Recently, according to user behavior data from the When U Buy app, the rapid growth of Temu, Shein, and AliExpress has not weakened the market position of Polish local sellers. Instead, it has boosted overall online shopping demand.
Analysis shows that consumers using Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress have also increased their shopping frequency on European platforms such as Allegro and Zalando, forming a “multi-platform merger” consumption pattern.
Driven by new technologies, fierce competition, and the continuous expansion of Chinese platforms, Polish consumers’ shopping habits have undergone significant changes. These include higher shopping frequency, increased delivery demands, and greater sensitivity to prices and product reviews.
Data shows that over the past 12 months, the average online spending per user was 4,156 złoty, with an average of 27 orders per person per year and an average order value of 153 złoty.
The study points out that users of Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress have not reduced their shopping in the Polish market. Instead, they place orders more frequently on European e-commerce channels. Compared to consumers who do not use Chinese e-commerce platforms at all, they tend to spend more on Polish e-commerce platforms and are more willing to distribute their spending across different channels. This means that Temu or Shein users are not a lost customer base for Polish local sellers but rather one of the most active and diversified consumer types.
In terms of category preferences, fashion items account for the highest proportion (20%) in female consumers’ shopping carts, with an average annual spending of 2,916 złoty per person. Male consumers’ spending is mainly concentrated in categories such as “supermarkets,” “home goods,” and “electronics,” with electronic spending maintaining similar annual levels between men and women. In terms of payment methods, BLIK remains the preferred payment tool for Polish users, with usage rates of 26% among women and 24% among men. Additionally, card payments are more popular among men, accounting for 23%, significantly higher than the 16% among women.
Overall, the expansion of Chinese e-commerce platforms has not diverted Polish e-commerce spending but has instead increased users’ overall shopping activity. The challenge for Polish local sellers is not customer loss but how to enhance the shopping experience and attract consumers to continue placing orders on local channels in a multi-platform competitive environment.
