How Video Card Sales Surge across Russia Data and Reasoning
This fall, the number of consumer graphics cards purchased has gone up to a great extent in the major Russian retail chains. Demand surged in retail and secondary markets, as reported by Izvestia, unlike other electronics areas that are declining.
Retailers Talk about Huge Growth
While other markets for electronics like video cards and laptops have seen a drop of about 20% year-on-year, video cards are enjoying a bonanza. The sales data from large marketplaces confirm the trend
- Wildberries Demand is up by 125% since summer and 400% from year on year.
- Avito A 19% gain has been reported since summer, with an overall rise of 64% compared to last year.
- M.Video-Eldorado There was a 20% increase (seasonal) and 60% (year-on-year).
- Kholodilnik.Ru A growth in sales of 25-30% would have occurred seasonally and 40-50% year-on-year.
What Makes Selling an All-Time Record
This unusual situation has been attributed, in the first instance, to stockpiling by the analysts of the industry and the market participants. Consumers foreseeing future shortages in supplies of hardware would expect increases in prices.
Prices are on the rise already, Extra Fplus reports that the average price for a video card went up by 15-20% in the autumn of 2025. In St. Petersburg particularly, a higher price of 21% was observed by Wildberries along with the turnover of this category growing almost nine times.
AI and Gaming's Role
Another reason for price increases, beyond the shortage fears, would be the current "AI boom." The primary buyers fuelling that demand are still gamers, average PC owners, and professionals that need potent GPUs for graphics processing and AI tools.
