Ozon has changed its contract terms with sellers: the company will no longer compensate for lost or damaged goods if the cause was military action, a state of emergency, shelling, mass unrest, or other similar circumstances.
The marketplace media outlet Bestseller reported the new terms on June 11. But the amendments drew broad attention from media outlets and Telegram channels only on July 18, after Ukrainian drones attacked Wildberries warehouses in the Moscow and Tambov regions.
The Ozon changes took effect on June 12. The updated contract says the seller assumes the business risk and releases the marketplace from claims if damage or disputes are connected to a number of listed circumstances.
What the contract lists
- combat, military, or defense actions;
- martial law;
- mass unrest;
- the launch, use, impact, hit, or سقوط of unmanned aerial vehicles of any kind;
- shelling from any weapon.
The report also notes that in early July, Wildberries added a similar clause to its seller contract. That offer took effect on July 7 and releases the company from liability for failure to fulfill obligations in the event of drone attacks.
On July 18, Wildberries chief executive Tatyana Kim, commenting on the drone strikes on the company’s warehouses in the Moscow and Tambov regions, said the marketplace is not required to compensate for lost goods. At the same time, she said the company was still working out possible payment amounts for sellers and other financial support measures.