxes and duties does not become an unpleasant surprise when receiving a package in the mail.

As mentioned above, if the buyer receives parcels with a total weight of more than 31 kilograms and a total value of more than 1,000 euros, he will need to pay tax on the purchased goods.

The tax amount will be 30% of the difference in the value of the goods at customs and the total permissible limit, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kilogram of excess weight. In this case, the recipient will be able to pick up the order only after paying the specified amount of customs duty.

How many products can you order?

Most users are interested in the main question: how many products can be ordered in one calendar month. There are no restrictions or limits on the quantity of goods ordered on the AliExpress website, and this rule applies to absolutely all categories.

At the same time, the customs service introduced additional restrictions for legal entities operating in Kazakhstan and Russia, which may become an obstacle for those who want to create their own business. Many buyers are attracted by the low prices on the site, and they are happy to order products from various categories.

To save noticeably, you should ensure that the total number of purchases always fits within the permissible price and weight limits.

There are also certain tricks, for example, you can break the total amount of the parcel into several parts and place it in the names of your relatives, who will be able to pick up the MPO at the post office in person without having to pay customs duties and taxes on the total amount of purchases.

The main rules of thrifty buyers

In fact, saving money when shopping on AliExpress is not as difficult as it might seem, you just need to follow a number of popular rules:

All this will help you enjoy online shopping on the site without unnecessary hassle and problems; the online store provides a wide range of opportunities for all customers, which are definitely worth taking advantage of.

is a popular marketplace with thousands of stores and tens of thousands of individual sellers who offer products at low prices.

  • Many clients of the world's largest platform Aliexpress The question arises: how much can you buy goods on this trading platform without paying customs duties.
  • What is the maximum order amount and what is the tax? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.

How much can I buy on Aliexpress per month from January 1, 2020 in Russia without customs duty?

How much can you buy on Aliexpress per month in Russia without customs duty?

The question of the purchase amount without customs duty may concern not only wholesale buyers, but also those who make group or individual purchases. People are trying to save money and order clothes, accessories, equipment and other goods with paid delivery, gathering in groups. But, if you need to pay tax, then there will be no talk of any benefit.

How much can you buy for? Aliexpress per month in Russia without customs duties?

  • According to the Law, from January 1, 2020 customs taxes do not need to be paid if the total value of the purchased items sent by international mail to one person per order does not exceed 200 euros, and the total weight of the goods does not exceed 31 kilograms.
  • In other words, if you ordered equipment, clothing and other things in one order for an equivalent amount of less than 200 euros, and weighing less than 31 kilograms, then you will not pay duty.
  • There are no restrictions on the quantity of goods. But, if you order, for example, 100 pairs of Chinese shoes, the parcel may be considered commercial and you will have to pay customs duty.

Each parcel must be individual, and the goods in it must be intended for personal purposes. If the parcel consists of several identical goods (30 T-shirts, 10 gadgets, and so on), then customs specialists will not allow such goods to pass through without paying duty.

What amount of tax is paid on goods from Aliexpress to Russia from January 1, 2020 and how much?



What amount of tax is paid on goods from Aliexpress to Russia and how much?

Any buyer does not want to carry out customs clearance of his goods and pay tax, especially if the goods were purchased at Aliexpress. After all, we come to this trading platform to buy cheap and save money.

On what amount is the goods tax paid? Aliexpress to Russia from January 1, 2020 and for how long?

As mentioned above, customs tax will have to be paid if you bought Chinese products at amount over 200 euros and weighing more than 31 kilograms. The tax amount for customs is 15% of the cost purchased items, but not less 2 euros for each extra kilogram of weight.

Let's look at an example:

  1. The weight of the parcel is 21 kg - this is within the normal range. The equivalent cost is 250 euros - this is an excess. You will have to pay a fee: 250-200=50*15%=7.5 euros - this is the amount of tax that needs to be paid.
  2. The weight of the parcel is 33 kilograms - this is excess, and the cost of 200 euros is the norm. The duty is calculated using the formula: 33-31=2*2 euros=4 euros - the amount of customs duty.
  3. If the limit is exceeded for both indicators, then the calculation is made using two formulas and the maximum amount is charged.

