The children's market is booming, with online sales of children's products in Russia increasing by 112% in 2020

Data shows that in 2020, sales of online children's products in Russia increased by 76% year-on-year, and sales increased by 112% year-on-year, which is the highest growth figure on record. Looking back at 2019, sales of online children's products in Russia only increased by 21%, and sales only increased by 39%.

Experts believe that the rapid growth in sales of children's products is mainly due to the new sales model - Click & Collect . Through this model, consumers can order goods online and then pick up and pay in person at the store or pickup point.

Fyodor Virin, an expert at Data Insight , said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, players in the field of children's products have been actively developing this subscription method. For consumers, one thing that attracts them is convenience. They can buy everything for their children in just one store, including food, hygiene products, clothing, toys, etc.

Among these categories, toys are probably the most familiar to Chinese sellers. Previous reports and analyses have shown that people have been spending more time at home during the pandemic, and in order to kill time for their children, Russians have increased their spending on children's toys.

As a major toy exporter, my country's toys occupy a large market in Russia. According to data from the Russian Association of Children's Products Industry Enterprises in 2019, the Russian children's products market is about 69.4 billion yuan, with toys accounting for 23%. 71% of these toys rely on imports, of which 65% come from China.

However, this situation may be about to change. According to a report in foreign media in mid-March, from July 2021 to December 31, 2022, the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) proposed a trial that toys sold on foreign e-commerce platforms must have documents that meet the Eurasian Economic Commission's safety standards when entering the member states of the commission. The proposal will affect dolls, toy trains, dolls, puzzles, musical instruments, balls, electronic and board games, etc.

The president of the Russian Association of Children's Products Industry Enterprises said that Russia had not previously made such requirements for foreign sellers, and consumers may face inferior and unsafe products. After the proposal is implemented, "some cheap Chinese products may disappear from the Russian market."

She said that consumers can now ask foreign sellers for certificates that their products meet international or national standards. AliExpress Russia said that the products on the platform have certificates issued according to the laws of the country of production. Russian e-commerce Ozon also said that the platform will check the seller's documents. If there are quality problems with the goods, the platform will ask the buyer to provide other certificates.

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