In Europe, Temu is synonymous with cheap goods – but that's exactly the image its parent company Pinduoduo now wants to shed. In this episode, Ingrid talks to China expert Ed Sander about Xinpinmu, a new private-label division with a planned investment of 100 billion yuan over three years. They discuss why Pinduoduo is hitting growth ceilings both internationally and in its home market in China, how the model differs from Amazon Basics, and why a room full of European tool manufacturers visibly flinched at Ed's warning about Temu's competition. This episode is part one of a two-parter – part two next week covers quick commerce in China. Essential listening for anyone tracking European supply chains and marketplace strategy.

Note from our sponsors: Marketplace Universe Webinars in Fall 2026

Four free webinars with our partners to sharpen your marketplace know-how this fall:

• September 17: Deep Dive TikTok Shop for Brands – with Max Burianek (Head of TikTok Shop Germany) and Florian Bein (Co-Founder, Bedrop). How to tap into a network reaching 200 million people across Europe every month, in time for peak season. → Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3017834950141/WN_dqKfxbW4RjCETT-iT9sHPA
• September 29: Kaufland Global Marketplace across Europe – with Doreen Schumm (Head of Marketplace Sales, Kaufland) and Etienne Sahin. The expansion across nine countries, from both a platform and a seller perspective. → Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/8817834176445/WN_05pP6JTyRZe1HIQV6d9o2g#/registration
• October 13: Marketplace Seller Trends with ChannelEngine – with Valerie Dichtl and Jorrit Steinz (CEO & Founder, ChannelEngine). The findings from the 2025 Marketplace Shopping Behavior Report. → Register here: https://www.channelengine.com/en/blog/marketplace-seller-insights-and-trends-webinar?utm_campaign=Marketplace-Seller-Report_Sep-Dec_2026&utm_source=Marketplace%20Universe%20SRL&utm_medium=referral_partner&utm_content=webinar
• October 27: CEE markets with BASE – the follow-up to last year's hugely successful session, this time going even deeper into how to successfully expand into this highly interesting but highly competitive market. → Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/5317845621934/WN_Ie4XIW_xSu653-xOlmSRKA#/

All dates also at marketplace-universe.com/webinars

Ten years after the Brexit referendum: what did leaving the EU actually do to British e-commerce? The surprising answer from Chloë Thomas – someone who has worked in every conceivable corner of UK online retail for over 20 years, from the agency side to the client side – is that hardly anyone noticed.

Cross-border trade has admittedly become noticeably more complex since Brexit – customs, VAT, new returns logistics. Yet the already extremely domestic-focused British market has barely changed: under 8% of GMV goes abroad, and Amazon still holds around 80% of marketplace sales. The real structural shift is happening elsewhere – established retailers like John Lewis, Next, B&Q, Argos and OnBuy are becoming marketplaces themselves to find additional growth at home.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone weighing up whether the UK is still worth it – and if so, what actually matters when you get there.