eBay together with the Romanian Post state company and the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization launched on Tuesday the e-export nation platform, which aims to support the growth of online product exports of Romanian businesses.
Romanian businesses that enroll in this program will be supported to export their products to more than 190 countries, through eBay, considered one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world. Thus, customers from different countries who choose to buy from Romanian merchants can receive their products at optimal costs and in the best delivery time, using the services of the Romanian Post.
“The Romanian online trade is one of the national industries that registers exponential growth from year to year. Between 2018 and 2022, statistics show an increase of more than 80% of this segment, currently reaching a nominal value of more than 6.3 billion euros. We believe that the e-export nation program has a potential catalyst for continuing and even accelerating this growth rate. Also, by opening the market to cross-border e-commerce, we aim to support the growth of the performances of SMEs in Romania and the creation of new income streams for them,” said Sebastian Burduja, the Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitization.
The minister added that the fact eBay is coming to Romania is a dream come true. “We have to keep up the pace we are grateful that you are here, please count on the ministry’s support.”
In his turn, Michael Sokolovsky, Head of Communications & Marketing eBay EMEA emerging markets, who attended the event launch press conference in Bucharest, said that eBay entering the Romanian market “is an initiative that we see growing and developing, this is not only one and done”.
“We want to see more business partners joining. We really believe in the Romanian SMEs’s potential to start exporting,” Sokolovsky underlined.
“Romania is one of the fastest growing countries in our emerging markets portfolio. Through the e-export nation program, we help Romanian SMEs to be visible to the 133 million active buyers that eBay has in 190 markets around the world. We provide them with practical advice to make effective use of export services and opportunities, as well as many other cost-saving benefits. In essence, we show them how they can grow their business and expand globally,” said Michael Sokolovsky added.
“We want to make it easier for Romanian traders to start on the global market through the facilities that the Company offers through this program, so that they can focus more on their entrepreneurial vision and how they can develop their businesses in the long term. This initiative is only a first step in bringing Romanian entrepreneurship among the priorities of the Romanian Post. We believe in the partnership launched today and in the fact that by educating SMEs towards e-commerce we contribute to the stimulation of Romanian production and export”, said Valentin Ștefan, General Manager of the National Company “Poșta Română”.
Stefan argued that the Romanian Post is making its infrastructure available to eBay, as they did with all other existing marketplaces.
“There is no other company in Romania that has the Romanian Post network both internally and externally. There is no courier company in Romania that does not deliver through Romanian Post. All courier companies do not have 100% nationwide coverage and also deliver via the Romanian Post. It is a lesser known thing.Perhaps the largest e-commerce companies in Romania have grown thanks to the Romanian Post. (..) That’s what we do with eBay. They came to Romania, we provide them with our infrastructure, they will develop and we have no doubt that they will become one of the main e-commerce platforms in Romania.”
SMEs can sign up for this program on the website https://export.ebay.com/ro/e-export/ and benefit, among other things, from free listing of products on eBay for the first 3 months, personalized training and reduced rates.
Shipping prices start from 5 euros for small packages and from 10 euros for parcels.
International customers who use Romanian Post for delivery receive a package of benefits: tariff reductions for three categories of services, free pickup, 2-3 day deliveries for EMS (Express Mail Service), reduced costs for large volumes.
The eligibility conditions for SMEs wishing to enroll in e-export nation as well as the list of all the benefits offered by the program partners are available on the platform https://export.ebay.com/ro/e-export/.