Romania: Black Friday marks the start of Christmas shopping for many

A study by Shopfully reveals that for many Romanian consumers, Black Friday serves as the starting point for Christmas shopping. Approximately 42% of participants indicate that their holiday gift shopping begins during the Black Friday period to secure better prices. In contrast, only 11% of shoppers plan to wait until December, while 14% report having no specific Christmas shopping plans this year.

Regarding shopping preferences, 60% of Romanians prefer physical stores for holiday gifts, 28% utilize a mix of online and offline channels, and 11% prefer exclusively online shopping. To discover deals and gift ideas, 41% of respondents use digital catalogs and online brochures, 29% use printed catalogs, 27% seek inspiration directly in stores, and 21% browse retailer websites and e-commerce platforms.

Cătălin Pațachia, Country Manager at Shopfully, noted that for some buyers, Black Friday and Christmas are not separate events but stages of the same purchasing period. He emphasized that retailers must maintain relevant communication during the research phase, as online offers often influence which physical stores consumers choose to visit.