“A purebred pug for sale, on Kirochnaya 17, at the barbershop,” said an ad in a St. Petersburg newspaper in 1880. Pugs may not quite as readily available in barbershops these days, but people still buy, sell, and exchange goods and services around the clock. Check out:
Avito. There are over 5 million ads for stuff in just St. Petersburg alone, ranging from real estate and apartments for rent to furniture, bicycles, and pets. Somehow, my personal recommendations included ski mittens and a housekeeper with her own car. I did feel tempted by a bronze horse statue (a little steep at 11,000 rubles) and a potted ficus tree (1,400 rubles) and almost splurged on a 200-ruble pair of rubber boots.
Youla. The first thing you see on this website is stuff given away for free (super cute kittens, anyone?) My featured ads included a live spotted stingray (9,900 rubles) and a machete knife (300 rubles). But in general, it’s a pretty straightforward place to find anything.
VK communities. Russia’s largest social network has a myriad of subject-specific community pages where people also buy/sell/swap. Some are location-based and may be intended for those living in the same city, neighborhood, or even a building. Many ITMO dorms also have their pages, such as the one on Belorusskaya, Lensoveta, and Alpiysky.
Instagram. Another popular way to shop is by using hashtags on Instagram. Only a few Russian accounts have actual shopping tags on the products featured in their posts, but many businesses successfully use Instagram to promote their products. Among my personal favorites are St. Friday Socks and Svekla.Family. You can’t click on the actual product, but can shop from a link in the profile.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out how to do online shopping in Russia.
