Dropshipping In Romania: A Handbook from Experts for Success

Driven by steady eCommerce growth, a rising demand for consumers for competitive pricing, improved logistics infrastructure, and increasing trust in digital payments, Romania has become one of the most attractive emerging markets for dropshipping businesses in Eastern Europe. 

This handbook will provide a practical, expert-led roadmap to start dropshipping in Romania. From legal setup and taxation to product trends, Shopify configuration (one of the most favored by dropshippers in Romania), and CRO practices, you can easily launch and scale your sales. 

Right now, keep scrolling to discover more!

Is Dropshipping in Romania Profitable?

Romania’s eCommerce market has experienced rapid growth, indicating a beneficial context for digital retail models, including dropshipping. By 2025, total online retail revenue is projected to exceed €8 billion, growing at an estimated 8% annually. The Bucharest–Ilfov region alone contributes 64.1% of total online sales, making it the epicenter of Romanian digital commerce.

Notably, according to Statista (2025), fashion leads all online categories, followed closely by: 

• Beauty and personal care

• Consumer electronics

• Home and lifestyle products

You can start your first products belonging to these niches to capture customer interest easier. 

eCommerce revenue by products in Romania from 2023 to 2029 (Statista, 2025)

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Romanians have become more comfortable with online shopping, with a growing share across both local and international platforms. This, combined with the current eCommerce growth, suggests that dropshipping is one of the most profitable niches in Romania.

Another point is that Shopify is a widely used eCommerce platform for Romanian dropshippers, with 11,580 active stores offering a variety of products. Thus, if you're unsure about where to start building a store, Shopify can be an excellent solution.

Selling on Shopify for only $1

Start with 3-day free trial and next 3 months for just $1/month.

Start free trial

Dropshipping Romania Taxes and Other Legal Requirements

Business Registration 

You must register a business entity in Romania. The most common structures to consider: 

• PFA (Authorized Natural Person)

A PFA is often chosen by first-time business or solo founders who want to test the market with minimal setup complexity. It offers a faster registration process and lower administrative costs. You will have their income taxed as personal earnings and be subject to personal liability. 

• SRL (Limited Liability Company)

An SRL is the most common and recommended structure for founders who plan to scale dropshipping in Romania beyond the testing phase. It is a separate legal entity, meaning the full-featured company, not the individual, is responsible for liabilities and contractual obligations.  

From a dropshipping Romania taxe, SRLs operating under the microenterprise model benefit from lower effective tax rates compared to personal income taxation. This becomes especially crucial once ad spend, software subscriptions, logistics, and transaction fees start to increase. 

Verdict: 

• Choose PFA if you are validating a niche, operating solo, and generating low revenue

• Choose SRL if you plan to scale, work with European suppliers, or register for VAT. 

Fiscal Responsibilities 

1. Income Tax/ Corporate Tax

Your income tax obligations depend on the legal structure you choose, whether it’s PFA or SRL.

2. Romanian VAT (TVA)

Romania applies a standard VAT rate of 19%, and VAT obligations are one of the most misunderstood aspects of dropshipping Romania taxe. Therefore, you must register for VAT if:

• Your annual turnover exceeds 300,000 RON, or

• You sell goods cross-border within the EU under OSS/IOSS rules

There are three core VAT considerations for Romanian dropshippers to take a look at: 

• Charging VAT to Romanian customers when applicable

• Applying EU VAT rates for cross-border EU sales under the One Stop Shop (OSS)

• Registering for Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) when shipping low-value goods (€150 or less) from outside the EU

When dropshippers fail to correctly control VAT, they will suffer from delayed deliveries, unexpected customs charges, and long-term risks associated with payment processors.

Tax is one of the core responsibilities that merchants should follow when dropshipping in Romania

3. Invoicing Obligations

Registered businesses are required to issue compliant invoices. Your invoices must include:

• Seller and buyer identification details

• Unique, sequential invoice numbers

• VAT rate and amount (if applicable)

• Transaction date and currency

Both B2C and B2B e-invoices must be reported via the RO e-Factura platform and transmitted to ANAF within five calendar days from 1 January 2025. For Romania dropshippers selling globally, invoices should be bilingual (Romanian + English) to meet local and EU expectations.

4. Payment Processes

Payment processing for dropshipping in Romania has both cost and compliance implications. Currently, Shopify supports Shop Pay in Romania, which helps global merchants reduce transaction fees, improve checkout conversion rates, and minimize currency conversion friction. 

Romania is one of the countries that Shopify supports Shop Pay to help save cost

In contrast, platforms like PayPal and Stripe typically charge around 3% per transaction, with additional fees for cross-border payments, currency conversion, and chargebacks and disputes.
Apparently, these fees can materially impact net margins, especially in high-volume, low-ticket product categories. That’s why you need to consider everything carefully before building your website, choosing a platform that supports its built-in payment in Romania to save expenses. 

