Throughout the first nine months of 2025, the Balkan eCommerce Summit team conducted a focused survey among Romanian online merchants to understand how their revenues are evolving, which technologies and channels they rely on, and how customer behaviour is changing as we enter 2026.
The full State of Balkan eCommerce 2025 report combines quantitative data from businesses with qualitative insights from founders and managers across different sizes and verticals. This country-specific analysis summarises the most important findings from the survey and outlines the key trends, risks, and opportunities for Romanian eCommerce in 2026. You can download the full report here.
The State of Romanian eCommerce 2025 survey shows a market that is clearly growing, still heavily focused on the domestic customers, and businesses which run on a mix of low‑cost tools and hands-on operations. Google Ads and SEO are the main growth engines, while loyalty, accessibility, and cybersecurity are only partially developed and leave a lot of room for improvement.
Revenues: Most Merchants Are Growing, Especially Larger Ones
Online revenues in 2025 moved in a positive direction for most Romanian merchants:
- 61.6% saw revenue growth in the first nine months of 2025 compared to 2024,
- with 38.5% reporting moderate growth (5–20%)
- and 23.1% strong growth above 20%.
- 19.2% reported stable performance within ±5%.
- Another 19.2% saw declines, split between moderate and sharp drops.
Larger businesses stand out:
- Among those with over €250,000 turnover, 90% grew and 40% grew by more than 20%.
- Small merchants (below €50,000) show a split picture with more volatility and a higher share of declines.
Overall, Romanian eCommerce is expanding, but the benefits of growth are not evenly distributed. Bigger and more established players capture the bulk of the upside.
Role of Online: From Side Channel to Main Engine
Online revenue contribution is clearly shifting toward digital:
- 34.6% of respondents are pure online businesses with 100% of revenue coming from eCommerce.
- Another 23.1% generate more than 50% of revenue online.
- Together, 57.7% depend primarily or entirely on online for their income.
- At the other end, 23.1% get less than 25% of revenue from online, and 19.2% sit in the 25–50% mid‑range.
This creates a polarized landscape:
- Many companies still treat online as a complement to offline.
- A growing group of Romanian e-commerce businesses run on a digital‑first or digital‑only model, especially in higher turnover brackets.
Tech Stack and Costs: Half Run Cheap, a Third Spend Heavy
Monthly platform and tool costs show a split between lean setups and heavier investments:
- 50% keep store maintenance under €1,000 per month.
- 19.2% spend €1,000–5,000.
- 30.8% invest over €5,000 per month.
The pattern by size is sharp:
- Large merchants (over €250,000) typically spend more.
- 60% are above €5,000 per month.
- Only 10% are under €1,000.
- Small merchants (below €50,000) are all in the 0–€1,000 band.
So the Romanian market combines very lean operations at the small end with platform‑heavy setups among bigger players.
Mobile: Almost Everyone Has a Mobile Site, Few Go Beyond That
On mobile strategy, the market is very conservative:
- 80.8% rely only on a mobile‑optimized website.
- 11.5% offer a mobile app for customers.
- 3.8% use PWA or advanced mobile features.
- 3.8% report no specific mobile strategy.
Among larger brands, mobile‑optimized sites are almost universal, and PWAs show up occasionally. Native apps are more common among smaller merchants than you might expect, but still limited overall. Responsive websites are standard, while advanced mobile experiences remain niche.
Biggest Operational Challenge: Acquisition First, Logistics Second
When asked about their biggest operational challenge:
- 65.4% name customer acquisition and marketing.
- 26.9% cite logistics and order processing.
- Payment/fraud and “none” are barely mentioned.
This mirrors Bulgaria and Croatia: once the store and operations are “good enough,” the hardest part becomes finding customers at a sustainable cost.
Inventory and Fulfillment: Manual First, Automation Second, Outsourcing Third
Romanian merchants manage inventory and deliveries in three main ways:
- 53.8% still use manual tracking with basic tools.
- 30.8% rely on an automated inventory management system.
- 15.4% use an outsourced fulfillment service.
By size:
- Large merchants lean toward automated systems and some outsourcing.
- Smaller ones are heavily manual and mostly in‑house.
Outsourced fulfillment remains a minority choice, but at 15% it is clearly more present than in some neighboring markets, which hints at a growing niche for specialized logistics providers.
Market Focus: Primarily Domestic, With Early International Steps
On customers and expansion:
- 46.2% do not sell outside Romania at all.
