MerchantPro: Despite political uncertainty, Romanian consumers maintain their appetite for online shopping

Over the past four weeks, marked by a tense political context due to the presidential and parliamentary elections and the cancellation of the first round of presidential elections, online stores operating on the MerchantPro SaaS platform have maintained an upward sales trend. The performance during the period from November 18 to December 15, surrounding the elections and the cancellation decision, indicates an 11% increase in transaction value and an 8% growth in the number of transactions compared to the same weeks in 2023.

“This growth can be attributed to the seasonal nature and gift-giving period, which naturally stimulates consumption, as well as consumers' tendency to compensate for a perceived lack of control through current purchases. The majority of transactions involved products with an average basket value of approximately €55, while purchases of higher value were postponed until a perceived stabilization of the general context”, notes Arthur Rădulescu, CEO of MerchantPro.

The only days where a significant decline in value was observed were November 24 (-5%), the day of the first round of presidential elections, and November 25 (-10%), the day the final results of the first round were announced. The surprising ranking of candidates impacted purchasing intent and shifted public attention toward political news on those days.

The analysis conducted by MerchantPro covers the results of a representative sample of online stores of varying sizes operating on Romania's most widely used local SaaS eCommerce platform. It was also observed that, although consumers postponed higher-value purchases, in the segment of current purchases with an average basket value of approximately €55, transactions continued at a growing pace.

"Despite a volatile context, eCommerce entrepreneurs demonstrate impressive adaptability and resilience. The results from this period reflect both the seasonal specifics and the sustained efforts of merchants to attract and retain customers. However, while transaction numbers grew by 8% and sales value by 11% during the four weeks analyzed compared to the same weeks in 2023, these increases remained below the annual averages, where transaction numbers grew by 15% and sales value by 20%. Customers exhibited more cautious behavior during this period compared to the rest of the year" observes Arthur Rădulescu, CEO of MerchantPro.

The MerchantPro analysis considered transactions recorded from a sample of online stores using the MerchantPro platform. Merchants on the MerchantPro platform demonstrate remarkable agility in quickly adapting their strategies in response to sometimes completely unexpected market changes. Advanced automation tools enable them to identify emerging trends, swiftly adjust their commercial strategies to market dynamics, and optimize their operational processes to align with consumer needs.