Covid-19 lockdown in Russia has bicycle sales soaring

A spike in demand for sporting equipment has been reported by Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries. Sales of bicycles skyrocketed sixty-fold from May 1 to 24 compared to the same period last year, it said.

“The temporary closure of fitness clubs, bike rentals, scooters and roller skates led to a surge in the purchases of sports equipment in the online store,” the company’s press service told RIA Novosti.

In particular, sales of two-wheeled bicycles increased 60 times, skateboards by tenfold, roller skates eightfold, scooters 6.5 times. Demand for bicycle bells and tools increased nine-fold.

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The company also noted a 10-fold increase in sales of jump ropes, sevenfold growth for tennis and badminton rackets and ping-pong, as well as five-fold growth for balls for team sports and sports pumps. Demand for radio-controlled toys for outdoor activities, such as helicopters, tanks, cars, and boats, has grown fivefold, according to the company.

Wildberries is Russia’s largest online retailer, according to Forbes magazine. Founded in 2004, it is now present in Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. The company’s turnover in 2019 almost doubled to 223.5 billion rubles (over $3 billion).

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