What is the maximum order amount for Aliexpress from January 1, 2020?



What is the maximum order amount on Aliexpress?

If you order goods rarely and only for yourself, then you do not need to worry about the amount of customs limits. But, if you have a retail outlet and you constantly purchase different things, products or equipment at Aliexpress, then you will have to pay tax after 30 days.

What is the maximum order amount for Aliexpress? You can order as many items as you want. But remember that you will have to pay customs duty if you order more than 200 euros worth of goods at a time. Therefore, the maximum amount for one order is 200 euros.

Do not forget: Customs duty is a mandatory payment. Failure to pay may result in legal, administrative and even criminal liability.

Video: Customs restrictions on purchases from China

Duty-free import

Without paying customs duties, individuals have the right to transport goods across the border of the Russian Federation in the amount of:

Up to 1500 euros for ground transport (train, car);
(!! - up to 500 euros from January 1, 2019)

Up to 10,000 euros for air transport (airplane).

In both cases, the total weight of imported items should not exceed 50 kg.

If the cost or weight is exceeded

If the price or weight of purchases made abroad is higher than the specified standards, but falls within the limits of 650,000 rubles. by price and 200 kg by weight, you will have to pay for exceeding the limit:

30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros for each extra kilogram of weight.

More about duty-free import

It is important to understand that such a benefit as duty-free import applies to goods intended for personal use, satisfaction of personal, family, household and other “needs not related to business activities.” To determine their purpose, the customs official takes into account factors such as the nature of the goods, their quantity, and the frequency of their movement across the border.

Things of the same type, for example, several pairs of jeans or shoes purchased for personal use, during customs control can be recognized as a commercial consignment of goods, which will also cause them to be subject to increased rates, if not more unpleasant consequences for the citizens transporting them.

If the limits of RUB 650,000 are exceeded. or 200 kg, then fees will be collected by customs officers at foreign trade rates.

It is not possible to indicate the exact rate for this case within the framework of this review, since customs duties are also different for different types of products, and they exist for all categories of goods. In addition, there are several types of bets: ad valorem, specific and combined. This is not a simple question for the foreign trade participants themselves. The rates of import customs duties are calculated on the basis of the unified customs tariff ETT in accordance with the rules of the Eurasian Economic Union. Moneyinformer recommended that ordinary citizens crossing the border simply avoid situations where these rules might be required. It will not be possible to study all the nuances quickly, but you can start familiarizing yourself, for example, with this document.

How much can you take out?

It is clear that in order to buy and import something, you must first export something. Of course it's money. There is no need to declare funds on bank cards, cash up to $3,000 (currency or rubles, equivalent amount) either. From $3,000 to $10,000 must be declared, and to export large amounts in cash you will need permission from the Central Bank.

Also, personal valuables are allowed to be exported without declaration - jewelry, expensive watches... Some citizens use this rule to avoid paying duty on goods purchased abroad, passing them off as used. (See important news).

Online shopping

Now, in 2018, Russian citizens can purchase duty-free goods in foreign online stores worth up to 1,000 euros per month, while the total weight of purchases should not exceed 31 kg.

If the price or weight of goods purchased in any month of the year exceeds these standards, then the purchase will be subject to a duty of 30% of the cost of the goods, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg.

Changes expected:

From the government’s announced plans, it was assumed that from 2019 the threshold for duty-free purchases will change downwards.

From January 1, 2019, it was supposed to be equal to 500 euros. Exceeding this limit would entail levying a duty of the same amount: 30% of the cost of the goods, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg.
- From January 1, 2020, this threshold was to be reduced to 200 euros. The customs duty rate if the limit was exceeded was to be 15% of the purchase price, but not less than 2 euros per 1 kg.

However, quite recently the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Service announced plans to speed up this transition:

Following this, the Federal Customs Service came up with an even more radical assumption:
- completely abolish the duty-free threshold for purchases in foreign online stores (albeit, while reducing the amount of duties charged).

