Biggest online retailer in Romania introduces new delivery tax

eMAG, the biggest online retailer in Romania, controlled by South African group Naspers, has introduced a new delivery tax of RON 5 (EUR 1.05) per order, which applies even for orders that the clients pick up from the company’s showrooms or for easybox deliveries (for orders under RON 1,500).

Orders picked up from the showroom and those delivered to easyboxes were not previously taxed. The company argued that the new tax is needed to partly cover its high investments in developing added value services for clients, such as fast delivery or scheduled delivery.

“Fast and predictable delivery leads to higher costs, and eMAG has continued to subsidize and continue to support some of these costs. Periodically, the company adjusts its delivery policy to meet the needs of its customers who want quality services and fast delivery and to support the development of new services in the long term,” the company’s representatives said in a response for Profit.ro.

Dante International, the company that owns the eMAG brand in Romania, recorded a turnover of over EUR 890 mln in 2018, but had loses of over EUR 9 million.

(Photo source: the company)