Wildberries Reimburses Sellers Up to 90% of Advertising Costs — How Promo Bonuses Work

Wildberries has launched a promotional bonus program for sellers with small turnovers — the marketplace compensates up to 90% of advertising expenses in its own services WB Promotion and WB Media. The initiative started on July 27, 2026 and is designed to support sellers following warehouse fires on the platform.

Promotional bonuses can be used to pay for placements in search results, banner advertising, and other promotion formats within the platform. The validity period of bonuses and their amount are displayed in the WB Promotion personal account in the "My Tasks" section. The marketplace ties bonus accrual conditions to the seller's turnover size — the lower the sales, the higher the compensation.

Why the marketplace compensates promotion expenses

Wildberries' decision came in the context of logistics recovery following warehouse incidents. Tatyana Kim announced compensation payments to more than 88 thousand sellers — these are sellers with small turnovers for whom supply disruptions critically impact their search positions and order volume. A separate support mechanism is being prepared for mid-size and large businesses.

RWB Media Managing Director Boris Peshnyak explained the program's goal as the need to maintain a steady order flow ahead of the peak season. A drop in search rankings due to goods sitting idle in warehouses requires additional advertising investments to restore visibility — the marketplace is taking on these expenses in part or in full.

We understand how important it is for sellers right now to maintain active promotion to preserve their established positions and turnovers, as well as stable orders in the lead-up to the peak season

The program operates only within Wildberries' advertising ecosystem — bonuses cannot be spent on external promotion channels or withdrawn as cash. This encourages sellers to increase advertising budgets specifically on the platform, which simultaneously supports sellers and strengthens the marketplace's own media services.

How seller support works on marketplaces

Wildberries is not the first platform to launch financial assistance programs for sellers. WB Bank previously provided payment holidays for affected sellers with deferrals until the end of October 2026 — conditions were applied automatically without applications from entrepreneurs. The company also approached the government and banks requesting tax holidays and advocates for the creation of insurance products covering terrorist risks for major industrial facilities.

Such measures reduce seller outflow from the platform during crisis periods. For a marketplace, seller departures mean reduced assortment, lower buyer conversion, and increased costs for attracting new entrepreneurs. Promotional bonuses solve two tasks at once: they retain sellers on the platform and stimulate growth in advertising budgets within its own ecosystem.

What's changing for sellers on marketplaces

Compensation of up to 90% of advertising expenses significantly lowers the entry barrier to paid promotion for small sellers. Previously, many entrepreneurs with below-average turnovers couldn't afford regular advertising campaigns — now promotion expenses are comparable to the platform's basic commission.

However, the program has limitations. Promotional bonuses are valid for a limited time, their amount is tied to turnover size, and funds can only be used within Wildberries services. This means sellers need to quickly identify priority products for promotion and launch campaigns before the bonus period expires.

Step-by-step plan for sellers to use promotional bonuses

To effectively use advertising expense compensation, sellers should follow a clear sequence of actions:

• Check your promotional bonus balance in the "My Tasks" section of your WB Promotion personal account — the available amount and validity period are listed there.
• Identify products with the greatest sales growth potential — prioritize items with high margins, stable warehouse stock, and good reviews.
• Launch test campaigns in WB Promotion for search promotion — this is the basic format for increasing visibility in your category.
• Track the cost per order and advertising return on investment — promotional bonuses reduce expenses but don't guarantee campaign profitability if product card conversion is low.
• Scale your budget to products with proven payback — use remaining bonuses to increase reach for effective items.
• Prepare a transition plan to your own advertising budget after the promotional bonus period ends — abruptly stopping promotion will cause your search positions to drop.

Impact on the marketplace advertising market

The launch of promotional bonuses increases competition in Wildberries' advertising auctions. When thousands of sellers simultaneously receive compensation for promotion expenses, they participate more actively in bidding for impressions — this increases the cost per click and impression for all auction participants, including those paying with their own funds.

For brands working with agencies or using external promotion channels, this is a signal to reconsider budget allocation. If the cost of attracting customers on the marketplace is rising due to subsidized competition, it may be more effective to direct some funds to influencer marketing or contextual advertising with direct landing on product cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to get promotional bonuses on Wildberries

Wildberries automatically accrues promotional bonuses to sellers with small turnovers — no application is needed. You can check your bonus balance and validity period in your WB Promotion personal account in the "My Tasks" section. If bonuses haven't been accrued, contact seller support to clarify participation criteria.

Can promotional bonuses be withdrawn as cash

No, promotional bonuses cannot be withdrawn or exchanged for money — they can only be used to pay for advertising campaigns in WB Promotion and WB Media. Bonuses are valid for a limited time, and after expiration any unused amount is forfeited. Funds are deducted first from the promotional bonus balance, then from the seller's main account.

How do promotional bonuses affect advertising costs on the marketplace

Widespread use of promotional bonuses increases competition in Wildberries' advertising auctions, which can raise the cost per click and impression for all participants. Sellers with expense compensation are willing to pay more for promotion since their actual costs are lower. This is especially noticeable in popular categories ahead of the peak season.

In Summary

• Wildberries compensates sellers up to 90% of advertising expenses in its own services WB Promotion and WB Media — the program was launched to support sellers following warehouse fires.
• Promotional bonuses are automatically awarded to sellers with small turnovers; more than 88 thousand sellers have already received their first compensation payments.
• Bonuses are valid for a limited time and cannot be withdrawn as cash — they can only be used to pay for advertising campaigns on the platform.
• Widespread use of promotional bonuses increases competition in advertising auctions and may increase promotion costs for all participants.
• Sellers should quickly identify priority products, launch test campaigns, and prepare a transition plan to their own budget after the program ends.
• Brands with high customer acquisition costs on the marketplace should consider alternative channels — influencer marketing or contextual advertising with direct product card landing.