What decisions will be made in the end is still absolutely unclear; Moneyinformer will follow the news.

Changes are postponed:

From July 1, 2018 they are not entered. For now, the upper limit remains the same - 1000 euros per month.

Why the development of the situation is difficult to predict:

- Russian Post, according to its head Nikolai Podguzov, is not yet ready to reduce the duty-free threshold even to €200, while at the same time work is underway to introduce technology for automatically collecting duties when placing orders in online stores.

The National Association of Distance Selling (NADT) has its own complaints about the draft law; they say that it is necessary to remove the time limit (“within a month”) and consider each purchase separately, since otherwise the administration procedure becomes much more complicated.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a reminder that the cost of administering the collection of duties is €10, and it may turn out that instead of additional income, the procedure for the state will work at a disadvantage.

According to the authoritative opinion of leading foreign industry players eBay and Amazon, the new rules will not only not increase budget revenues, but will also slow down the development of the domestic Russian online trading market, leading to a sharp decline in consumer purchasing activity. On the contrary, representatives of Russian online retailers, in particular Wildberries, are clearly in favor of taxing foreign parcels, as this should lead to an increase in sales of domestic online retailers.

Important news

12.11.2018

Fees will increase

From 01/01/2019, the threshold for duty-free import of personal goods by land transport is reduced from €1,500 to €500. The permitted weight of such goods is also reduced - from 50 to 25 kg. Changes are introduced earlier than originally expected.

These rules will be simultaneously introduced in other EAEU countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

02.07.2018

Everything is the same with Internet parcels

According to official information from the Ministry of Finance, from July 1, 2018, the threshold for duty-free import of parcels from foreign online stores into Russia will not be reduced and will remain at the same level. Exact data on the timing of the threshold reduction is awaited.

11.02.2018

Customs knows everything about you

Unpleasant news appeared for those Russian travelers who planned to bring expensive items from abroad (total value above 10,000 euros), passing them off as their own used ones and without paying the 30% customs tax on them. These items are most often watches and jewelry.

The media report that the Federal Customs Service now has the opportunity to quickly receive information about expensive purchases by Russians abroad. Customs officers greet some of the arriving tourists with a list of their overseas purchases in hand. The source of such information is probably the Tax Free systems and their foreign colleagues collaborating with Russian law enforcement officers. Dozens of our citizens have already been caught transporting undeclared goods, among whom were government employees and respectable businessmen, including those who flew into the country on private aviation aircraft - business jets. As you know, smuggling (namely, the import of undeclared items) can result in penalties including criminal penalties.

The head of the Federal Customs Service, Vladimir Bulavin, did not refute this information and confirmed that the customs service is cooperating with foreign colleagues in this area.

Additional Information

Import to Russia of alcohol, tobacco, medicines, animals, alcohol and tobacco, cars...

How to submit a declaration and make payment

How to declare. Green and red corridors

All goods transported across the customs border of Russia are subject to customs control.

In order to inform the customs authorities about goods, the import of which is subject to the payment of customs duties or compliance with restrictions established by law (transportation of weapons, medicines, animals, antiques...), you must fill out a special declaration form, which can be obtained from a customs officer.

If such items and in such quantities are transported for which customs duties are not provided, then no forms are required to be filled out.

At most international airports, seaports and border crossing points by road, a customs control system of “two corridors” - red and green - has been introduced. It greatly simplifies and makes the inspection process faster:

If a citizen is carrying things that he wants to report to customs officers, he is sent to the red corridor.

If he is sure that he does not need to fill out a declaration, he goes through the green corridor.

It is important to keep in mind that passing through the green corridor is also a declaration that you do not have with you items that the law requires you to declare. There is even a special name for this procedure: “conclusive declaration”. Customs officers also “inspect” citizens passing along the green corridor, only with less attention, often only with the help of video surveillance cameras. But this does not mean that they may not need to conduct a full search.

How to pay, payment terms

Customs duties are paid by individuals when declaring goods in writing on the basis of a customs receipt order, one copy of which is handed over to the person who paid the customs duties.

