Romcard: e-commerce market saw 38 percent hike in 2012

E- commerce with online payment via Romcard reached EUR 220 million in 2012, up 38 percent compared to the previous year.

“In 2012, e-commerce increased its growth pace. If in 2009, the volume of online payments hiked by 75 percent compared to the previous year, in 2011 the growth was 24 percent, and the same trend was valid also as far as the number of transactions is concerned,” says Andreia Stavarache, sales & marketing manager PayU Romania.

In total there were 4.1 million transactions via Romcard. The average value of transactions saw an 8 percent drop from EUR 58 to EUR 53.

“The dynamic of the transactions in 2012 was interesting. The decline in the value of the average purchase is due to the 60 percent growth in the number of transactions carried out in RON, which normally have a lower value. This shows first of all a diversification in the offer of products as well as a positive evolution in most market segments. At the same time, the adoption of online payment methods has increased among consumers. We believe this trend will maintain this year as well, at the end of which we estimate to reach a volume of EUR 286 million, corresponding to a number of more than 5 million transactions,” says Marin Mitroi, general manager RomCard.

According to PayU, Romanians are more willing to spend on tourism packages and plane tickets (RON 809), software (RON 744), IT&C (RON 541), toya (RON 340), donations (RON 334) and fashion (RON 240).

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The market will be influenced by three major factors in 2013, according to PayU estimations: the entrance of new important players in the industry, the business consolidation in the case of active players due to the improvement of services and marketing campaigns, and the diversification of payment methods.

Otilia Haraga