5. Accounting

Businesses must maintain proper accounting records during their operations with dropshipping: 

• Monthly bookkeeping

• VAT reporting (monthly or quarterly)

• Corporate tax declarations

• Financial statements

As dropshipping involves high transaction volumes and cross-border complexities, most founders benefit from hiring an accountant experienced in eCommerce and EU VAT compliance. Accurate accounting can boost cash flow forecasting, ad budget allocation, and profit analysis. 

6. EU Tax Compliance Nuance

Here are the essential nuances that you should take note of for your dropshipping in Romania: 

• OSS simplifies VAT reporting but does not eliminate VAT liability

• IOSS registration is essential when importing low-value goods from non-EU suppliers

• Selling through EU-based suppliers often reduces VAT and customs complexity

• Incorrect VAT handling can trigger platform bans or payment account freezes

Dropshipping Product Trends to Sell in Romania

Romanian consumers are value-conscious, digitally savvy, and increasingly influenced by social media trends, thereby making product-market fit essential for sustainable growth. Below are the dropshipping product trends currently showing the strongest traction in Romanian eCommerce. 

1. Fashion and Lifestyle Items

Fashion remains the dominant category in Romania, driven by its high repeat purchase potential and the strong impact of Instagram and TikTok. Apparel, athleisure, accessories, and seasonal fashion items excel when positioned as affordable yet stylish alternatives to Western brands.

2. Tech Accessories and Gadgets

Romanian consumers demonstrate a strong demand for functional, everyday tech products, including phone accessories, charging solutions, and smart home add-ons. While competition is apparently higher, these products benefit from consistent demand and impulse-buy behavior.

3. Health, Beauty & Personal Care

The health and beauty segment has grown steadily as Romanian consumers invest more in personal care and wellness. Skincare tools, grooming devices, and beauty accessories are particularly popular in dropshipping in Romania when presented with trust-building elements.

4. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Goods 

Sustainability is no longer a niche trend in Romania, especially among urban and younger consumers. Reusable household items, eco-friendly personal care products, and low-waste alternatives are gaining visibility across online platforms. However, dropshippers who clearly communicate environmental benefits and values are more likely to build long-term brand trust.  

5. Home and Kitchen Products 

Home and kitchen products perform well due to their broad appeal and practical value. Storage solutions, space-saving tools, and minimalist home accessories are particularly well-suited for dropshipping, as they address everyday problems and are easier to deliver internationally. 

Learn more: 20+ Top Trending Niches in eCommerce [with Statistics] 

6 Steps To Start Dropshipping In Romania on Shopify

Step 1: Choose Your Niche & Validate 

Once you identify promising industries based on the potential trends above, the next step is to narrow down to a focused niche. Broad categories increase competition and dilute messaging, while a well-defined niche can help with more precise positioning in dropshipping in Romania. You can use one of the following tools or combine all to find the best product ideas to kickstart: 

• Google Trends to assess long-term interest and seasonality in Romania

• Facebook Ad Library to analyze active competitors, creative angles, and pricing

• TikTok Creative Center to identify viral product formats and emerging demand. 

Compare the demand of cardigan vs scarf in Romania on Google Trends

Step 2: Choose A Legal Form and Register Your Business

In this case, we have chosen to develop an SRL model for VAT flexibility and supplier credibility. Next, you need to register your business with Romanian authorities, obtain a fiscal code, and determine VAT obligations (immediate or future). Once you have completed legal registration, you can feel freer with the rest, as this step takes a lot of time and effort to follow regulations. 

Step 3: Set up Your Dropshipping Store

As Shopify is a potential e-commerce platform for small businesses and enterprises in Romania, we move forward with designing and optimizing a well-structured dropshipping site with Shopify.

Shopify stands out with a user-friendly dashboard and a wide variety of free templates, making it easy for beginners to get started. Additionally, Summer Edition 2025 has introduced 10 Horizon themes and Shopify SideKicks with AI to help you enable fast and seamless layout ideation. 

Shopify has 150+ built-in updates with Summer Editions 2025, including AI

Despite that, many dropshippers require more advanced design features to meet custom needs. That’s why drop-and-drop page builders for Shopify, like GemPages Landing Page Builder, have been a go-to solution. They are free to install and offer a lot of themes for different niches. 

• 400+ CRO templates and multimedia elements to help design a high-converting layout

• GemAI to create an inspirational layout from images and URLs. 

• Seamless integration with third-party apps to enable a unified operational workflow. 

• GemPages Sales Funnel to drive upselling and cross-selling. 

• Dedicated customer support with experienced experts and various pricing plans. 

Customize your Shopify store pages your way

The powerful page builder lets you craft unique, high-converting store pages. No coding required.