The payment period for importation should not exceed 15 days from the date of presentation of the goods to the customs authority at the place of their arrival in the customs territory of the Russian Federation.

Rules for the carriage of certain categories of goods

For the purpose of this review, Moneyinformer provides general information. Detailed, most accurate and up-to-date information on this issue can be obtained on the official website of the Federal Customs Service.
Goods for personal use transported across the customs border:
- with payment of customs duties and taxes
- with exemption from payment

Alcohol

An individual has the right to import 3 liters of alcoholic beverages into Russia duty-free.

Another 2 liters can be imported by entering the declaration and paying a fee for them:

10 euros per liter of beer and wine

22 euros per liter of strong alcohol (vodka, whiskey, cognac...)

It is prohibited to bring more than 5 liters. The same rules apply to alcoholic beverages purchased at a Duty Free store.

Tobacco

An individual has the right to import up to 200 cigarettes or up to 50 cigars or up to 250 grams of tobacco into Russia duty-free.

Products

Food products are allowed to be imported in factory-labeled packaging and in quantities of no more than 5 kg per person, with the exception of certain types of products from certain countries that are subject to temporary restrictions of Rosselkhoznadzor. Seeds of food crops, as well as flowers, cannot be transported.

Cars

This category of items moved across the border by individuals stands apart. To import a car into the Russian Federation, you need to pay VAT, excise tax and customs duty. For a thorough consideration of this issue, there are numerous reference tables and calculators. Moneyinformer will only indicate what characteristics of the car will affect the final cost of its import and customs clearance: this is its cost, volume, power and type of engine, weight, year of manufacture. The more expensive the car, more powerful, more modern, the more you will have to pay, and in a significant progression.

Motorized watercraft

For other types of vehicles, as well as yachts, boats and other watercraft, a single tariff rate of 30% of the cost of the goods (equipment) being transported is applied.

Prohibited for import

Goods the import of which into Russia is prohibited by current rules:
- Printing, photo and video products with pornographic content; similar products that may be related to state secrets; and which may be classified as promoting racism, terrorism, national or religious hatred;
- Endangered species of animals and plants;
- Narcotic substances;
- Vegetable and fruit crops that do not have phytosanitary permits;
- Weapons, their components and ammunition in the absence of special permission (including pneumatic, cold and gas weapons of certain types);
- Human biomaterials.

Responsibility for violating the rules

Customs offenses include non-declaration or false declaration of goods, failure to re-import goods, smuggling and others. Some of them may become the subject of administrative offenses, while others may be criminal, and, accordingly, entail measures of administrative or criminal liability. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, the perpetrator may be given a warning, a fine with or without confiscation of the imported goods, or may even be threatened with imprisonment.

Export rules

The customs rules for the export of goods and money across the Russian border are almost completely identical to the rules and procedures for import.

Good times for shopping in foreign online stores are gradually ending. The state is pursuing a policy to tighten this area and is gradually reducing duty-free purchase limits. In mid-2018, a not entirely clear situation arose regarding whether the duty-free threshold was lowered once again, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance, or not. Tax on parcels from abroad to Russia in 2018 - what is the monthly limit for duty-free import of goods per person, what duty will need to be paid for exceeding it.

The limit on the cost of parcels from abroad has not increased since July 1, 2018

This is the most important news to know. The fact is that until the second half of June there was general confidence that the duty-free limit had decreased since July 1. Because of this, there are quite a lot of materials on the Internet that explain the new rules for purchasing goods in foreign online stores. However, literally in the last days of June all this became irrelevant.

The Russian Ministry of Finance, together with the Federal Customs Service, proposed to reduce the monthly threshold for duty-free import from 1,000 euros per person per month to 500 euros for parcels from abroad to Russia from July 1, 2018.

Duty-free limits are regulated at the level of the Customs Union, the creator and inspirer of which is Russia. And according to the rules of this organization, for the entire 2018 there is a limit of 1,000 euros for duty-free import of purchases from abroad per person. However, this is the upper limit of the limit, and each individual state that is part of the organization can lower this limit. This is what the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Customs Service wanted to do.

