MerchantPro: 72 pct. increase in the value of orders placed on online stores in 2021

The change in the consumption behaviour of Romanians and its accentuated digitalization are reflected in the year-round figures registered by the +1500 stores active on the MerchantPro platform, a provider of SaaS solutions for eCommerce. 2021 brought an increase of 72% in the value of placed orders, respectively 48% in their number. December also saw significant increases in the average shopping cart, which increased by almost 30% compared to the previous year. Year-on-year growth was 18%.

December marked the end of a year of steady growth in Romanian online, with stores created on the MerchantPro platform registering a growth almost as spectacular as in 2020. So, if at the level of December 2020, the increase in the value of orders of was 99% YoY, in December 2021 it was 75% compared to the previous year, MerchantPro data show.

The most valuable order placed in December was over 60,000 euros, representing investments in specialized equipment from HoReCa. From the perspective of the number of products, the most diversified order had 300 products from the food & beverages segment. The most active day in terms of orders was Monday, December 13, when more than 15,000 orders were placed. For the whole month, the increase in the average value of the shopping cart was 27% YoY, while the 2021 average was + 18% compared to 2020

Bucharest, Constanța, Cluj-Napoca, Iași and Timișoara were among the most dynamic cities in terms of the number of placed orders, and most orders were placed on stores in the IT & electronics segment (+ 214%). There was also a positive trend in the stores in the fashion, sports, and home & deco segments.

Read more about

MerchantPro Compass: The eCommerce market grows slow but steady

read more

We note a consolidation in consumer behaviour, which confirms the estimates made at the beginning of 2021. The constant positive evolution at the level of the year was maintained, and December was similar to the previous year. The most intense order period was in the middle of the month, unlike the years before the pandemic, when it was in early December, as a result of the flexibility and implementation by stores of multiple delivery and payment solutions and streamlining the operational flow, aspects that most online stores have worked on in 2021, said Arthur Rădulescu, CEO of MerchantPro.

These were also the most active segments at the quarterly level, with notable increases in the value and number of orders, but also in the average shopping cart. Thus, during the analysed period, the average basket on the IT & electronics segment increased by 87%, respectively by 32% in home & deco segment.

The most dynamic segments in 2021

In 2021, one of the most important increases was registered in the IT & electronics segment, where there was a 58% increase in the number of YoY orders, and a 50% increase in the value of the average basket.

An accelerated positive dynamic is maintained at the level of the home & deco segment, with increases of 41% in the number of orders, 89% in their value, respectively an increase of 34% in value of the average basket, in 2021. During the analysed period, significant evolutions were registered at the level of the stores on the Merchant Pro platform and on the beauty segment – + 52% number of orders, respectively + 37% in their value -, sports – + 27% number of orders, respectively + 36% in their value – and fashion – + 18% the number of orders, respectively + 23% their value.

The adoption of online among local retailers, who have massively integrated this channel into their sales strategy, has also been seen in growth in certain segments, such as handicrafts, art & painting, jewellery – where growth has been spectacular in 2021. These businesses, which were active before the pandemic, mainly offline, took advantage of the rapid transition to online and managed to move their customers in this segment, offering them efficient payment, delivery and return solutions, explained Arthur Rădulescu.

2022, the year of efficiency and differentiation in the market

The trends for this year show that the number of stores that will have an online presence will continue the upward trend, with a temperate dynamic of 15-20%. For existing players in the market, if 2021 was the year of consolidation of the position, when most stores managed to stabilize their product portfolio and order flow and harmonize them with marketing strategies, 2022 is shaping up to be a year in which online stores will aim to streamline flows and identify technologies that will differentiate them.

From the integration of cross-selling applications, to recurring orders, multi-store or marketplace integrations, various payment methods and access to the national network of lockers for deliveries – the interest for them is growing in the case of stores with a length of 1-2 years on the market. Online stores that have already integrated all these functionalities are moving towards an increasingly complex operational flow efficiency, which is why one of the focus points for us was to expand the integration area with ERP and WMS systems, in the MerchantPro platform being available over 10 such systems, already integrated. Next, the personalized experience that online merchants manage to offer to their customers will be extremely important. In an increasingly dynamic market and with a growing number of players, differentiation is essential, said Arthur Rădulescu.