Over Three-Quarters Of Amazon Products Replicated On Temu

• More than three-quarters of Amazon products (77%) can be found replicated on Temu, with a discount of 40% on average, according to research from ecommerce marketing platform, Omnisend
• Many Temu products intentionally resemble well-known brands, often with blurred logos or modified packaging, with one in ten being identical products
• Savvy shoppers may also notice that 65% of products on Temu are discounted compared to 47% on Amazon
• Temu’s strongest category is fashion and beauty, where it has dupes for 94% of Amazon products, but the least-matched category is food and drink
• Despite the significant savings on offer, trust issues persist and the report sheds light on concerns around brand imitations and suspicious reviews

Over three-quarters of products for sale on Amazon (77%) are being replicated on Chinese marketplace Temu, according to a new study by the ecommerce marketing platform, Omnisend.

Despite the similarities in products, pricing is wildly different. Nearly two-thirds of products on Temu are discounted, compared to 47% on Amazon.

Customers opting for a Temu dupe will see a discount of 40% on average - a saving of £10.50 per product. Interestingly, despite the vast majority being dupes of items for sale on Amazon, one in ten are identical products, highlighting the amount of crossover between the different ecommerce sites.

In terms of product categories, fashion and beauty is the area with the largest amount of replicated products, with 94% of products on Amazon having a Temu dupe. Many of the  manufacturers on Temu produce products for bigger brands, so they have the know-how to create similar-looking or functioning products at cheaper prices.

In response to rising competition from Chinese marketplaces such as Temu and Shein, Amazon has launched “Amazon Haul” in the US — a branch of the ecommerce giant focused on low-cost fashion and lifestyle products. Retail analysts believe that it will only be a matter of time before it reaches the UK.

The issue of trust

Only 8% of British consumers believe that Temu is a trustworthy place to shop. Omnisend researchers went digging into the reasons behind this score to see if the concerns were genuine.

One obvious, but somewhat harmless reason behind the lack of faith in some of the Chinese marketplaces is that delivery often takes longer than rivals. Amazon prides itself on one-day or even same-day delivery speeds thanks to its Amazon Prime service, whereas Temu can take significantly longer.

Moving to the more striking issues that were uncovered, the first was the sheer number of products that were not simply dupes of products found elsewhere, but examples of well-known items being sold with brand names blurred or removed. The screenshots below highlight products which are clearly intended to rip off brands and deceive consumers.

Examples of replicated and blurred copies 

Furthermore, while conducting the research, Omnisend researchers observed disappearing reviews and instances of poorly reviewed products being removed and reuploaded, suggesting potential review manipulation. 

Amazon maintains a major trust advantage, with products averaging 50,000 reviews per listing compared to just 1,500 on Temu. 

Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend, comments: “There’s no escaping the fact that if you are willing to forfeit a brand name, you can save a lot of money and have an almost identical product. 

“Amazon has been able to distinguish itself from popular Chinese marketplaces by pushing its messaging on quality, good customer service and competitive pricing. However, we found that three quarters of products are replicable and one in ten are exactly the same, despite variations in price. 

“Temu is very good at jumping on viral products. Once a product gains popularity online, it may reverse-engineer it, using cheaper materials, and quickly push out look-alikes.

“The drawback is how trustworthy Temu is. Putting aside media reports that have raised concerns about the company's extensive access to users’ devices, we found clear examples of disappearing reviews and irregularities in products being uploaded.

“The economic challenges affecting households push Brits to keep value for money as a priority when shopping, and I expect this to continue.

“For most online retailers, competing on price with large brands and discount-heavy marketplaces isn’t viable. Businesses that want to grow despite economic headwinds will need to find ways to distinguish themselves when it comes to customer service, unique products and clever marketing."

Omnisend put their findings to Temu and a spokesperson responded, stating: “We do not take down product listings because they have negative reviews. Reviews do not factor into deactivation of a product listing.

“Negative reviews are retained as long as they align with our Review and Community Guidelines. Even in cases where a product listing is temporarily deactivated and later relisted, all reviews remain visible and unchanged.”

When presented with specific examples of potential review manipulation, Temu removed one of the products as a ‘precautionary measure’.

Recommendations for British Businesses

As the ecommerce landscape shifts due to Temu’s pricing tactics and Amazon looks likely to respond with even stronger discounts, smaller online businesses must adapt to remain competitive. Greg Zakowicz offers these key recommendations for SMBs looking to navigate this changing market:

Leverage brand trust and authenticity - Shoppers may be attracted to low-cost options, but trust and brand loyalty remain strong differentiators. Focus on transparency, high-quality product descriptions, and capture customer reviews to build credibility.

Optimise pricing strategies - While competing purely on price with Temu or Amazon may not be feasible, offering value-driven bundles, personalised promotions, and limited-time discounts can help attract and retain customers.

Strengthen customer retention efforts - Loyalty programs, email marketing, and post-purchase engagement can encourage repeat business and reduce the impact of price-driven competitors.

Diversify sales channels - Explore selling on alternative marketplaces like Etsy, Walmart Marketplace, or direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms like Shopify to reduce dependence on Amazon or risk losing customers to Temu.

Emphasise fast and reliable shipping - Consumers often prioritise convenience over price. Offering faster shipping options or better customer service than low-cost competitors can give SMBs an advantage.

Source : Omnisend

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