Temu takes over: Hungarian online shoppers now spend more abroad than at home!

The Chinese giant Temu, together with other foreign e-commerce platforms, now collects more revenue in Hungary than all local webshops combined. Out of every 100 forints spent online, 52 already end up in the coffers of foreign companies.

The Chinese giant Temu, together with other foreign e-commerce platforms, now collects more revenue in Hungary than all local webshops combined. Out of every 100 forints spent online, 52 already end up in the coffers of foreign companies.

More than half of Hungarian bank card spending now flows to international platforms. Temu and similar marketplaces have expanded so rapidly that domestic retailers are struggling to keep up. According to a report by BiztosDöntés.hu, this marks the first time that Hungarians spend more abroad than at home.

Hungarian webshops under pressure

The latest statistics highlight the gap. The number of foreign online purchases jumped by nearly 30 percent in a single year, reaching more than 49 million transactions. Domestic webshops also grew, but at a much slower pace: between April and June, Hungarians made 54.2 million card payments at local online stores, just 4.7 percent more than a year earlier.

Major players on the Hungarian market include eMAG, MediaMarkt, Alza.hu, Libri and Tesco’s online shop. These sites still serve millions of customers, and many shoppers appreciate the faster delivery or the option of in-store pickup. Yet their advantage is slowly eroding, as they find it increasingly hard to compete with the aggressive pricing of global giants like Temu.

How Temu keeps shoppers coming back

The success of foreign platforms also lies in their marketing innovations. Temu, for instance, offers a layered coupon system where every purchase unlocks further discounts. Time-limited deals encourage quick decisions, while refunds such as free shipping credits make buyers feel as though every click brings a reward.

While none of these tools are entirely new in online retail, the sheer scale and frequency of Temu’s promotions are unique – and they clearly boost shopping appetite. Shoppers not only order more often, but also spend larger amounts, which shows up in the statistics.

Shopping baskets abroad keep getting pricier

The trend is visible not just in the number of purchases but also in their value. At Hungarian webshops, the average shopping cart grew by around 11 percent over the past year, to 18,745 forints. On foreign platforms, however, the average order jumped to 22,639 forints – nearly one-third higher than before. That means a typical purchase abroad now costs about one-fifth more than one made on a domestic site.

According to Visa, 84 percent of Hungarian consumers now prefer to pay by card or smartphone, and cash is used less and less.

Looking at the overall turnover, the gap is even starker. In the second quarter of this year, the value of foreign online purchases reached 1,111 billion forints, while Hungarian webshops accounted for “only” 1,016 billion. That gives international platforms a nearly 100-billion forint lead.

New rules of the market

Foreign platforms combine rock-bottom prices, constant promotions and ever more convenient services. Hungarian stores find it difficult to adapt, and without fresh ideas, their chances will remain slim. It also says a lot that in everyday conversations, the name Temu now comes up more often than any domestic webshop: a sign of how dramatically the market has changed.

Read also:

• Temu’s Hungarian delivery crisis: Orders missing, customers losing patience

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