Suppliers link stricter certification requirements to an approximately 10% reduction in the range of these brands and a 3–4% price increase.
The newspaper Izvestia, citing market participants, reported that since August importers have had to arrange conformity documents for the equipment they bring into Russia themselves. Previously, several suppliers could use the same document. According to the sources quoted by the paper, the new requirements have made small laptop shipments less economical to import. Dell, HP and Apple devices were typically brought into Russia in such batches.
Eldar Murtazin, lead analyst at Mobile Research Group, estimated that laptop prices rose by 3–4% as a result of the rule change. Market participants also reported that the range of Dell, HP and Apple devices had narrowed by about 10%.
Laptop sales in Russia fell 35% year on year in August, the report said. That figure was presented separately from the estimated effect of certification. A forecast published in late September also said smartphones and laptops could become more expensive after a technology levy scheduled to take effect on December 1.