{"id":47262,"date":"2026-03-10T15:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/?p=47262"},"modified":"2026-03-10T15:19:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:19:31","slug":"insights-from-the-romanian-ecommerce-market-over-40-of-romanian-stores-have-no-content-budget-while-most-invest-in-ads-to-drive-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/insights-from-the-romanian-ecommerce-market-over-40-of-romanian-stores-have-no-content-budget-while-most-invest-in-ads-to-drive-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Insights from the Romanian eCommerce Market: Over 40% of Romanian Stores Have No Content Budget, While Most Invest in Ads to Drive Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the first nine months of 2025, the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/balkanecommerce.com\/\"><b>Balkan eCommerce Summit<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>full State of Balkan eCommerce 2025 report <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/balkanecommerce.com\/survey-2025-2026\/\"><b>You can download the full report here<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-47264 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Romania.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Romania.png 680w, https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Romania-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>State of Romanian eCommerce 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> survey shows a market that is clearly growing, still heavily focused on the domestic customers, and businesses which run on a mix of low\u2011cost 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Revenues: Most Merchants Are Growing, Especially Larger Ones<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online revenues in 2025 moved in a positive direction for most Romanian merchants:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>61.6%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> saw revenue growth in the first nine months of 2025 compared to 2024,\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with <\/span><b>38.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reporting moderate growth (5\u201320%)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strong growth above 20%.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported stable performance within \u00b15%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another <\/span><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> saw declines, split between moderate and sharp drops.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Larger businesses stand out:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among those with <\/span><b>over \u20ac250,000 turnover<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 90% grew and 40% grew by more than 20%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small merchants (below \u20ac50,000) show a split picture with more volatility and a higher share of declines.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, <\/span><b>Romanian eCommerce is expanding<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but the benefits of growth are not evenly distributed. Bigger and more established players capture the bulk of the upside.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Role of Online: From Side Channel to Main Engine<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online revenue contribution is clearly shifting toward digital:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>34.6%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of respondents are <\/span><b>pure online businesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with 100% of revenue coming from eCommerce.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another <\/span><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> generate <\/span><b>more than 50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of revenue online.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, <\/span><b>57.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> depend primarily or entirely on online for their income.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the other end, <\/span><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> get <\/span><b>less than 25%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of revenue from online, and <\/span><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sit in the 25\u201350% mid\u2011range.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates a polarized landscape:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many companies still treat online as a <\/span><b>complement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to offline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A growing group of Romanian e-commerce businesses run on a <\/span><b>digital\u2011first or digital\u2011only model<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially in higher turnover brackets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Tech Stack and Costs: Half Run Cheap, a Third Spend Heavy<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monthly platform and tool costs show a split between lean setups and heavier investments:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> keep <\/span><b>store maintenance under \u20ac1,000 per month<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>\u20ac1,000\u20135,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> invest <\/span><b>over \u20ac5,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> per month.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pattern by size is sharp:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Large merchants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (over \u20ac250,000) typically spend more.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">60% are above \u20ac5,000 per month.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only 10% are under \u20ac1,000.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Small merchants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (below \u20ac50,000) are all in the <\/span><b>0\u2013\u20ac1,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> band.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So the Romanian market combines <\/span><b>very lean operations at the small end<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with <\/span><b>platform\u2011heavy setups among bigger players<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Mobile: Almost Everyone Has a Mobile Site, Few Go Beyond That<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On mobile strategy, the market is very conservative:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>80.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rely only on a <\/span><b>mobile\u2011optimized website<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>11.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offer a <\/span><b>mobile app<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use <\/span><b>PWA or advanced mobile features<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report <\/span><b>no specific mobile strategy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among larger brands, mobile\u2011optimized 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. <\/span><b>Responsive websites are standard<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while advanced mobile experiences remain niche.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Biggest Operational Challenge: Acquisition First, Logistics Second<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When asked about their biggest operational challenge:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>65.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> name <\/span><b>customer acquisition and marketing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cite <\/span><b>logistics and order processing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payment\/fraud and \u201cnone\u201d are barely mentioned.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This mirrors Bulgaria and Croatia: once the store and operations are \u201cgood enough,\u201d the hardest part becomes <\/span><b>finding customers at a sustainable cost<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Inventory and Fulfillment: Manual First, Automation Second, Outsourcing Third<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romanian merchants manage inventory and deliveries in three main ways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>53.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> still use <\/span><b>manual tracking with basic tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rely on an <\/span><b>automated inventory management system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>15.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use an <\/span><b>outsourced fulfillment service<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By size:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large merchants lean toward <\/span><b>automated systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and some <\/span><b>outsourcing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smaller ones are heavily <\/span><b>manual<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and mostly in\u2011house.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outsourced fulfillment remains a <\/span><b>minority choice<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but at 15% it is clearly more present than in some neighboring markets, which hints at a growing niche for specialized logistics providers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Market Focus: Primarily Domestic, With Early International Steps<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On customers and expansion:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>46.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> do <\/span><b>not sell outside Romania<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at all.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another <\/span><b>34.6%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>less than 10%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> foreign customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have more than 10% of customers abroad, and <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> go beyond 30%.