Start for free

Step 4: Select Reliable Suppliers

In this step of dropshipping in Romania, you need to find a suitable supplier that meets your following needs: product niches, production and delivery costs, quality, and custom packaging requirements. Below are three renowned names to consider as a long-term partner in Romania. 

• Syncee includes 12,000+ global suppliers (ideal for EU targeting)

• DSers has a vast network of suppliers for different product catalogs, but longer delivery and VAT complications

• Spocket is a common platform for EU and US suppliers, with faster delivery 

• Shopify Partners is designed for Shopify dropshipping stores, where you can connect Shopify-certified freelancers, suppliers, developers, and partners for different needs. 

Shopify Partner Network include a range of certified experts for different services

Syncee, DSers, and Spocket are available Shopify dropshipping apps that you can add directly to your admin dashboard. It’s also better to work with Local European suppliers to reduce delivery times to Romania and European customers, which is especially crucial for your CRO. 

Learn more: Dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify: A Complete Guide

Step 5: Set Up Finance and Accounting

A proper financial and accounting setup is crucial for the long-term sustainability of your dropshipping store in Romania. There are six things that you need to complete in this step:

#1. Open a business bank account

Once your SRL is registered, you must open a dedicated bank account. It’s essential to look for the following information: RON and EUR account support, low international transfer fees, easy integration with Shopify payment options, and online banking with exportable statements.

Many Romanian dropshippers complement traditional banking with EU-licensed fintech solutions to manage multi-currency wallets, advertising spend, and supplier payouts. If you plan to accept payments via Shopify using a fintech provider or third-party payment method, be aware that this typically requires integration through a third-party app or API. Before committing, evaluate the reliability, compliance level, and quality of support for any app you intend to use.

#2. Choose payment processors

If you choose to work with Shopify, 3 common options can optimize your budget, including Shopify Pay, Stripe, and PayPal. You can select a processor that you desire; however, ensure it works well with your current store (e.g., Shopify and other eCommerce platforms) and clarify: 

• Transaction fees and currency conversion costs

• Payout frequency (daily vs weekly)

• Rolling reserves or holding periods

• Chargeback handling and dispute support

• At least 2 payment options to reduce checkout abandonment. 

Stripe is a widely-used, third-party payment processors by Shopify dropshippers

Learn more: Shopify Payments vs. PayPal: What's Best for You

#3. Invoicing and bookkeeping

Accurate invoicing and bookkeeping are essential legal requirements for any registered business, particularly for dropshipping in Romania, where transaction volumes can grow rapidly. At a minimum, your invoicing system should ensure the four perspectives to run in Romania: 

• Automatically generate invoices for every completed order

• Apply correct VAT treatment (domestic, EU OSS, or IOSS where applicable)

• Support multi-currency transactions (RON and EUR)

• Maintain sequential invoice numbering in compliance with Romanian regulations

Many Shopify merchants integrate invoicing tools that sync directly with orders to reduce manual errors. Proper bookkeeping also enables you to track advertising ROI, product-level profitability, and refund rates, which are critical metrics for scaling your business sustainably.

#4. Hire an accountant 

Your accountant who has experience with: eCommerce and Shopify-based businesses; EU VAT, OSS, and IOSS schemes; and cross-border transactions and payment processors. All of these can help all sellers optimize their tax position legally and avoid VAT misclassification mistakes. 

#5. Cashflow planning

There is a broad range of cash flow elements you need to manage, including: 

• Upfront ad spend versus delayed payment processor payouts

• Supplier payment timing and currency fluctuations

• Refunds, chargebacks, and rolling reserves held by payment processors

• Recurring SaaS costs (themes, apps, CRO tools, subscriptions)

At this stage, cash flow planning should be closely aligned with Shopify revenue optimization. Rather than focusing solely on increasing traffic, many sellers boost profitability by optimizing conversion rates, average order value, and checkout performance. This allows you to generate more revenue from the same traffic and ad spend, minimizing cash pressure during scaling.

Step 6: Market Your Dropshipping Services

Once your store's operations are in place, marketing becomes the primary driver of your dropshipping business in Romania. It can attract traffic, build trust, improve conversion rates, and create sustainable acquisition channels that reduce long-term dependency on paid ads.

Paid acquisition 

While you target to grow with minimized ads, paid advertising remains one of the fastest ways to generate initial traction in dropshipping in Romania. Platforms, like Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok, enable precise targeting based on demographics, interests, and purchasing behavior. However, to maximize results, you need to have a dedicated team and satisfy these aspects: 

• Localize ad creatives and messaging for Romanian audiences

• Highlight fast delivery, transparent pricing, and return policies

• Continuously test creatives, audiences, and offers to control rising CPMs

SEO and Content on Romanian language prompts

SEO strategies should prioritize Romanian-language keywords and search intent, as local consumers often search in their native language when comparing prices or researching items.

