Discounts have stopped increasing Russians' spending: 58% merely shift their purchases

Sales change the structure of spending, not its volume

November sales increasingly lead to a redistribution of consumer spending rather than its growth. This is evidenced by data from a study by Media Instinct Group and Profi Online Research, which was reviewed by Gazeta.Ru. Only 15% of respondents say their overall spending increases thanks to discounts. For 28%, the total amount barely changes: they simply move planned purchases to November. Another 17% choose a more expensive item while cutting spending in other categories, and 13% have to economize and postpone purchases after the sales.

What this means for the market

In total, 58% of buyers redistribute their budget between months or product categories rather than increasing consumption. It follows that high sales volumes in November do not necessarily mean a comparable increase in consumption: part of the demand is merely shifted in time. For retailers and marketplaces, this means that the effect of sales largely comes down to pulling in existing demand rather than creating it.

What buyers focus on

When making a purchase decision, consumers look not only at the size of the discount. For 38% of respondents, the deciding factor was a price affordable for their budget; 28% cited cashback, bonuses or a gift; 24% cited fear that the item would become more expensive later. Every fifth respondent (20%) used the sale to buy a higher-class item. Anastasia Nazarova, Managing Director of Commeta (a partner of Media Instinct Group), emphasized that buyers approach November e-commerce sales rationally and have become more selective due to inflation, and that competition for their attention has shifted from the size of the discount to convenience and time savings.

Which categories are suitable for November purchases

Respondents consider clothing, footwear and accessories the most suitable for November sales — 65%, electronics and home appliances — 61%, cosmetics and household goods — 58% each, everyday groceries — 57%, children's products — 53%. Services score noticeably lower: 46% of respondents consider travel suitable for purchase in November, and online education, subscriptions and digital services — 44%. Age differences are clearly pronounced: among respondents under 29, 51% consider November a suitable time to buy travel and 50% for digital services, whereas in the 50–60 age group both figures are 34%. Earlier, according to the same publication, a marketer named phrases that reveal a fake sale.