Romania’s e-commerce market shrinks in H1 after years of rapid expansion
Romania's e-commerce market, defined as the aggregated sales of local online retailers, stagnated in the first half of 2026 after several years of rapid expansion, with the number of online orders unchanged from a year earlier and the value of sales rising by only 4% y/y in nominal terms, according to an analysis by MerchantPro. Consumer prices increased by more than 10% y/y during the same period, implying a decline in real terms.
The average online order reached EUR 57 in the first half of 2026, up 5% y/y.
According to MerchantPro, Romania's e-commerce market exceeded EUR 8.1 billion in 2025 and is expected to surpass EUR 8.5 billion in 2026.
Performance varied significantly across product categories, with electronics and pharmaceuticals posting strong growth while beauty and children's products recorded declines.
The electronics, gadgets and accessories segment delivered the strongest performance, with sales value rising by 42% y/y and the number of orders increasing by 35%. MerchantPro attributed the growth to both a larger customer base and a higher average order value, noting that some purchases may have been postponed from 2025 due to political and fiscal uncertainty.
The pharmaceuticals segment also expanded, with sales value increasing by 26% and the number of orders by more than 30%. The average order value, however, edged down y/y.
Sporting goods and food products both recorded sales growth of more than 10%, driven mainly by higher order volumes. The books and music category posted a 16% increase in sales value, supported primarily by a higher average order value.
In contrast, the beauty segment recorded the weakest performance, with sales value declining by 20% y/y and the number of orders falling by 21%.
The children's products category also contracted, with sales value down 8% and order volumes declining by 18%.
The fashion segment recorded a 1% decline in sales value and a 2% fall in the number of orders, while the home and decoration category posted nearly 4% growth.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Nitsuki/Dreamstime.com)
