eMAG, the largest online retailer in Romania, estimates total sales of about EUR 34 million in the Black Friday sales event, on November 21, the company’s representatives announced.

The retailer will have more than 450,000 discounted items in the special offer dedicated to the event. The total discounts on these products amount to EUR 17 million, according to eMAG’s management.

The discounts could be as high as 75% for some of the products and the range of products in the special offer will be the largest ever for the retailer, as it has expanded its product range in the last year with new categories.

The Black Friday sales catalog will include IT products, mobile phones, photo equipment, electronics, white goods, as well as personal care products and cosmetics, books, toys, furniture, auto products and home decorations.

“More than 1,000 people and over 200 suppliers are working on this event. We have made large investments in logistics and IT infrastructure,” said Iulian Stanciu, CEO of eMAG.

eMAG has invested more than EUR 1.5 million in servers and in its online platform to prepare for the large traffic on Black Friday. The products in the Black Friday offer occupy 10,000 sqm of warehouses and 240 people will work 24 hours just to prepare the orders.

The retailer has contracts with the largest courier firms, Fan Courier, Cargus, DPD and TNT, to deliver 150 trucks of goods per day, so as to finish all deliveries in six days.

eMAG was the first large retailer to bring the Black Friday concept in Romania, in 2011. Each year, the event got bigger, as did the company’s sales.

eMAG estimates a 50% turnover increase compared to last year, when its sales were EUR 185 million. The retailer is controlled by South African investment fund Naspers, while Iulian Stanciu, the company’s CEO holds a significant minority stake.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com