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plans for 2026 underline a <\/span><b>local plus regional<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> mindset:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> plan to focus on <\/span><b>growing the domestic market<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>42.3%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aim to expand to <\/span><b>neighboring countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>7.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> target <\/span><b>broader European or global markets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When asked which markets they would like to sell to (assuming it is possible):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bulgaria (37%)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Hungary (34.8%)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lead.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Croatia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>other CEE markets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> follow (23.9% each).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Poland<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> attracts 17.4% of respondents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non\u2011regional targets (diaspora markets, UAE) appear only in isolated cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pattern is clear: <\/span><b>Romanian brands first want to strengthen at home, then expand across Central and Eastern Europe<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than jump directly to Western Europe or beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Marketing Mix: Google and SEO First, Social Ads Third<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When asked which marketing channel brings the most sales:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Google Ads<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is number one (<\/span><b>38.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>SEO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> comes close behind (<\/span><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social media ads<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are third (<\/span><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Email, influencer marketing, and OLX<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are each at <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among larger players, <\/span><b>Google Ads dominates heavily<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; among smaller ones, <\/span><b>SEO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is more often the top performer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On social platforms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Facebook<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the top sales\u2011driving platform for <\/span><b>50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of respondents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>TikTok<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is second with <\/span><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is clearly emerging as a serious channel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Instagram<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u201cother\u201d platforms split the remaining share.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romanian eCommerce is therefore somewhat different from neighbouring countries like Bulgaria and Croatia: paid search and organic search have a stronger relative role, and <\/span><b>TikTok is already a meaningful second player behind Facebook<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Budgets: Ads Spread Across Low, Mid, and High; Content Still Underserved<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advertising budgets show no single dominant band:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>up to \u20ac1,000 per month<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>\u20ac1,000\u20135,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are above <\/span><b>\u20ac5,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prefer <\/span><b>not to answer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By size:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large merchants skew high: 60% spend <\/span><b>over \u20ac5,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> per month.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small merchants mostly stay under <\/span><b>\u20ac1,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content budgets are much lower:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>42.3%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>up to \u20ac1,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for content.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>42.3%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>no dedicated content budget at all<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>11.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>\u20ac1,000\u20135,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> invest more than <\/span><b>\u20ac5,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means <\/span><b>ads are funded<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but <\/span><b>content is still under\u2011financed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and often handled informally, similar to Bulgaria and Croatia.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Who Runs Marketing: Mostly In\u2011House<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital marketing and optimization are handled:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>57.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fully <\/span><b>in\u2011house<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a <\/span><b>hybrid model<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (in\u2011house + agency).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>11.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <\/span><b>fully outsourced<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to an agency.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report <\/span><b>no active digital marketing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, when asked about agency budgets:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>57.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> do not work with an agency at all.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>\u20ac1,000\u20135,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> per month on agency services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>7.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend <\/span><b>over \u20ac5,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rest are low budget or non\u2011disclosing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So most Romanian eCommerce brands <\/span><b>prefer to keep know\u2011how inside the company<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and use agencies selectively and at moderate budgets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Customer Experience: Traditional Support, Very Low Returns<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customer support models:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>69.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rely on <\/span><b>email and phone during business hours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offer <\/span><b>multi\u2011channel support with live chat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide <\/span><b>24\/7 support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> combining automation and human agents.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite relatively basic support setups, customer outcomes look strong:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Uncollected orders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>80.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of businesses have <\/span><b>less than 5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of orders left uncollected.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Returns after receipt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>88.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report <\/span><b>return rates under 5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That suggests solid operational execution and realistic customer expectations, even with mostly non\u201124\/7 support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Average order values:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>57.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>AOV between \u20ac25 and \u20ac100<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are under \u20ac25.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>19.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> exceed \u20ac100.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As in neighboring countries, <\/span><b>mid\u2011ticket baskets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dominate, with a smaller premium tier and a meaningful low\u2011ticket segment among smaller merchants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Compliance and Security: Awareness Growing, Gaps Still Visible<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On <\/span><b>accessibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (people with disabilities):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>34.6%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> do <\/span><b>not know<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the requirements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> know them but have not implemented measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>23.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are currently implementing improvements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>15.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say they are fully compliant.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On <\/span><b>cybersecurity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rely on <\/span><b>basic protection only<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (SSL and secure hosting, but no regular audits or training).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>38.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report <\/span><b>stronger protection<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (security systems, backups, staff training).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>7.