Romanians shift priorities: Health, Culture, and Hobbies take the lead, while Fashion and Home&Deco lose ground to low-cost non-EU commerce
Black Friday 2025 marks a turning point for Romanian eCommerce. After two years of stagnation, the day recorded a +10% increase in the number of transactions, while the overall campaign week saw a +20% rise in value, peaking at +48% on Thursday. According to the annual analysis by MerchantPro, the SaaS eCommerce platform, the Pharma, Sports, Auto&Moto, and Books segments surged strongly, while Fashion, Home&Deco, and Children’s Products slowed down under pressure from low-cost Asian commerce.
The performance data, collected from a representative sample of local online stores using the MerchantPro platform, indicate a shift in how Romanians planned their purchases compared to the past two years, with greater focus on new categories.
If previous reports showed stagnation on Friday, this year Black Friday orders increased by over 10%, with sales value up by 18%. The biggest surprise came on Thursday, when sales value jumped by +48%, amid a +10% increase in orders.
For the entire week (Nov 4–10), growth was moderate, with +3% more orders and +20% higher value compared to the equivalent week in 2024, confirming the efficiency of extended Black Week campaigns. The average order value reached €68, up +16% year over year.
Post–Black Friday weekend trends were milder, with Sunday (Nov 9) flat in transaction volume, and Monday seeing fewer orders but the highest average basket value of €81.
“Extended Black Week campaigns are the new eCommerce standard. They allow for better operational planning and reduced strain on logistics infrastructure, while giving consumers access to real discounts in a more comfortable time frame. Unlike past years, shoppers acted faster this time, making confident decisions early in the campaign when they found strong offers from trusted retailers,” explained Arthur Rădulescu, CEO of MerchantPro.
Health and Hobbies Dominate: Pharma, Sports, Food, and Books Shine in Black Friday 2025
Across categories, the strongest growth during Black Week 2025 (Nov 4–10) was seen in Pharma (+200%) and Books (+100%). Solid increases were also reported in Sports & Leisure, Food, Jewelry & Accessories, Auto & Moto, and IT & Electronics, according to MerchantPro data.
These segments saw significant order volume increases, over 50% in some cases, confirming growing consumer interest in wellness, health, and creative activities, as well as the impact of digital optimization by merchants in emerging sectors such as pharmaceuticals and food retail.
“Categories like Pharma, Books, and Auto&Moto posted the highest percentage growth, driven especially by new merchants who migrated this year to the MerchantPro platform and could better manage discount campaigns and high traffic volumes,” added Arthur Rădulescu.
The B2B segment also showed strong momentum, with over +50% growth across all analyzed days, proof that even business procurement is following retail consumer patterns by taking advantage of seasonal discounts.
Fashion and Home&Deco Lose Ground to Low-Cost Non-EU Players
Fashion and Home&Deco remained stable, with minor variations in both orders and sales value, while the Children’s Products category suffered the strongest decline under pressure from aggressive non-EU competitors, whose permanent discounts have reshaped consumer expectations.
“Non-EU players have trained consumers to expect permanent discounts. Local Fashion, Home&Deco, and Kids retailers are forced to innovate and rebuild the shopping experience to stay relevant. Competing on price with major players from China or Turkey is not realistic, and the affected categories clearly show this imbalance,” explained Arthur Rădulescu.
Overall, Black Friday 2025 results reveal a maturing and stabilizing eCommerce market in Romania. Strong growth in emerging segments, coupled with balanced week-long performance, signals a more even budget distribution and more deliberate campaign planning. Local merchants are becoming more efficient, and consumers are managing their spending more consciously, indicating that Romanian eCommerce is entering a healthier stage of consolidation.
About MerchantPro
MerchantPro is a project developed by ShopMania Net, offering SaaS-based eCommerce solutions for entrepreneurs in Romania and across Europe. The platform provides advanced functionalities, professional support, and customized solutions tailored to specific business growth needs.
With over 20 years of experience in the market, MerchantPro powers more than 2,000 active online stores in Romania and a continuously expanding footprint across Southeast Europe.
*This is a press release.
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