MOSCOW, 16 March 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey on online purchases among Russians and the frequency of online fraud.

Online shopping audience

Sixty-two percent of Russians have purchased goods or services online. They are mostly young Russians aged 18-24 (87%), residents of Moscow and St Petersburg (85%) and Russians with  higher and incomplete higher education (78%). The percentage of online shoppers is higher among those who use the Internet almost on a daily basis (75%).

The number of Russians who have made online purchases has increased over the recent two years (55%). Fifteen percent of respondents do it less often. A further 29% have not changed their online purchase behavior.

Online shopping is more popular with young Russians aged 18-24 (74%). In contrast, Russians aged 60+ are more likely to say that they purchase the same amount via the Internet (35%) or even less (27%). Residents of cities with a population of up to 100 thousand inhabitants and rural area residents show negative dynamic: one in five report  to shop online less frequently (20%, each), whereas just a small percentage of respondents living in Moscow, St Petersburg and million-plus cities report the same (8%).

Women now shop online more often than men (61% vs 47% of men). Almost one in three men and one in four women shop online the same amount (35% and 24% respectively).

Victims of online fraud

Twenty-nine percent of Russians who have shopped online have faced online fraud. One in five respondents have become victims of online fraud (20%). A further 8% say it happened to them rarely.

The most vulnerable group is Russians aged 60 and older (38%).

Seventy-one percent of respondents say they have never been a victim of online shopping scam. The most prudent are residents of million-plus cities (78%).

Who stays offline?

Thirty-eight percent of Russians have never purchased goods or services online. This is especially typical of those who use the Internet occasionally or never use it (87%). Older respondents also avoid shopping online (63%): the older the respondents, the higher the share of those who have never shopped online.

Differences are also influenced by the size of the settlement: the smaller the settlement, the more often its residents report to have not shopped online. This share is much bigger in rural area than in Moscow and St Petersburg (60% vs 15%).

Russian nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted March 6, 2022. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18+ took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. The data were weighted according to the probability of selection and socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey