If a parcel ordered during Black Friday is delayed or never arrives, you do not have to wait indefinitely or resolve the problem with the courier company on your own. Online retailers are required to respect the agreed delivery deadline. If they fail to do so, consumers can request delivery within an additional period or, under the conditions established by law, terminate the contract and recover their money.

In Bucharest, shoppers can choose between home delivery, parcel lockers and collection points. However, the Black Friday shopping rush can lead to longer delivery times than usual. Romania's National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has issued specific recommendations for Black Friday 2026, drawing attention to delivery deadlines, transport conditions and scams involving fake courier notifications.

What to check before placing a Black Friday order

A discounted price is not the only detail worth checking. If you need a product by a particular date, look carefully at the delivery estimate before completing your purchase. During periods of high demand, retailers may announce longer processing and shipping times.

ANCOM also recommends checking the available delivery options, whether to your home, a collection point or a parcel locker. For people living in Bucharest who cannot be home during working hours, automated parcel lockers may be a convenient alternative. However, choosing a locker does not necessarily guarantee faster delivery.

It is also worth checking who is actually selling the product. On marketplace platforms, the seller may be a different company from the one operating the website. Knowing the seller's identity is essential if something goes wrong and you need to file a complaint.

Before paying, save your order confirmation and delivery details. A screenshot showing the promised delivery date, price and retailer's information may prove useful if a dispute arises.

Bucharest residents also have access to various delivery services, but grocery and food delivery platforms should not be confused with the courier companies responsible for transporting parcels purchased from online retailers.

How long can delivery take? What Romanian law says about the 30-day rule

Under Article 18 of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014, if the seller and buyer have not agreed on a different delivery period, the goods must be delivered without undue delay and no later than 30 days after the contract is concluded.

This does not mean that every Black Friday order automatically has a 30-day delivery deadline. If the retailer and consumer have agreed on another date, that deadline must be respected. The general 30-day rule applies when no different delivery period has been agreed.

For example, if a retailer confirms that a product will arrive by November 12 and it does not, the customer can request an explanation and ask the seller to fulfil its delivery obligation. There is no need to wait until 30 days have passed simply because that period appears in the legislation.

Normally, when a retailer fails to deliver on time, the consumer must grant an additional reasonable period for delivery, appropriate to the circumstances. If the seller still fails to deliver, the consumer may terminate the contract.

There are exceptions. If the seller refuses to deliver, or if delivery by a specific date was essential under the conditions established by law, the buyer may be entitled to terminate the contract without granting an additional period.

The legal basis is Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014, Article 18, available on Romania's official legislative portal.

What if your parcel is marked as delivered but you have received nothing?

This is one of the most frustrating situations for online shoppers. The courier's tracking system shows that the parcel has been delivered, but the customer has not received it. In other cases, tracking information stops updating for several days.

The first step is to check delivery notifications, the shipping address and any information about redirection to a collection point. If the parcel cannot be located, contact the online retailer and request an investigation.

ANCOM explains that when a product ordered online is lost, damaged or delivered late, the retailer is generally responsible to the buyer. The retailer may subsequently seek explanations or compensation from the courier company it hired.

This principle is also supported by Article 20 of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014. In the usual situation where the retailer arranges transportation, the risk of loss or damage passes to the consumer when the consumer, or a third party designated by them, takes physical possession of the goods.

An exception applies when the consumer independently commissions a carrier that was not offered as a delivery option by the retailer.

Therefore, a tracking status marked "delivered" does not automatically mean that the seller has fulfilled all its obligations. If you have not received the product, ask the retailer for proof of delivery and a resolution.

Official guidance is available in ANCOM's information page on online order deliveries.

When can you request a refund, and how quickly must the money be returned?

If a retailer fails to deliver within the agreed period and does not fulfil the order within the additional deadline granted by the consumer, the buyer may terminate the contract under Article 18 of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014.

In this situation, the law requires the retailer to reimburse the amounts paid without undue delay and within seven days of being informed of the decision to terminate the contract.

This is different from the 14-day right of withdrawal that generally applies to online purchases. The withdrawal period concerns a consumer's right to cancel a distance contract under the conditions established by law, usually after receiving the goods. It should not be confused with the procedure for products that have never been delivered.

If a retailer cancels an order unilaterally, the situation must be assessed according to when the contract was concluded, the agreed terms and the reason for cancellation. Simply placing an order does not necessarily mean that the retailer has already accepted it.

If you have paid for a product and the retailer fails to provide a satisfactory solution, keep your payment confirmation and all correspondence. These documents may be useful when submitting a formal complaint.

Where to complain if your Black Friday order never arrives

If you ordered from a retailer based in Romania and cannot resolve the problem directly, you can file a complaint with the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC).

ANPC provides an online platform for consumer complaints. You will need to provide your personal details, information about the retailer and a description of the problem. Supporting documents can also be attached.

If the seller is established in another European Union member state, you may seek assistance from the European Consumer Centre Romania.

ANCOM can investigate violations of legislation governing postal services, but it cannot automatically require a courier company to repeat a delivery free of charge or pay compensation for an online purchase.

This is why identifying the nature of the problem matters. If a product purchased from an online retailer has not arrived, your first point of contact should normally be the seller. ANCOM has separate supervisory and enforcement responsibilities concerning postal services.

Beware of fake courier messages during Black Friday

During the online shopping season, a text message claiming that your delivery address is incomplete may appear perfectly believable. So can a notification asking you to pay an additional fee to release a parcel.

ANCOM warns that such messages may be fraudulent. Scammers impersonate courier companies and send links to websites designed to collect personal information or banking details.

If you receive a suspicious message, check the shipment directly through the courier company's official website or app. Avoid entering card details on pages accessed through unexpected links, and do not pay an additional delivery fee without verifying the request.

For cash-on-delivery shipments, ANCOM recommends checking whether you or someone in your household actually placed the order before paying.

These recommendations are included in ANCOM's Black Friday 2026 consumer guidance.

Home delivery or parcel lockers in Bucharest: Which is better in November?

For Bucharest residents who work late or cannot wait at home for a courier, parcel lockers and collection points offer greater flexibility. Customers can collect their parcels during the period permitted by the operator, without having to arrange a face-to-face handover.

However, choosing a parcel locker does not eliminate the possibility of delays. Available compartments, parcel dimensions and the operator's processing capacity can all affect delivery. Collection deadlines also vary depending on the courier and service, so customers should check the notification they receive.

If you have ordered a television, refrigerator or piece of furniture, review the transport conditions carefully. ANCOM recommends checking whether bulky goods will be delivered to your apartment door or only to a designated location. Goods weighing more than 31.5 kilograms fall outside the legal category of postal services.

When receiving a parcel, inspect the packaging. If you notice visible damage, you can ask for it to be documented or refuse the delivery. If the product inside is damaged, notify the retailer and keep relevant photographs and documents.

Black Friday can offer worthwhile discounts, but it can also bring delivery deadlines that differ from those normally advertised. For shoppers in Bucharest, the most useful precaution is to check the conditions before paying and keep proof of the order.

And if the product never arrives, Romanian consumer protection law provides concrete remedies. A retailer cannot necessarily discharge its obligations simply by saying that it handed the parcel to a courier. Its responsibility must be assessed according to the agreed contract terms and whether the goods were actually delivered.