• Creating localized product descriptions and category pages

• Publishing informational blog content that addresses buyer questions

• Optimizing technical SEO elements such as page speed and mobile usability

Many Shopify merchants also rely on Shopify SEO apps to manage metadata, structured data, and on-page optimization at scale, rather than solely using the built-in Shopify features. Additionally, let’s refine headings, internal links, image alt text, and content structure to enhance your store’s one-page SEO, which has a significant impact on search rankings and conversions. 

There are 2,300+ SEO apps in the Shopify App Store

Social proof and reviews to increase trust 

Trust is a decisive factor, particularly when purchasing from newer online stores. You need to:

• Display verified customer reviews on product pages

• Showcase user-generated content from social media

• Add trust badges, delivery guarantees, and return assurances

To display these elements, let’s use sections or Shopify social proof apps to automate review collection and display real-time purchase activity, creating a sense of urgency and credibility.

Expert Tips To Succeed with Romanian Dropshipping

#1. Prefer Local Fulfillment and Shopify Localisation 

Local or EU-based fulfillment significantly reduces shipping times, customs friction, and post-purchase dissatisfaction, which directly influence refund rates and customer lifetime value.

For Shopify merchants, fulfillment efficiency also depends on how well orders are processed and tracked. Understanding how to fulfill dropship orders on Shopify enables you to automate order routing, manage supplier workflows, and provide accurate delivery updates to customers. Don’t forget Shopify localization on your store, which includes displaying prices in RON, utilizing Romanian-language content, and tailoring shipping and return messaging to local expectations. 

#2. Ensure Strict VAT & IOSS Compliance

Many customers are increasingly sensitive to unexpected fees at delivery, and non-compliant stores quickly lose credibility. To stay compliant for dropshipping in Romania, you need to: 

• Register for VAT and OSS/IOSS when required

• Clearly communicate tax-inclusive pricing.

• Collaborate with EU-based suppliers to streamline VAT management.

#3. Leverage A/B Testing for Optimization and Refinement  

To succeed with your dropshipping store from the start, utilizing data-driven experimentation to enhance conversion rates, average order value, and checkout completion rates is essential. This means that every design, pricing, and SEO optimization is built from data, not assumptions. 

This is where Gem X: CRO & A/B Testing becomes a critical growth tool for Shopify merchants. As one of the top-rated A/B testing apps on Shopify, Gem X enables you to test key storefront elements, including product page layouts, headlines, and calls to action (CTA) buttons. These tests are effective in identifying what resonates most with your audience and removing frictions.

A significant advantage of Gem X is its seamless integration with Shopify page builders and marketing tools. This helps with experimentation, not only on-page design but also with post-visit engagement strategies, ensuring optimization across the entire customer journey.

Run Smarter A/B Testing for Your Shopify Store

GemX empowers Shopify merchants to test page variations, optimize funnels, and boost revenue lift.

Start Free Trial

#4. Leverage Diverse Organic Channels

Relying exclusively on paid ads increases risk and limits long-term scalability. Sustainable growth is from organic lead generation that consistently drives traffic and leads over time. Besides the marketing practices we mentioned previously, you should combine them effectively: 

• SEO-driven content targeting Romanian search intent

• Social media engagement and community-building

• Email capture through content upgrades and lead magnets

Conclusion

Dropshipping in Romania represents a compelling opportunity for every seller, as Romania’s growing eCommerce adoption, increasing trust in online payments, and strategic position within the EU. However, to win this market, you need to prioritize legal compliance, understand VAT and IOSS obligations, work with EU-based suppliers, and continuously optimize their stores through CRO and A/B tests. Additionally, consider a niche that is potentially less competitive.

Read GemPages blogs to learn more insights about eCommerce, Shopify, and dropshipping!

Not ready to commit but still want to kick the tires?

No problem! Get started with GemPages' free plan. Explore wonderful features that can amaze for your store.

Start for free

FAQs

Does dropshipping work in Romania?

Yes, dropshipping is a viable business model in Romania and continues to grow alongside the expanding e-commerce market. However, success depends on proper VAT compliance, fast delivery times, and providing a localized shopping experience for Romanian customers.

Is Shopify available in Romania?

Yes, Shopify is fully available in Romania and widely used by both local and international merchants. It supports Romanian payment methods, multiple currencies, and integrations with third-party tools for fulfillment, invoicing, SEO, and CRO, making it a strong platform for running a dropshipping business in Romania.

Is $100 enough to start dropshipping?

It is possible to start dropshipping with $100, but the budget comes with limitations. This amount may cover basic store setup and minimal testing, but it is usually not enough for paid advertising, professional tools, or ongoing optimization.

Topics: 

Dropshipping