Demand has increased 60-fold. Which Belarusian products are selling like hot cakes on marketplaces?

Denis Semenkov, DIRECTOR of Wildberries in Belarus, explains: Belarusian producers are not only using traditional sales channels but are also seeking to carve out a niche on popular marketplaces. Online platforms provide access to a wide audience of buyers across multiple countries. Competitiveness in online retail requires a flexible approach and a clear understanding of the rules of the game. Therefore, companies are developing partnerships with marketplaces and developing strategies. And their products are finding their buyers online , including internationally. Denis Semenkov, Director of Wildberries in Belarus, spoke to BELTA about which Belarusian products are most in demand on marketplaces and what opportunities online retail offers for small businesses.

"Which Belarusian industry is currently most active in online retail?
 
" "The Belarusian market is showing good results in terms of e-commerce adoption." According to the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, the share of e-commerce in total retail sales in 2024 was just under 12%. In two years, this figure in Belarus has doubled, which undoubtedly speaks to expanding opportunities for our manufacturers. 2025 marked the emergence of flagship companies from the light, food, and chemical industries on the platform. Many large enterprises, including state-owned ones, are entering the online marketplace to sell their products directly. We sell products from such major manufacturers as Galanteya, Lenta, and Otiko. We also offer products from Bellakt-Stolitsa, AzotKhimFortis, Vitebskie Kovry, the Borisov Grain Products Plant, and factories such as Integral, Tsvetotron, the Borisov Plastics Plant, the MINSK Termoplast Plant, and Postavymebel. 

it turns out that many state-owned enterprises still rely on traditional distribution channels and are slower to embrace online sales. This is also noted by specialists from the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, with whom we closely collaborate. According to their assessments, the potential for state-owned enterprises to participate in the marketplace is clearly not fully realized. However, credit should be given to those who, recognizing the economic benefits, are already selling their products through our platform.

Which Belarusian enterprises, including state-owned ones, are already actively collaborating with your platform?
 
It's gratifying to see that more and more Belarusian producers are entering the online segment and introducing local products to international markets. Domestic products are gaining increasing popularity both domestically and internationally. And these aren't just empty words: over the first 10 months of the year, unit purchases of domestic goods through our platform increased by 94% in Kyrgyzstan, 76% in Uzbekistan, 55% in Armenia, and 47% in RUSSIA, year-on-year. This only confirms the idea that Belarusian brands are beloved, desirable, and recognizable. 

Incidentally, for many domestic brands, joining the platform has been a real boost to their development; they've been able to increase sales significantly and significantly scale their businesses . Today, brands such as Mark Formelle, Tashe, Belita, Milavitsa, and Vitex are popular with customers on our platform, as are Gefest, Belshina, Kommunarka, BelOMO, the Dobrush Porcelain Factory, the Rogachev MEAT and CHEESE FACTORY, and Rechitsa Textile. I'd also like to point out that we've recently seen a noticeable increase in interest in our platform from the public sector. More and more state-owned enterprises are considering our platform as an effective online sales channel. We're happy to support them in this: we hold monthly seminars where we discuss key issues in detail and help our public sector partners quickly adapt to the platform to achieve initial results.
 
Which countries are most popular buyers of Belarusian goods? How much have sales increased recently?
 
Clothing remains perhaps the most popular product category. Belarusian light industry products traditionally enjoy mass demand in the CIS countries (dresses, suits, trousers, T-shirts, shorts, blouses, and underwear from Belarusian manufacturers). Belarusian cosmetics are no less popular among platform buyers. This year, demand for our shampoos, mascaras, lipsticks, and powders, as well as masks, creams, and serums, has increased sharply among residents of Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with some items experiencing 20- and even 60-fold increases. Belarusian textiles, wallpaper, carpets, tableware, and household chemicals are also quite popular among buyers. 

Of course, domestic sweets, especially candies and chocolate, are also the undisputed leaders in exports. Based on sales statistics, we observe a significant increase in demand for Belarusian candies in Armenia (up 65-30%) and Uzbekistan (up 68%) over the first three quarters of 2025. Our chocolate bars have seen significant growth in purchases in Kyrgyzstan (up 132%), Russia (up 122%), and Kazakhstan (up 21%). Residents of neighboring countries also increased their purchases of Belarusian marshmallows, creamed honey, waffles, and condensed MILK.
 
