Christmas shopping is moving online this year. Thus, according to a Happy Advertising report, online stores expect a 50% increase in orders in December 2023 compared to December last year. The largest online order is recorded in the gifts segment, valued at 7,000-10,000 lei.
2023 is the year in which most Romanians make purchases for the winter holidays. Most orders are registered in the gift, food, fashion, pharma, travel, and rent-a-car segments.
In terms of product type, imported food products, Spanish ham, and French cheeses and wines are in high demand this year, with demand increasing 15-20 times in December compared to a normal month. Also, gift shops see 2-3x increases over a typical month. In total, the average value of the basket for Christmas is 1,500 lei.
“We observe from year to year an increase in online shopping in general, but especially for the winter holidays, in 2023 the growth is exponential, of 50%, regarding the specific purchases for the holiday period. By far, most online orders are in the gift segment, both for Secret Santa events in companies and for family and acquaintances. There is also a very large growth in the food area, with Romanians increasingly preferring to buy food online, thus replacing going to the supermarket. A big increase is also felt in pharma, as the number of online orders for medicines is increasing in December”, explains Florin Pețu, Partner Happy Advertising.
To increase the value of online orders during this period, online stores allocated marketing budgets and 5 times higher than in a normal period. The most promoted products during this period are gift baskets, holidays, traditional food or drinks, especially through Google Ads, Google Search and Google Display.
“The month of December is one of the most effervescent periods in digital marketing activity, with major investments in performance campaigns, in which products specific to the winter holidays are promoted very intensively. Carefully planned campaigns increase both brand visibility and especially sales. In this period, efficiency becomes the watchword, and measurable results turn data into concrete performance”, says Alex Filoti, founder of Happy Advertising.