- Another 34.6% have less than 10% foreign customers.
- Only 19.2% have more than 10% of customers abroad, and 3.8% go beyond 30%.
Plans for 2026 underline a local plus regional mindset:
- 50% plan to focus on growing the domestic market.
- 42.3% aim to expand to neighboring countries.
- 7.7% target broader European or global markets.
When asked which markets they would like to sell to (assuming it is possible):
- Bulgaria (37%) and Hungary (34.8%) lead.
- Croatia and other CEE markets follow (23.9% each).
- Poland attracts 17.4% of respondents.
- Non‑regional targets (diaspora markets, UAE) appear only in isolated cases.
The pattern is clear: Romanian brands first want to strengthen at home, then expand across Central and Eastern Europe rather than jump directly to Western Europe or beyond.
Marketing Mix: Google and SEO First, Social Ads Third
When asked which marketing channel brings the most sales:
- Google Ads is number one (38.5%).
- SEO comes close behind (30.8%).
- Social media ads are third (19.2%).
- Email, influencer marketing, and OLX are each at 3.8%.
Among larger players, Google Ads dominates heavily; among smaller ones, SEO is more often the top performer.
On social platforms:
- Facebook is the top sales‑driving platform for 50% of respondents.
- TikTok is second with 23.1% and is clearly emerging as a serious channel.
- Instagram and “other” platforms split the remaining share.
Romanian eCommerce is therefore somewhat different from neighbouring countries like Bulgaria and Croatia: paid search and organic search have a stronger relative role, and TikTok is already a meaningful second player behind Facebook.
Budgets: Ads Spread Across Low, Mid, and High; Content Still Underserved
Advertising budgets show no single dominant band:
- 26.9% spend up to €1,000 per month.
- 26.9% spend €1,000–5,000.
- 23.1% are above €5,000.
- 23.1% prefer not to answer.
By size:
- Large merchants skew high: 60% spend over €5,000 per month.
- Small merchants mostly stay under €1,000.
Content budgets are much lower:
- 42.3% have up to €1,000 for content.
- 42.3% have no dedicated content budget at all.
- Only 11.5% spend €1,000–5,000, and 3.8% invest more than €5,000.
That means ads are funded, but content is still under‑financed and often handled informally, similar to Bulgaria and Croatia.
Who Runs Marketing: Mostly In‑House
Digital marketing and optimization are handled:
- 57.7% fully in‑house.
- 26.9% with a hybrid model (in‑house + agency).
- 11.5% are fully outsourced to an agency.
- Only 3.8% report no active digital marketing.
At the same time, when asked about agency budgets:
- 57.7% do not work with an agency at all.
- 23.1% spend €1,000–5,000 per month on agency services.
- 7.7% spend over €5,000.
- The rest are low budget or non‑disclosing.
So most Romanian eCommerce brands prefer to keep know‑how inside the company and use agencies selectively and at moderate budgets.
Customer Experience: Traditional Support, Very Low Returns
Customer support models:
- 69.2% rely on email and phone during business hours.
- 26.9% offer multi‑channel support with live chat.
- Only 3.8% provide 24/7 support combining automation and human agents.
Despite relatively basic support setups, customer outcomes look strong:
- Uncollected orders:
- 80.8% of businesses have less than 5% of orders left uncollected.
- Returns after receipt:
- 88.5% report return rates under 5%.
That suggests solid operational execution and realistic customer expectations, even with mostly non‑24/7 support.
Average order values:
- 57.7% have AOV between €25 and €100.
- 23.1% are under €25.
- 19.2% exceed €100.
As in neighboring countries, mid‑ticket baskets dominate, with a smaller premium tier and a meaningful low‑ticket segment among smaller merchants.
Compliance and Security: Awareness Growing, Gaps Still Visible
On accessibility (people with disabilities):
- 34.6% do not know the requirements.
- 26.9% know them but have not implemented measures.
- 23.1% are currently implementing improvements.
- 15.4% say they are fully compliant.
On cybersecurity:
- 50% rely on basic protection only (SSL and secure hosting, but no regular audits or training).
- 38.5% report stronger protection (security systems, backups, staff training).
- 7.7% know the risks but have not taken specific measures.
- 3.8% are not aware of cyber risks at all.
So foundational protections are in place for almost everyone, but proactive, structured programs for accessibility and security are still the exception rather than the rule, especially among smaller merchants.
