A ‘Discount’ in Place of Millions — What Is Actually Happening
After a warehouse fire, the marketplace sends a notification: “Drone strikes are now classified as force majeure under our updated terms. We value our partners, so here is a discounted logistics rate for the next six months.”
This is not support. It is an attempt to offset the marketplace’s own losses at the sellers’ expense — and to quietly block the path to a court claim. Here is what Russian civil law says about it.
Three Legal Facts the Marketplace Does Not Mention
1. Internal terms cannot override the Civil Code
A marketplace that charges a storage fee is a professional custodian within the meaning of Article 901 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. As a professional custodian, it bears full liability for the safety of goods entrusted to it.
No platform terms — however cleverly drafted — can override this statutory rule. If marketplace operators could simply write “we bear no liability for anything” into their terms, the concept of professional custodial liability would be meaningless.
2. New terms cannot apply retroactively
Under Article 425 of the Civil Code, a contract applies to pre-existing relations only when the contract itself expressly says so. Changing the rules retroactively — for goods already in the warehouse — is legally impossible.
If your goods arrived at the warehouse before the new drone force-majeure clause was published, the old storage conditions apply. The gap between your delivery date and the effective date of the amended terms may be the most important fact in your case.
3. Force majeure must be proved
The mere occurrence of an emergency or a drone incident does not automatically release the marketplace from liability. Under Article 401 of the Civil Code, a professional custodian must prove in court that it took all possible measures to prevent the loss. If there were fire safety or storage regulation violations at the warehouse, force majeure cannot be established.
Why You Must Not Accept the Discount Without Conditions
This is where the main trap lies. Accepting a “discount arrangement” typically means signing an agreement that contains a clause such as:
“By accepting these preferential terms, the party confirms the absence of any property or financial claims.”
One click of “Accept” — and you have voluntarily waived your right to seek real compensation in court.
What to Do Right Now
Do not sign anything without reading the full text. Be particularly alert to phrases like “absence of claims,” “final settlement,” or “agreement with new terms.”
Download all reports from your personal account — current stock reports for the affected warehouse in every available format (Excel, PDF, CSV). Data can be changed or deleted at any time.
Gather your primary documents: universal transfer documents (UTDs), invoices, and supplier contracts that confirm the cost price of your goods.
Check the delivery dates of your goods to the warehouse. If they predate the amended terms, that is your strongest legal argument.
Read Also
- 4 Myths About Wildberries Terms and Drone Force Majeure
- Warehouse Fire: 3 Steps to Preserve Evidence Before Data Disappears
Received a “discount offer” and unsure whether you can accept it without losing your right to compensation? Contact us — we will review your documents, check delivery dates, and assess your realistic prospects for recovering the loss.