In an interview for Vzglyad, Ekaterina Papchenkova, Director of the Gaidar Institute's Center for Evidence-Based Expertise, gave an expert assessment of the conflict between banks and marketplaces and analyzed in detail the legal and economic aspects of the claims, as well as possible risks to the financial ecosystem and consumers.
Responding to German Gref's statement about marketplaces’ underpayment of Rb1.5 trillion in taxes, the expert specified that this was about a systemic imbalance and not fraudulent schemes. "The marketplaces themselves are legal from a tax perspective, but there is a certain disparity between the taxation of traditional offline retail and that of marketplaces due to the large number of SMEs using the simplified tax system (STS) and not paying VAT," noted Ekaterina Papchenkova. She explained that discounts also affect tax collection: if a seller using the general tax system (GTS) offers a discount, they will pay less VAT on the reduced price. At the same time, sellers using the simplified tax system (STS) do not pay this tax at all, gaining an additional price advantage over larger offline stores through the platform's discounts.
The expert also emphasized that the platform model represents a new stage in the development of commerce, and it is not worth fighting it head-on. "A digital platform very effectively unites disparate links in business chains into a single ecosystem through a hybrid technology and economic model. It is more profitable for each individual seller to remain an independent SME, eligible for preferential treatment, and benefit from the platform's economies of scale, previously available only to large businesses. Perhaps it would make sense to introduce a special tax regime for small sellers on marketplaces and stricter controls on digital platforms," the expert said.
As regards discounts for payments by marketplace cards, which the Central Bank and other banks criticize, Ekaterina Papchenkova notes that they are of a different nature. "A platform can subsidize discounts for all buyers on a certain category of goods or it can offer discounts to a specific buyer for loyalty when using the marketplace's bank. The first category of discounts primarily affects smaller marketplaces and offline retailers, while the second one, other banks. Overall, discounts have a positive effect on promoting competition and ensuring product availability, but only as long as they do not show signs of predatory pricing aimed at driving competitors out of the market. The regulator's task is to ensure a balance between the development of online commerce and maintaining a competitive environment," the expert explained.
Predicting the potential consequences of the conflict, the expert did not rule out legislative changes. Ekaterina Papchenkova notes that in Russia the problem is partially dealt with by the previously adopted measures, such as the law on the platform economy. "However, if abuses by marketplaces increase, stricter regulations are likely at some point in future," Ekaterina Papchenkova summed it up.