Loyalty, Programs, and Channels: Potential Not Fully Tapped
On loyalty behavior:
- 53.8% say 5–15% of their customers are recurring or loyal.
- 30.8% report over 15% recurring customers.
- 15.4% see less than 5% loyalty.
On loyalty programs:
- 61.5% have no loyalty program.
- 30.8% operate a basic points or discount program.
- Only 7.7% use an advanced, tiered, personalized program.
Sales channels:
- 57.7% sell only through their own online store.
- 42.3% combine own store + marketplaces.
- Nobody sells only via marketplaces.
This indicates a good natural base of loyal customers, but relatively weak formal structures to nurture and monetize that loyalty.
AI: Positive Impact for Most, Still Surface‑Level for Many
On AI’s impact on team efficiency:
- 38.5% report no significant change.
- 30.8% report a strong positive impact (more than 20% increase in efficiency).
- 30.8% report a moderate positive impact (5–20%).
On what AI tools they use regularly, founders responded:
- Generative AI for content – 41.7%.
- No AI tools – 19.4%.
- AI chatbots for support – 16.7%.
- AI for data analysis and forecasts – 13.9%.
- AI for ad automation – 8.3%.
The results show real productivity gains for most users, but adoption is still skewed toward content generation, with fewer brands using AI deeply in analytics, ads, or customer experience.
Customer Habits: More Sensitive, More Mobile, More Demanding
Merchants report three main shifts in customer behavior (multiple choice):
- 46.9% see customers becoming more price‑sensitive and discount‑driven.
- 26.5% say customers expect faster delivery and better service.
- 24.5% note that customers are primarily mobile and expect personalized experiences.
- Only 2% say nothing has changed.
Among larger businesses, all three trends are much more pronounced, which is logical given their volume and exposure.
Geography and Competition: Local Rivals and Global Platforms
On where the strongest direct competition comes from:
- 61.5% say the domestic market.
- 34.6% point to major international players like Temu, Trendyol, Amazon.
- Only 3.8% feel the strongest pressure from sellers in neighboring countries.
So far, local players and global marketplaces are the main rivals; immediate regional cross‑border competition is barely on the radar.
Emerging Technologies: AI at the Top of the Wishlist
Plans for emerging technologies:
- 43.2% plan to implement AI personalization and chatbots.
- 32.4% plan advanced analytics and reporting tools.
- 18.9% have no plans to implement any of the listed technologies.
- 5.4% are considering AR/VR, blockchain, or IoT.
Among bigger merchants, intent is especially high around analytics and AI personalization. Smaller merchants are more cautious, with many having no immediate plans.
Payment Methods: Traditional Still Rule, Wallets and BNPL Emerging
Across the responses (multiple choice) we see some interesting opportunities:
- Cash on delivery – 31.5%.
- Debit/credit cards – 28.8%.
- Bank transfers – 23.3%.
- Digital wallets – 8.2%.
- Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) – 8.2%.
Traditional methods still dominate, but wallets and BNPL are starting to show up, particularly among high‑turnover brands.
In Summary: A Resourceful Market Ready for Its Next Phase
Romanian eCommerce at the start of 2026 from our 2025 survey is:
- Growing, especially for larger and more established brands.
- Still highly domestic, with gradual exploration of CEE markets like Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, and Poland.
- Run on a mix of low‑cost stacks and heavier enterprise investments, with a strong bias toward in‑house marketing and operations.
- Powered by Google Ads and SEO, with Facebook (and increasingly TikTok) leading on social.
- Operationally competent, with low uncollected orders and low returns.
- Underdeveloped in loyalty programs, accessibility, and advanced cybersecurity, but clearly aware of AI’s potential and starting to plan deeper adoption.
The opportunities that lie in wait for Romanian eCommerce businesses are clear:
For the next few years, the biggest opportunities lie in turning paid traffic into owned audiences and loyalty, upgrading manual operations where it hurts most, and using AI and data to move from tactical growth to durable, region‑ready brands.
The markets and partners behind these findings, together with our speakers who bring decades of hands-on eCommerce experience, can all be met in person in one place only. That place is the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026. Many of the challenges and case studies that emerge from this Romanian survey and the broader Balkan study are discussed and solved there through real examples, practical panels, and direct conversations between merchants, platforms, logistics providers, and marketing experts. You can download the full version of the survey, with all data and detailed breakdowns, from this link: Download the full eCommerce survey report.
