Reason no.3 - the Baltic market is small and open to everyone

Last reason, the one about the Baltic market itself 🧐

All three countries together are around 6 million people. That's one big city somewhere else. So the number of people who could ever buy from a small local shop is small from day one.

And those same people can buy from the whole world. Parcel lockers everywhere, delivery in a couple of days, and right next to your product the same thing from China for a fraction of the price. On price a small shop just can't win there.

Everybody was waiting for July. LRT wrote back in June that from 1 July every parcel from outside the EU up to 150 eur gets a 3 eur duty, counted per category of goods, not per order (here it is). Even Lithuania Post said they expect only a short-term drop for the big platforms. Short-term 😅

3 eur on a cheap order is something. But it doesn't close the gap, it just makes it a little smaller.

Would I open a store again? Maybe. Just not this kind. More about that another time.