The European online shopping world is changing fast. Three new players are making big moves and taking customers away from traditional stores. Temu has 16.3 million monthly users in Germany alone, while Shein and Turkey’s Trendyol are also growing quickly across Europe.
The Rise of New E-Commerce Giants
Temu’s European Success Story
Temu, owned by Chinese company Pinduoduo, is quickly gaining ground in American and European markets. The platform focuses on selling almost everything at very low prices. Germany is their biggest European market with 16.3 million monthly users.
What makes Temu different? They connect shoppers directly with manufacturers, cutting out middlemen. This helps them offer products at prices that seem too good to be true.
Shein’s Fashion Domination
Shein started as a fast-fashion website but now sells much more. Germany generates the most revenue for Shein in Europe. The company has mastered the art of quick fashion trends at rock-bottom prices.
Their success comes from using data to predict what people want to buy. Then they make small batches quickly and cheaply in China before shipping worldwide.
Trendyol’s European Expansion
Turkey’s Trendyol might be the most interesting story. The company is worth $16.5 billion and started international expansion in Germany in 2021. They now operate in 16 markets and want to reach 12 million international customers by 2025.

In Romania, Trendyol sold 3 million items to 500,000 customers after launching in early 2024. That’s impressive growth for a company many Europeans had never heard of before.
How They’re Changing the Game
Price Competition
These three platforms are forcing European retailers to cut prices. When Temu sells phone cases for $2 and Shein offers dresses for $8, traditional stores struggle to compete.
Speed and Variety
Fast-fashion challengers led by Shein and Temu are changing tactics around price, customer experience and speed. They offer millions of products and use smart shipping to get items to customers quickly.
Mobile-First Shopping
All three companies built their platforms for smartphone users first. This appeals to younger shoppers who prefer browsing and buying on their phones.
Impact on Traditional Retailers
European retailers are feeling the pressure. Temu and Shein are expected to take a bigger share of toy sales in America and Europe during holiday shopping. This means less business for established toy stores and department stores.
Amazon still dominates European e-commerce, but these new players are eating into everyone’s market share. Local retailers are especially vulnerable because they can’t match the low prices.
What This Means for Shoppers
European consumers benefit from more choice and lower prices. However, there are trade-offs:
- Quality concerns: Ultra-low prices often mean lower quality products
- Delivery times: Items from China can take weeks to arrive
- Returns: Sending products back can be complicated and expensive
- Environmental impact: Cheap products and long shipping distances aren’t eco-friendly

The Future of European E-Commerce
Growth rates for Shein and Temu are expected to drop in 2025, according to research firm Forrester. But they’ve already changed European shopping habits permanently.
Trendyol aims to become the leading e-commerce platform in its target regions, which could mean more competition ahead.
Traditional European retailers must adapt or risk losing more customers. Some are cutting prices, others are focusing on faster delivery or better customer service.
The battle for European online shoppers is just getting started. While established players like Amazon still lead, these three newcomers have proven that smart strategy and low prices can win customers quickly. European consumers are the real winners, enjoying more choice and better deals than ever before.