Gemius eCommerce :Romanians – how they shop online and which are the favorite e-shops

Cristina Blanaru Business, e-Commerce

Gemius made, in August 2014, the eCommerce 2014 study, which aims to identify the usage preferences of Romanian internet users when it comes of online commerce. The study analyzed Romanians’ buying habits, the type of e-shops they like, the advantages and disadvantages they see when it comes of online buys, preferred methods for payment and delivery, types of products bought online and the value of their buys.

According to the study, more than two thirds of Romanian internet users bought online in the past and 21% intend to do that in the future, although they didn’t before. Also, 41% stated that they used the internet to look for shops that they visited later, 28% paid their bills online. Among online e-commerce, online shops were used by 83% Romanian internet users, followed by classified websites (45%), discounts websites (32%) and price comparing websites (29%).

Those who took part to the research consider the main advantages of online commerce are home delivery (74%), the fact they don’t have to leave their home  (61%) and lower prices than in traditional stores (53%). Disadvantages are considered the high delivery costs (31%) and problems with products’ warranty (19%).

According to Gemius study, Romanians would buy more online if the prices (59%) and delivery fees (54%) would be smaller and supplementary discounts would apply (52%).

Romanians mainly buy online clothes and accessories (58%), home appliances (47%), movies, books and music (44%), gadgets like smartphones and tablets (42%).

Romanians prefer to use cash on delivery as their main payment method (4 out of 5 users mention that prior to card payment, online transfer from bank account or mobile payment). Therefor, courier delivery is the most used delivery method, although Romanians also receive products, like the digital ones, through digital transfer.

When it comes of the amount spent online, an average shopping basket is valued at RON 470 (a little over Euro 100), while the annual amount spent online per user amounts to RON 2,260. According to the study, an increase of e-commerce segment is to be expected in the future, as 40% consumers intend to increase their spending for online buys.

The study showed that, in 2014, eMag.ro was Romanians’ favorite among Romanian online stores, followed by OLX.ro and Tocmai.ro.