However, at the very last moment something changed in these plans, and they did not reduce the duty-free import limits.

On June 29, just a couple of days before the new rules came into force, it was announced that nothing would change until January 1, 2019. The rules for taxing parcels from abroad to Russia until the end of 2018 are as follows:

  • there is no duty if the total amount of purchases per person during the month is up to 1,000 euros, and the total weight of parcels is up to 31 kilograms,
  • if these limits are exceeded, the duty is set at 30% of the purchase price, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of parcel weight.

The 30 percent duty is not charged on the entire volume of purchases made per month, but only on the part that exceeds the limits.

It is these rules that you need to focus on in 2018; they remain relevant until January 1 of the next year.


Photo: pexels.com

How will the tax on foreign parcels change in the coming years?

For the future of 2019 and 2020, we can focus on the norms prescribed in the documents of the Customs Union. For now, the Russian state intends to adhere to them, but, as we noted above, the “all-Union” norms represent an upper limit, and the state can, at its discretion, lower it at any time.

So, how will the limit for duty-free import of parcels from abroad be reduced:

  • from January 1, 2019, one person will be able to order goods for no more than 500 euros per month if he does not want to pay the duty,
  • from January 1, 2020, the limit is reduced to 200 euros per month.

On the one hand, even the threshold of 200 euros, which will be introduced in a year and a half, suits the majority of buyers in foreign online stores. According to customs officials, 95% of shipments arriving in Russia generally cost less than 30 euros. However, reducing the limit to this limit will, of course, hit some segments of the online trading market. We are talking primarily about electronics and other expensive things.

If for today's limit of a thousand euros you can buy any decent smartphone, including top models from all leading manufacturers, then for 200 euros you can only buy an average budget-class or slightly above-average phone.

However, these plans are not the limit. Customs officers and the Ministry of Finance are seriously discussing the possibility of imposing duties on any foreign parcel from online stores starting in 2020. The scheme is still being worked out. This could be, for example, a duty of 1 euro per 1 kilogram of parcel weight.

If such a duty is introduced, it will indeed turn into a “tax on the poor.” This is exactly what the head of the Russian Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights, Mikhail Anshakov, calls the duty on parcels from abroad to Russia. Anshakov’s idea is clear - wealthy people can go and buy any product in a store or boutique, without really paying attention to prices. Online purchases on Aliexpress are made by those who want to save their money and are willing to put up with certain inconveniences, primarily long waits for delivery.


Photo: pxhere.com

Who benefits from tax on purchases from abroad?

The same Mikhail Anshakov, in an interview with Radio Liberty, shares his opinion about what is happening. According to the head of the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights, this duty does not contribute anything to the budget. All funds collected will go towards the salaries of those who will collect this tax. And the main beneficiary is Russian online stores, which cannot compete with foreign online retail.

Indeed, if we look at the statistics of online trade cited by Vedomosti, we notice a constant increase in the share of cross-border trade and a corresponding decrease in the share of domestic trade on the Internet. If back in 2013 domestic trade occupied 76 percent of the market versus 24 percent for foreign stores, then already in 2017 foreign stores had a market share of 36 percent versus 64 percent for Russian players.

Mikhail Anshakov calls Russian online retail the main lobbyist for reducing or even completely eliminating the duty-free import limit for foreign online purchases.

They introduced foreign stores, in turn, warning that gains for one industry will hit the other hard. Postal and courier services, which today actively make money from delivering purchases from abroad, will suffer.

The state will not gain anything. Formally, it is said that lowering the limit will provide an extra 25 billion rubles annually. But Mikhail Anshakov draws attention to the fact that this money will only allow customs officers to report on how they increased collections in favor of the treasury. However, almost all of this amount will ultimately be spent on administering duties, since in order to process such a volume of parcels it will be necessary to increase the staff of the Federal Customs Service, pay people’s salaries and incur other expenses for processing documents for duties.