Contents
What?
Chinese e-commerce platforms offering cheap parcels from Asia are gaining popularity in Poland. This increased interest stems from attractive prices and ease of purchase. However, this trend also presents a number of challenges for both consumers and sellers.
Why?
Chinese platforms like AliExpress and Wish offer products at significantly lower prices than local online stores. This can lead to an uneven playing field, with domestic sellers unable to compete with the prices offered by foreign platforms. Furthermore, changing EU regulations may soon impact this sales model.
Who is it for?
Online store owners, e-commerce managers, companies engaged in international trade, and consumers using Chinese e-commerce platforms.
Background:
In recent years, Chinese e-commerce platforms such as AliExpress have gained popularity in Poland, offering products at incredibly low prices. Entrepreneurs running online stores in Poland face challenges related to foreign competition. Prices offered by Chinese suppliers are often unrealistically low compared to those in Polish stores, which can lead to difficulties in maintaining the profitability of local stores. However, thanks to upcoming changes in EU regulations, this may change.
Chinese e-commerce platforms in Poland – cheap parcels, costly asymmetry and the upcoming shift in EU law
Chinese e-commerce platforms like AliExpress, Wish, and Gearbest are gaining popularity in Poland, offering affordable parcels from Asia. Although they attract millions of consumers with attractive prices, their growth poses a number of challenges for local sellers, and changes in EU regulations could alter the current dynamics. It's worth examining how the presence of Chinese platforms is shaping the Polish market and what changes may soon come.
The growing dominance of Chinese e-commerce platforms in Poland
In Poland, we're seeing a dynamic increase in interest in Chinese e-commerce platforms. AliExpress, Wish, Gearbest, and other Chinese online stores dominate the online shopping market, particularly in electronics, clothing, accessories, and everyday products. Year after year, more and more Poles use these platforms, taking advantage of their attractive prices and wide selection.
In 2021, Chinese platforms achieved record sales in Poland. Data shows that over 50% of Polish consumers chose to shop on platforms like AliExpress and Wish. The popularity of Chinese platforms is growing year on year, as the table below shows.
| Platform | 2020 | 2021 | Percentage increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| AliExpress | 40% | 50% | 25% |
| Wish | 25% | 30% | 20% |
| Gearbest | 12% | 15% | 25% |
Product quality issues and delays
Although Chinese platforms offer very attractive prices, they pose a number of challenges for consumers. One of the main concerns is product quality. Many people who buy on Chinese platforms struggle with low-quality goods that fail to meet expectations. It often happens that the product ordered differs from the one presented in the offer. For example, in the case of electronics, complaints related to damage during transport, discrepancies in description, or lack of warranty are common issues.
The biggest challenges facing Chinese e-commerce platforms:
- Product quality problems – Low-quality goods that often do not meet consumer expectations.
- Delivery Delays – Average waiting time for shipments is 10 to 30 business days.
- High shipping costs – Although the product price is low, shipping often involves additional costs.
- Lack of product warranties – Lack of transparency and control over products that often do not have European warranty standards.
Legislative changes – how will they affect Chinese platforms in Poland?
In response to the growing dominance of Chinese platforms, the European Union has decided to introduce new regulations governing trade with non-EU countries. These changes include new VAT rules for shipments from China, which could impact product prices on Chinese e-commerce platforms.
As of July 1, 2021, all parcels from China, regardless of value, are subject to VAT, which aims to level the playing field between sellers from outside the EU and those within. Furthermore, changing customs regulations may lead to higher shipping costs as parcels will have to undergo additional customs checks.
Potential impact on prices due to new regulations
As a result of these changes, Chinese platforms can expect price increases. Below are the projected changes in the cost of purchasing popular products on Chinese platforms in 2022:
| Product | Before regulations | After the regulations | Percentage increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone call from China | 1000 PLN | 1200 PLN | 20% |
| Clothes | 150 PLN | 180 PLN | 20% |
| Computer accessories | 80 PLN | 95 PLN | 18,75% |
The future of Chinese e-commerce platforms in Poland
Although Chinese platforms will continue to have a significant impact on the Polish e-commerce market, legislative changes and growing competition from Polish sellers may lead to changes in the market structure. The introduction of new regulations could impact product prices and quality, as well as delivery speeds.
The future of Chinese platforms in Poland depends on their ability to adapt to the changing market and how quickly they can adapt their offerings to new regulations. We can expect that Chinese platforms will need to improve the quality of their services and accelerate delivery times to remain competitive in the Polish market.
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Marcin Stadnik
e-commerce advisor
The author is a manager with extensive experience in e-commerce, sales strategy, and content marketing. He is a digital practitioner and consultant with over 15 years of experience in e-commerce projects, sales strategy, and online business development, as well as 25 years of experience in broadly defined distribution (offline and online). He specializes in creating and implementing effective solutions for online stores, supporting companies in developing their digital presence. He co-creates appropriate strategies for e-businesses, conducts audits, and oversees marketing activities—always combining analytical knowledge with market practice. He is the author and co-author of content published on the swiatcyfrowy.pl website—based on his many years of consulting, analytical, and operational experience. The materials created are intended to provide reliable, valuable knowledge that truly supports the development of online businesses. The content here is designed to address the real challenges and needs of companies operating in the e-commerce environment (the digital world).
