In 2021, the average amount spent per Black Friday user increased compared to a year ago or two years ago – from 69.7 euros in 2020 to 72.3 euros by BF 2021, while in 2019 it was 56 euros/user, data from Revolut, the financial app with over 16 million customers globally, of which over 1.4 million in Romania, shows. An analysis of the app presents a series of figures and data showing how Black Friday (and weekend) shoppers’ behavior evolved. The top categories and retailers have changed significantly. Unlike last year, the category restaurants, bars and cafes returned to the top 5 categories for which significant transactions were recorded, on Black Friday weekend 2021.
Top merchants of BF 2021
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Predictably, e-commerce platforms attracted the most consumer interest on Black Friday (12 – 14 November 2021), but the top 5 categories also included car servicing, as drivers are forced to winterize their cars.
As the whole country is facing a difficult health situation and restrictions due to the pandemic, 60% of the transactions made these days were made online. Compared to last year, there was a significant increase in the amount spent on online purchases, up 101%, and also compared to 2019, although last year there was also a 228% increase in total purchases compared to BF 2019.
Top categories with the highest amounts spent by Romanians by BF 2021
- Electronics and household appliances stores
- Food stores and supermarkets
General merchandise
- Restaurants, cafés, bars
- Car services
The number of users who made purchases on Black Friday 2021 was up 49% compared to BF 2020.
The most active shoppers, throughout the period and compared to 2020, were residents of Bucharest and the metropolitan area of the Capital and those from Cluj Napoca, in the 25-44 age segment (by total amounts spent and by number of transactions recorded). However, in terms of average purchase value/user, Timisoara was ahead of Cluj (70 EUR/user vs. 64 EUR/user).
Black Friday 2021 vs. Black Friday 2020 spending
Online vs. physical card transactions in 2021: Payments to e-commerce increased by 101% in 2021 vs. 2020 (and physical card payments increased by +96% vs. BF 2020). Comparatively, in 2020, the increase over 2019 was +228% (and +31% physical card payments), while 60% of the total amount spent was online purchases.
How much Romanians spent (average amount spent/user who made transactions):
- 4% (2021 vs. 2020) from €69.7 to €72.3/user and +30% compared to 2019, from €56/customer
Total spend/ category (2020) – increase in spend (both in amount and number of transactions) in top 5 categories:
- EUR 2.6 million – Computer network services
- EUR 1.2 million – Food shops and supermarkets
700.000 EUR – Electronics and household appliances shops
EUR 690,000 – General merchandise
284.000 EUR – Car services
Total expenditure/category in 2021:
- EUR 3.17 million – Electronics and electrical goods shops
- EUR 1.93 million – Food shops and supermarkets
- EUR 1.4 million – General merchandise
681.000 EUR – Restaurants, cafés, bars
634.000 EUR – Car services
Top merchants (2020, by BF): transactions of more than EUR 3.2 million cumulated at the top 5 merchants
- Emag (+ 30,000 transactions)
- Mega Image (24,000 transactions)
- Lidl (10,000 transactions)
- Profi (9,400 transactions)
- OMV (8,800 transactions)
Top merchants (2021, by BF): transactions of more than €4.13 million cumulated at the top 5 merchants
- Emag (over 44,250 transactions)
- Mega Image (over 31,000 transactions)
- Lidl (over 20,000 transactions)
- Profi (over 14,000 transactions)
- OMV (over 12,236 transactions)
Total spending by age category (2021): All age categories saw significant increases compared to the previous year, with the biggest advance for the 18-24 age category.
- 18-24 year olds – spent over €1.83 million, +98% compared to BF 2020
- 25-34 years – spent over €4.9 million, 46% more than BF 2020
- 35-44 years – spent over €3.5 million, 46% more than last year’s BF
- 45-54 years – spent over €1.2 million, 59% more than BF 2020
- 55-64 years – spent over €195,000, up 41% on 2020
Top merchants by age category
2020:
- 18 – 24 years: Emag.ro, Altex, PC Garage, Mega Image, OMV
- 25 – 34 years old: Emag.ro, Altex, Mega Image, FashionDays, Lidl
- 35-44 years: Emag.ro, Altex, Mega Image, Lidl, FashionDays
- 45-54 years: Emag.ro, Altex, Lidl, Mega Image, Kaufland
- 55-64 years: Emag.ro, Lidl, Kaufland, Mega Image, Altex
- 65 – 74 years old: Emag.ro, Lidl, Mega Image, Kaufland, Carrefour
2021:
- 18 – 24 years old: Emag.ro, Altex, Lidl, OMV, Mega Image
- 25 – 34 years: Emag.ro, Altex, Lidl, Mega Image, OMV
- 35-44 years: Emag.ro, Altex, Lidl, Mega Image, Aliexpress
- 45-54 years: Emag.ro, Lidl, Altex, Mega Image, Kaufland
- 55-64 years: Emag.ro, Lidl, Kaufland, Mega Image, Carrefour
- 65 – 74 years old: Emag.ro, Lidl, Mega Image, Kaufland, Carrefour
Top cities:
2021: By total amounts spent, which represents about 36% of the total spend recorded through the Revolut Black Friday app, the top cities are as follows:
#1 – Bucharest (82 EUR/ customer)
#2 – Cluj-Napoca (64 EUR/ customer)
#3 – Iasi (63 EUR/ customer)
#4 – Timisoara (70 EUR/ customer)
#5 – Brasov (66 EUR/ customer)
Domestic vs cross-border payments:
- 32% of BF’s total spend and related weekend spend in 2021 is accounted for by foreign purchases (compared to 24% in 2020 and 38% in 2019)
- The total amount of cross-border spend was up 7% in 2021 vs. 2020, the same as in 2020 vs. 2019
- In 2020, Amazon and Aliexpress were the only foreign merchants to enter the top 10 preferred merchants for Revolut super app users.
- In 2021, only Aliexpress remained, with Amazon dropping out of the top 10.