Cross-border e-commerce plays an increasingly important role in economic globalization and the multilateral trading system. The Belt and Road Initiative is promoting the vigorous development of cross-border e-commerce. Alibaba Research Institute once released the ECI (E-Commerce Connectivity Index) of countries along the Belt and Road in China in Beijing. Among the 65 countries along the Belt and Road, Russia ranked first with an ECI export index of 29.0 and an import index of 0.9, making it the largest country for cross-border e-commerce exports; Israel ranked second with an ECI export index of 10.9; Iran ranked last with an ECI import index of 0.1 and an export index of 0. The following is an introduction to the Russian market.
Russian Consumers’ Living Habits
In Russia, women have a special liking for skirts. Russian women have a tradition of wearing skirts all year round. In summer, they usually wear “blaki”, and in winter, no matter how cold it is, they will wear skirts. Russian women have their own understanding of skirts. They believe that wearing skirts in winter is not only not cold, but warm. Because you can wear knee pads, leggings, thick socks, and thick woolen pants inside the skirt, and the skirt happens to cover a layer of cold, so it is warmer than wearing pants. Older women generally choose long skirts, while young girls will choose miniskirts in addition to long skirts. Women have to wear skirts in social and entertainment occasions, because wearing long pants is considered disrespectful to guests. It is also because of this dressing habit that the number of Russian women suffering from joint diseases in middle and old age has increased. In addition to skirts, Russians also advocate leather clothes. Leather clothes are also the main clothing for Russians to keep warm in winter. Russians’ love and pursuit of leather clothes actually reflects their understanding of beauty. Leather clothes have noble, gorgeous and fashionable beauty, which is exactly the characteristics that Russians value. Leather clothes can not only meet the needs of keeping warm, but also embody luxury, so they have always been loved by Russians.
Russians mainly eat pasta. They love to eat black bread baked with rye, and beef is the main meat. In addition, there are lamb, pork, milk, vegetables, butter, cheese, etc. The characteristics of Russian meals are more meat and milk, and less vegetables. This is because Russia has short summers and long winters, and insufficient sunshine, so there are fewer fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, and they are difficult to store.
Russia is a nation that pays attention to etiquette. In daily life and in dealing with people, it maintains the unique traditional etiquette of the nation. Kissing is a traditional etiquette in Russia. On grand occasions, in order to show respect and friendship, people usually hug and kiss each other, kissing each other’s cheeks three times, in the order of left first, then right, and then left. Sometimes a man bends down and kisses the back of a woman’s right hand to show respect; when welcoming distinguished guests, Russians usually offer “bread” and “salt” to each other. This is a high courtesy given to the other party, and the guests must accept it with pleasure.