Allegro, Poland’s largest online marketplace, plans to enter the Ukrainian market: what we know so far
26 May 14:38
Allegro, Poland’s largest marketplace and online auction site, is beginning a phased expansion of its business in the Ukrainian market. The project is divided into several consecutive phases. The first phase will launch in June and will involve organizing purchases from Polish sellers with direct delivery to Ukraine. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Delo.ua.
Initially, several hundred companies from Poland will participate in the project, after which access to the platform will be opened to a wider range of suppliers.
The next step in the project’s development will be the adaptation of the Allegro.ua domain for Ukrainian sellers. The integration of local businesses with the platform is expected to take place in 2027. A phased launch allows the company to gauge consumer response and avoid operational errors that occurred during previous entries into international markets.
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Technical preparations are currently underway, specialized webinars are being held for partners, and the launch of the “friends and family” pilot program is being prepared. Packages to customers in Ukraine will be delivered by Nova Post, which is also developing its own network of branches in Poland.
Company Position and Expert Opinion
Allegro’s press office confirmed the launch of the new initiative: “We are seeing a clear trend toward the growth of cross-border e-commerce and increasing interest from foreign customers, particularly from Ukraine. To more effectively support our partners in their regional expansion, we are now implementing the first phase of a new delivery method—Allegro International Ukraine.”
Company representatives note that in the initial phase, a limited group of Polish partners will gain access to a market with a capacity of approximately 11.5 million active e-commerce users.
The main competitor for the Polish platform in Ukraine remains the Rozetka marketplace, which has been operating since 2005 and has a well-developed infrastructure. Ukrainian retail market expert Ihor Huhlia notes that the company’s success will depend on its logistics solutions and the uniqueness of its product range. He highlights the specifics of the Ukrainian market, where e-commerce leaders (Rozetka, “Epicenter,” “Allo,” Maudau) have large networks of brick-and-mortar stores and order pickup points. The expert also notes the high concentration of local platforms on products from China and suggests that in the future, Allegro will have to invest significant budgets in marketing, lower prices, or consider acquiring a local operator.
About Allegro
Allegro is Poland’s largest marketplace and online auction site (often referred to as the “European Amazon”), where you can buy practically anything: electronics, clothing, cosmetics, home goods, auto parts, and much more. It was founded in 1999 by Surf Stop Shop sp. z.o.o.
Thousands of different stores and private sellers offer their goods on the platform. You can buy items at a fixed price or participate in auctions by placing bids.
Allegro’s International Operations
Allegro’s expansion in Central and Eastern Europe accelerated following its IPO. In 2021, the company acquired the Czech Mall Group and logistics operator WE|DO, finalizing the deal in April 2022. This allowed the marketplace to enter the markets of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia. In 2023, the Czech platform Allegro.cz launched, and in 2024, the company expanded into Slovakia (Allegro.sk) and Hungary (Allegro.hu), integrating local stores into a single system.
As part of its asset consolidation and cost optimization efforts, the company liquidated the separate brands CZC.cz and Mall.cz, transferring their operations to the main Czech domain. The next step in cost reduction was a complete exit from the Slovenian and Croatian markets in 2026 through the sale of assets to the investment fund Mutares. Currently, the company is focusing its operations on the key markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
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