Reveal Marketing Research Study: 1 in 2 Romanians made purchases in the last month, driven by advertisements

Reveal Market Resources, study no. 198

The latest study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research provides a detailed picture  of how online advertisements and shopping influence the consumption behavior of Romanians.

• 46% of Romanians say they have been influenced by ads and have made purchases as a result of them in the last month.
• At the national level, TV ads dominate in terms of influence (41%), but for the 18–35 year old segment, ads on Tik Tok become the most relevant (26% vs. 12% at the national level).
• Ads influence purchases the most in the categories: personal care (29%), food and beverages (27%) and clothing/footwear (23%).
• 9 out of 10 Romanians have had unpleasant experiences with online stores (at least once), and 57% of them have decided not to buy from that store later.

Romanians are receptive to advertising – 46% of them have made purchases in the last month as a result of advertisements

According to the latest study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research, 46% of Romanians say they have been influenced by ads and have made purchases as a result of them in the last month, a significantly more frequent behavior among young people between 18 and 24 years old (60%).

In the top of purchases influenced by advertisements are personal care products (29%), followed by food and beverages (27%) and clothes/shoes (23%).

In addition, preferences differ by gender, with men being more influenced by food and beverage (33%) and electronics (18% vs. 12% total sample) ads, while women react more to personal care ads (39%).

With regard to Communication channels, TV commercials dominate in influence (41%) in particular for mature persons aged 45 to 55 (47%) and those over 55 years of age (63%). On the other hand, in the case of the 18–35 age group, ads on Tik Tok are significantly more relevant (26% vs. 12% at national level).

The most attractive elements of an advertisement that leads to the purchase are Price or discount (37%) – especially for people with incomes below 3000 RON (52%) and for those aged 45-55 (47%), image or visual presentation of the product (19%) and The real need (16%).

“The behavior of consumers in Romania shows a clear maturation: it is no longer just about visibility, but about relevance, trust and experience. Effective advertisements are those that manage to combine visual appeal with a compelling message and a credible offer. Brands that understand these nuances and communicate authentically will have a real competitive advantage,” said Marius Luican, General Manager of Reveal Marketing Research.

9 out of 10 Romanians have had unpleasant experiences with online stores, and 57% of them have decided not to buy from that store afterwards

The online shopping behavior of Romanians confirms the impact of advertisements, the most purchased product categories being clothing (47%) and personal care items  (43%).

The fact that 9 out of 10 Romanians have had unpleasant experiences with online stores at least once, and most of them choose not to order later (57%), to contact the support service (35%) or to leave a negative review (28%), reflects an increased level of demand for digital trade.  In a competitive context, where alternatives are just a click away, consumers quickly sanction any deviation from the promises made.

Among the most common frustrations Romanians face when shopping online are photos that do not reflect the reality of the product (45%), insufficient or erroneous information (34%), hidden costs (32%) and fake reviews (31%).

These results reflect how Romanians adapt their buying habits according to brands’ advertising campaigns , highlighting the importance of quality, price and offers in their purchasing decisions.

 

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About Reveal Marketing Research

Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company, specialized in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for the right decisions and brand positioning. Qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 17 years.

Reveal Market Resources, study no. 198: Reveal Market Resources is a data hub that includes free studies published in order to support the marketing and communication market in Romania.

Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online between 16-24.06.2025 on a representative sample for the universe of people aged 18+, internet users, in urban areas. The sample size was 1024 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence level.