Counterfeit goods are rampant on online marketplaces, with shoppers often finding suspiciously cheap items that are difficult to distinguish from authentic products. Despite claims of fighting counterfeiting, marketplaces struggle to eliminate fakes due to legal loopholes and the sheer volume of sellers.

Dmitry Alekseev, a businessman included in Forbes’ list, conducted an experiment where he attempted to purchase branded sneakers on marketplaces. He found heavily discounted ASICS sneakers, priced significantly lower than in retail stores, with one seller even using a TIN resembling all zeros.

Marketplaces claim to combat counterfeiting through various measures. Wildberries participates in an experiment with Rosaccreditation, allowing verification of goods. The “Original” icon is displayed on products with confirmed authenticity. They also have a “Digital Arbitration” service for copyright holders to check seller documents. Yandex Market uses automatic systems to detect suspicious goods and sellers, conducts in-depth checks, and cooperates with the “Honest Sign” marking system. Ozon performs manual and machine learning checks, offers a “Brand Cabinet” for copyright holders to control their brand’s authenticity and checks for the “Honest Sign.”

The scale of the counterfeit market is massive, estimated at 5 trillion rubles annually in Russia. The rise of marketplaces has been fueled by sellers who avoid traditional taxes and social benefits, allowing them to offer lower prices.

The absence of Western brands has worsened the situation. Traditional retailers face payment issues and regulatory uncertainty while individuals import goods in bulk, making it difficult to hold them accountable.

Efforts are underway to strengthen regulations. The law “On the Platform Economy” aims to address the responsibility of marketplaces. Amendments to the law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” have been introduced, obliging marketplaces to confirm the quality of goods. A register of marketplaces is being created, and violations of placement rules could result in fines.