Online Stores in Belarus Must Respond to Customer Inquiries

Starting from July 11, online stores and trading platforms in Belarus will be legally obliged to respond to electronic inquiries from consumers, announced Innа Gavrilchik, Head of the Consumer Rights Protection and Advertising Control Department at the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, during a press conference held by BELTA.

According to the representative of МАРТ, the popularity of e-commerce in the country is experiencing rapid growth.

By January 1, 2025, approximately 31,000 online stores will be registered in Belarus—more than double the number recorded in 2020.

This surge in purchases and the active development of relationships between platforms and consumers have necessitated stronger regulation of this sector.

Previously, online platforms were not considered parties in transactions with buyers, who interacted directly with sellers. However, recent amendments to remote trade regulations have established the status of online marketplaces, their owners, and order pick-up points.

From July 11 onward, platforms and stores will be required to respond to consumer inquiries.

Innа Gavrilchik noted that many sellers operate beyond Belarusian borders, complicating dispute resolution and the protection of consumer rights. Looking ahead, МАРТ plans to impose the same responsibilities on online platforms as on individual sellers. For instance, if a seller fails to respond to a complaint, a customer will be able to turn to the platform with a demand for a refund or a replacement of a defective product.