More than half of Romanians go shopping on Black Friday: tbi bank

Black Friday is the most significant retail event of the year, and nearly 53 percent of Romanians have prepared to hunt for the biggest discounts. However, the faster rise in living costs compared to salaries and the effects of inflation have eroded purchasing power over the past year, impacting the shopping budget.

Thus, while most plan to spend at least 500 RON, the value is comparable to or even lower than last year for 72 percent of consumers, according to a survey conducted by tbi bank at a national level in October with a sample of 1,171 respondents. A third of them intend to spend at least 1,000 RON. However, over 43 percent do not have savings set aside and rely on their October salary or plan to borrow.

“Romanians remain interested in the largest retail event of the year, Black Friday. Most of them are considering buying items they need personally or for their home, and some are even thinking about buying Christmas gifts during this period. Additionally, over 58 percent will focus exclusively on online purchases, and a similar percentage will use a shopping app,” says Ionut Sabadac, VP Merchant Solutions at tbi.

Moreover, over 83 percent of respondents monitor price trends before Black Friday, and over 30 percent say they have been tracking desired products for more than a month. Almost 36 percent believe that discounts will be smaller than last year, while only 10.2 percent expect larger discounts.

Nearly 42 percent of respondents are looking for the lowest price for needed items, 37.7 percent choose to buy only if the price meets their expectations, and 20.5 percent will make purchases only if the discount is substantial. Additionally, 58.5 percent will decide to buy something only if the discount is at least 30 percent.

Among the products Romanians plan to buy on Black Friday are mainly electronics (40.5 percent), appliances (39.2 percent), IT (27.8 percent), fashion (18.4 percent), home & decor (13.1 percent), beauty (11.7 percent), food and beverages (10.5 percent), and toys (9.3 percent). Over 72 percent of shoppers are looking for products they personally or household needs, 28.1 percent want to buy Christmas gifts, 27.5 percent plan to get various gifts for family and friends, and nearly 20 percent are interested in high-value items they had planned to purchase this year but were waiting for Black Friday deals.

The tbi bank survey analyzed consumer habits and preferences during Black Friday and was conducted in October 2024, nationally, through the iVox platform, with a total sample of 1,171 internet users from Romania. Over 48 percent of participants are female, and nearly 39 percent have a net income of over 5,000 RON.