I'm proud to note that our platform was the first of all Belarusian e-commerce players to create a dedicated "Made in Belarus" section for the systematic promotion of domestic products online. Other online platforms followed suit. To date, approximately 12,000 products have been verified through the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The "Made in Belarus" project helps domestic sellers increase their turnover, product range, and distribution geography.
 
What unique products do Belarusian manufacturers sell on your platform?

In terms of product diversity, it can be roughly divided into two large groups. The first are "leading" products, those that enjoy stable mass demand and form the basis of Belarusian exports. As I already noted above, these include clothing from Belarusian manufacturers, high-quality textiles and home goods, as well as our excellent confectionery products. As for the second group—non-standard or niche products—the situation is more variable. These could be designer linen products, souvenirs with a national flavor, innovative home solutions, and many other goods. 
 
How do you collaborate with small businesses in Belarus?

For sellers and manufacturers, this means access to a wide audience without significant marketing investments. It also provides a whole range of convenient tools for optimizing business processes. Furthermore, our platform gives you the opportunity to start building your own brand story. Through reviews, questions, and ratings, we establish a direct connection with the end consumer—the best source of ideas for improving products and creating exactly what the market wants. 

Supporting small and medium-sized businesses involves not only our work with sellers but also developing a network of partner pickup points (PVPs – BELTA note). For many Belarusians, this is a real chance to start their own business with minimal investment, especially in the regions. This year, we launched a program for PVPs in towns with populations of up to 5,000. This will allow entrepreneurs operating in remote areas of the country to reduce the financial burden and achieve profitability faster. This is being done to encourage more pickup points to open in rural areas, giving residents of rural Belarus access to the millions of products available on the platform.

As for successful pickup point openings in the regions, we certainly have them. In fact, there are quite a few. We're planning to launch a special project about such entrepreneurs and their success stories soon. So, let's not get ahead of ourselves for now, but keep things interesting for a bit.
 
Which small towns have pickup points? Who works there?

Developing our network of pickup points in small towns isn't just a business metric for us; it's an important social mission, creating new employment opportunities and increasing the availability of everyday goods throughout the country. Our pickup points currently operate in small towns across every region of Belarus, including the villages of Koverdyaki and Mokroe in the Brest Region, the agrotown of Smolyany and the village of Luzhesno in the Vitebsk Region, the village of Chkalovo and the workers' settlement of Bolshevik in the Gomel Region, the agrotowns of Soly and Benyakoni in the Grodno Region, the villages of Yukhnovka and Zadomlya in the Minsk Region, and the agrotowns of Veremeyki and Lenino in the Mogilev Region. 

It's important to us that our pickup point network is expanding, gradually reaching all regions of Belarus, and we have ambitious plans in this direction. In terms of the number of pickup points in each region, the Minsk Region leads the way, with the Brest and Gomel Regions coming in third. 

As practice shows, a wide variety of people work at pickup points, often coming from a variety of professions. These include Belarusian Railway conductors, poultry farm workers, postal workers, consumer cooperative salespeople, laundry machinists, seamstresses, bartenders, and security guards—all of these are real-life examples of people who have found their calling in a new field.

Pickup point owners are typically local entrepreneurs who either already own a small business or are just starting out. Typically, at the initial stage (especially in small towns and villages), the owners themselves or bring in relatives, and once their business begins to scale, they hire employees. Our partners are highly motivated individuals, true growth points in the local community, and we value their contribution to the common cause.
 
Where do you see online commerce in 20 years?

"If we look at the rate online retail is developing, in 20 years we'll likely see not just its evolution, but its complete merging into everyday life. Perhaps even the very concept of an "online hypermarket" will change, giving way to an intelligent decision-making environment. Perhaps each of us will have our own personal digital assistant, aware of our purchase history, consumer behavior, and budget. And specialized algorithms will anticipate demand, pre-emptively reserving popular items closer to potential buyers.
 
" "What new opportunities and risks does the use of artificial intelligence bring to online retail?"

The use of artificial intelligence opens up significant opportunities for online retail. Technologies help better understand customer needs, personalize offers, and optimize logistics processes, making them faster, more convenient, and more predictable. However, the development of AI undoubtedly comes with new challenges. These can range from more sophisticated forms of fraud to, for example, false positives from algorithms. Therefore, it's important to approach the implementation of AI carefully: harness its potential while maintaining human vigilance and oversight.

Valeria GAVRILOVA,
BELTA