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Methodology

How we research Russia's marketplaces

EnterRussia exists because the open web is full of recycled estimates and platform marketing copy. The Playbook is built on a narrow rule: every figure traces to a primary source. This page explains what that means in practice.

Source hierarchy

We rank sources in this order, in descending trust:

  1. 1. Regulators and central authorities — Bank of Russia (cbr.ru), Federal Customs Service, Rospatent, Roszdravnadzor. Where they publish, we cite them directly.
  2. 2. Platform investor relations and platform documentation — Ozon IR filings (Nasdaq), seller-edu.ozon.ru, seller.wildberries.ru, partner.market.yandex.ru. These are the platforms describing themselves; we treat as authoritative for mechanics, with skepticism for self-reported performance.
  3. 3. Industry associations — AKIT for ecommerce market data, ProFashion for fashion industry coverage.
  4. 4. Specialist trade publications — ECOMHUB, MoySklad, Kommersant, Forbes RU, Vedomosti. Used for cross-validation.
  5. 5. Our own operator data — explicitly attributed as such ("EnterRussia estimate based on...").
  6. 6. Aggregated secondary sources — we generally do not use these.

What we will not publish

  • • Market-size estimates without a named source.
  • • Forecasts beyond a 12-month horizon. The 2022–2025 shifts in Russian ecommerce make long-horizon forecasting unhelpful.
  • • Recommendations that benefit one platform at the expense of another without disclosing the trade-off.
  • • "Sponsored" or "partnered" content. We do not run paid placements.

Update cadence

The Playbook is reviewed quarterly. Insights articles carry a "last reviewed" date and are updated when platform mechanics change materially. Material errors are corrected within 48 hours of confirmation; the correction is noted publicly in the next Playbook update.

Conflicts of interest

EnterRussia has no equity, commission, or commercial agreement with Ozon, Wildberries, Yandex Market, any Russian government body, or any foreign trade chamber. Revenue comes exclusively from Playbook sales and direct client consulting fees. Where we recommend a third-party supplier, logistics provider, or service in the Pro/Enterprise editions, we disclose any prior working relationship.

FAQ

Where do EnterRussia figures come from?

Every cited figure traces to a named primary source: platform investor reports (Ozon IR), platform press, the Russian Federal Customs Service, AKIT, ProFashion, ECOMHUB, MoySklad, cbr.ru (Bank of Russia inflation), or our own data work explicitly attributed in-line. We do not republish unsourced market-size estimates.

How often is the Playbook updated?

The Playbook is reviewed quarterly. Platform mechanics (Ozon promo calendar, WB participation rules, YM Бестселлеры logic) change every season; we ship Playbook updates when material changes land. Your purchase includes free updates through January 2027.

Are you affiliated with Ozon, Wildberries, or Yandex Market?

No. EnterRussia is independent. We have no commercial relationship with any Russian marketplace, no equity from them, and no commission on seller signups. That is the point — our recommendations are not optimized for any single platform.

Are you affiliated with the Russian government?

No. We publish independent operational intelligence. Where regulation is relevant (parallel imports, EAC certification, customs requirements), we cite the regulator directly and explain the practical implications. We do not lobby, advocate, or represent any government body.

What categories do you cover?

Fashion (apparel, footwear, accessories) is our current focus through 2026. The marketplace mechanics in the Playbook (Ozon calendar, WB promo logic, YM Бестселлеры) apply across all categories; the category-specific seasonality and date-trigger analysis is fashion-tuned. We are planning electronics and beauty editions for 2027.

What if a figure I cite from EnterRussia turns out to be wrong?

Message the desk on Telegram with the source citation in question. We correct material errors within 48 hours of confirmation and publicly note the correction in the next Playbook update. Source traceability is the work; we treat factual errors as the most important kind of feedback.

Errors, corrections, or source requests: message us on Telegram