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> know the risks but have not taken specific measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are not aware of cyber risks at all.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So foundational protections are in place for almost everyone, but <\/span><b>proactive, structured programs for accessibility and security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are still the exception rather than the rule, especially among smaller merchants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Loyalty, Programs, and Channels: Potential Not Fully Tapped<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On loyalty behavior:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>53.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say <\/span><b>5\u201315%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of their customers are recurring or loyal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report <\/span><b>over 15%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recurring customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>15.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> see <\/span><b>less than 5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> loyalty.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On loyalty programs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>61.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have no loyalty program.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> operate a basic points or discount program.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>7.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use an advanced, tiered, personalized program.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales channels:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>57.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sell only through their own online store.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>42.3%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> combine own store + marketplaces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nobody sells only via marketplaces.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This indicates a good <\/span><b>natural base of loyal customers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but <\/span><b>relatively weak formal structures <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to nurture and monetize that loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>AI: Positive Impact for Most, Still Surface\u2011Level for Many<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On AI\u2019s impact on team efficiency:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>38.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report no significant change.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report a strong positive impact (more than 20% increase in efficiency).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>30.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report a moderate positive impact (5\u201320%).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On what AI tools they use regularly, founders responded:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Generative AI for content<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>41.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>No AI tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>19.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AI chatbots for support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>16.7%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AI for data analysis and forecasts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>13.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AI for ad automation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>8.3%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Customer Habits: More Sensitive, More Mobile, More Demanding<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merchants report three main shifts in customer behavior (multiple choice):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>46.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> see customers becoming more price\u2011sensitive and discount\u2011driven.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>26.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say customers expect faster delivery and better service.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>24.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> note that customers are <\/span><b>primarily mobile and expect personalized experiences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say nothing has changed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among larger businesses, <\/span><b>all three trends are much more pronounced<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is logical given their volume and exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Geography and Competition: Local Rivals and Global Platforms<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On where the strongest direct competition comes from:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>61.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say the <\/span><b>domestic market<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>34.6%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> point to <\/span><b>major international players<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like Temu, Trendyol, Amazon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only <\/span><b>3.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> feel the strongest pressure from <\/span><b>sellers in neighboring countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far, <\/span><b>local players and global marketplaces<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are the main rivals; immediate regional cross\u2011border competition is barely on the radar.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Emerging Technologies: AI at the Top of the Wishlist<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plans for emerging technologies:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>43.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> plan to implement <\/span><b>AI personalization and chatbots<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>32.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> plan <\/span><b>advanced analytics and reporting tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>18.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>no plans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to implement any of the listed technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>5.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are considering <\/span><b>AR\/VR, blockchain, or IoT<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among bigger merchants, intent is especially high around <\/span><b>analytics and AI personalization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Smaller merchants are more cautious, with many having <\/span><b>no immediate plans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Payment Methods: Traditional Still Rule, Wallets and BNPL Emerging<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across the responses (multiple choice) we see some interesting opportunities:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cash on delivery &#8211; 31.5%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Debit\/credit cards &#8211; 28.8%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bank transfers &#8211; 23.3%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital wallets &#8211; 8.2%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) &#8211; 8.2%.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditional methods still dominate, but <\/span><b>wallets and BNPL are starting to show up<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly among high\u2011turnover brands.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>In Summary: A Resourceful Market Ready for Its Next Phase<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romanian eCommerce at the start of 2026 from our 2025 survey is:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Growing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially for larger and more established brands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Still highly domestic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with gradual exploration of CEE markets like Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, and Poland.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Run on a mix of low\u2011cost stacks and heavier enterprise investments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with a strong bias toward in\u2011house marketing and operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Powered by Google Ads and SEO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with Facebook (and increasingly TikTok) leading on social.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Operationally competent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with low uncollected orders and low returns.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Underdeveloped in loyalty programs, accessibility, and advanced cybersecurity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but clearly aware of AI\u2019s potential and starting to plan deeper adoption.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The opportunities that lie in wait for Romanian eCommerce businesses are clear:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the next few years, the biggest opportunities lie in turning <\/span><b>paid traffic into owned audiences <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and loyalty, upgrading manual operations where it hurts most, and using AI and data to move from tactical growth to durable, region\u2011ready brands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/balkanecommerce.com\/survey-2025-2026\/\"> <b>Download the full eCommerce survey report<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[192,8],"tags":[2410],"class_list":["post-47262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-comunicate-de-presa","category-social-media","tag-romanian-ecommerce-market"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1H7ta-cii","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47262"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47266,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47262\/revisions\/47266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zelist.ro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}