VTB survey: the fear of "not guessing" hinders the growth of the popularity of subscriptions as gifts

      June 29, 2026 18:05 Society The results of a VTB survey showed that despite the high interest of Russians in digital subscriptions, their popularity as gifts is hindered by the fear of not guessing the recipient's preferences. According to the survey, 44% of respondents consider the risk of making a wrong choice of service the main obstacle when purchasing a subscription as a gift. Another 22% perceive such a gift as too formal, while 15% do not understand how to present it ceremoniously. At the same time, one in five respondents sees no barriers to giving a subscription as a gift.

      More than half of the respondents have received such gifts, but only 32% activated them, while 27% never used the subscription. 16% noted that they would gladly accept such a gift option, while 26% stated that they have never been given subscriptions.

      The majority considers a one-year gift subscription to be optimal—this option was chosen by 37% of survey participants. For 43% of Russians, no special occasion is required for such a gift, 23% give it for birthdays, 19% for gender-related holidays, and 15% for New Year.

      Interest in the subscription format itself remains high: 42% of Russians would like to receive a multi-service subscription with cashback and discounts. Following that are subscriptions for movies and series (24%), sports (13%), educational platforms and books (12%), as well as music (9%).

      “As with any gift, subscriptions also have their nuances: it is important to consider the recipient's interests, the duration of the subscription, and the occasion. Nevertheless, we expect a growth in demand for such solutions. Subscriptions allow for savings on everyday expenses and provide access to a wide range of services, as well as adapt to the user's lifestyle. As subscriptions continue to evolve, this format will become increasingly popular as gifts,” noted Alexey Okhorzin, head of the retail business products department at VTB.

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