The first day of the early Black Friday weekend ended with higher than expected sales for several Romanian retailers. The largest online retailer eMag.ro managed to double its Black Friday sales this year compared to last year.

The retailer sold EUR 22.4 million worth of products on Friday, November 22, which is the day the retailer chose to organize its early Black Friday. "We could have sold more," said Iulian Stanciu (in picture), general manager of eMag.ro.

He said this was probably the most successful Black Friday discount day in Europe, and ''Romania is one of the few countries in the world where people can < celebrate> the Black Friday already so – called <holiday>". He explained the success of the event as a mix between the retailers' wish to put on a sales show, and the media's willingness to fuel this show.

Emag.ro, which sold 1,000 pieces of a tablet which cost RON 99 (some EUR 22), said the company could have sold even 100,000 pieces of the same product, according to Stanciu. The retailer also chose to sell discounted cars on its website this year, and generated sales to several car dealers.

Sister retailer Flanco sold EUR 10 million worth of products on Friday, November 22, and still has stocks for the rest of the weekend, hoping to achieve its target of EUR 18.8 million for this year, according to Violeta Luca, the CEO of retailer Flanco. The retailer already reached 80 percent of its Black Friday 2012 sales in the first day of the event.

editor@romania-insider.com