73% of Canadians Shop on Chinese Marketplaces as Number of Weekly Shoppers on Temu Surge by 40% in Two Years

A new survey from ecommerce marketing platform Omnisend finds that Chinese marketplaces have already become a regular part of Canadians’ shopping routines – not just occasional bargain destinations.

According to the latest data, 73% of Canadians report shopping on at least one Chinese marketplace, such as Temu, Shein, or AliExpress in the past year. More Canadians are using these platforms, and they’re shopping on them more often.

Temu continues to lead the surge:

• 56.5% of Canadians shopped on Temu in 2026 (up from 51.9% in 2025 and 39.3% in 2024)
  
• 29.1% shop on Temu at least monthly (up from 25.7% in 2025 and 20.5% in 2024)
  
• 10% shop on Temu at least weekly (up from 6.5% in 2024)

Shein is also gaining ground:

• Shein: 40.9% annual usage in 2026 (up from 37.8% in 2025 and 34.7% in 2024)

“These marketplaces are no longer occasional discount options – they’re becoming embedded in everyday shopping behavior,” said Marty Bauer, ecommerce expert at Omnisend. “The biggest shift isn’t just how many Canadians have tried them. It’s how often they’re returning on a monthly and weekly basis.”

Most Canadians shop at Chinese platforms once every few months, but the weekly usage is growing

While annual usage shows broad adoption, weekly shopping highlights how deeply these platforms are integrating into consumer habits.

Between 2024 and 2026:

• Temu weekly shopping rose from 6.5% to 10%
  
• Shein weekly usage increased from 6.5% to 7.4%

Most Canadians still shop on these platforms ‘every few months’ – but even that group is growing. For Temu, this frequency grew from 8.4% in 2024 to 13.5% in 2026. Shein increased from 7.8% to 10.1%.

“What we’re seeing is habit formation,” Bauer said. “Consumers might start with occasional purchases, but over time these platforms are becoming part of their default shopping rotation.”

What this means for Canadian retailers

The steady increase in monthly and weekly usage signals intensifying competition for local ecommerce brands.

“Chinese marketplaces compete aggressively on price and assortment,” Bauer said. “But Canadian retailers still have strong competitive levers – faster domestic shipping, easier returns, localized customer support, and brand trust.”

Bauer recommends ecommerce brands focus on:

• Clear delivery timelines and transparent return policies
  
• Strong post-purchase communication via email and SMS
  
• Loyalty programs that reward repeat purchases
  
• Personalization that improves the overall shopping experience

“When shoppers are splitting their budgets across more platforms, retention becomes critical,” Bauer added. “Brands that build direct relationships with customers – instead of relying solely on paid acquisition – will be in a stronger position long term.”