Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim has stated that drone attacks are considered force majeure events, and therefore, the loss of goods is not subject to compensation by the company. Kim emphasized that any payments made to sellers are merely a gesture of goodwill rather than a contractual obligation.
The company's founder did not specify the total volume of compensation, but noted that two rounds of payments have already been carried out, with the second phase involving around 100,000 small and medium-sized business representatives. For major partners, the company has implemented additional discounts and credit holidays at WB Bank, and individual meetings with entrepreneurs are planned in the affected regions.
It should be noted that the company does not disclose the actual amount of losses incurred by sellers, while some industry estimates place the figure in the hundreds of billions of rubles. At the same time, the parent company, RWB, previously reported over 40 million rubles in aid, which, however, was directed only toward affected employees and their families. Tatyana Kim has urged entrepreneurs to adapt to the situation and develop new business restructuring plans. Currently, the company is also looking for new warehouse space in Kazakhstan and has requested state support to overcome the consequences of the attacks.
This statement serves as a serious signal for the thousands of entrepreneurs working with the platform, as the company is directly disclaiming financial responsibility. The current situation means that business risks, regardless of external factors, now fall entirely on the shoulders of the sellers.
It remains to be seen how the relationship between major partners and the platform will evolve, as the crisis of confidence could lead to a mass exodus of sellers to other markets or alternative platforms. The expectation of state support indicates that the company itself realizes the limitations of its resources in the event of such significant structural shocks.
