A “fake Temu” store has opened in Kyiv under the banner of a well-known marketplace; the store has already found itself at the center of a language controversy
15 May 19:50
Information is circulating on social media about the opening of a physical store in Kyiv for the international marketplace Temu, along with photos of price tags from the store written in Russian.
As "Komersant Ukrainian" has discovered, the well-known Chinese platform actually has no connection to this location, and the store itself is simply a local reseller.
The international e-commerce platform Temu operates exclusively online using a dropshipping model, shipping goods directly from China. This is stated on the company’s official website.
“Temu is an international marketplace founded in Boston (USA) in 2022 that has no physical stores. The European office is located in Dublin, Ireland (First Floor, 25 St Stephens Green). Returns are not accepted at this address; online chat is used for this purpose,” explains the Temu administration.
Based on this, the recently opened store in the capital’s Darnytsia district under the international brand’s name is a private initiative by local Ukrainian entrepreneurs.
It operates in the same format as other “everything at a bargain price” chains that sell small Chinese goods. Although the official opening of this local location is scheduled for May 20.
“A treasure trove of Chinese goods”: what bloggers have shown
The first visitors describe the store as an “offline version of a Chinese marketplace.”
In their video reviews, bloggers are literally lost among hundreds of shelves filled with goods—from clothing and cosmetics to electronics, home decor, and pet supplies.
“It’s like I’ve stumbled into a treasure trove of offline products from AliExpress and Temu,” is how one Ukrainian content creator described his impressions.
The assortment truly resembles the feed of a Chinese marketplace, only transferred to a real retail space.
Here you can find:
- slippers, Crocs, and beach shoes;
- sunglasses, accessories, and costume jewelry;
- power banks, speakers, headphones;
- security cameras and car gadgets;
- kitchen gadgets, thermoses, organizers;
- cosmetics and perfumes;
- decor, night lights, candles;
- pet supplies;
- sports accessories;
- hats, swimwear, bags, and clothing.
Bloggers also noticed an interesting pricing system: some items are listed with wholesale prices “starting at three pieces.” For example, children’s sunglasses were sold for 149 hryvnias each or 119 hryvnias when buying three.
Some visitors compare the new store to several other formats at once:
- IKEA—due to the large selection of home goods;
- “Epicenter” — due to the household goods segment; and traditional markets — due to the chaotic assortment.
Particular attention is paid to small items that people usually buy on impulse: organizers, bottles, mops, kitchen accessories, bags, gadgets, or “one-time use” items.
In fact, the store operates on the same principle as Chinese marketplaces: a person comes in “just to look,” and leaves with a bag of items they hadn’t even considered needing just a few minutes ago.
Language Scandal and Price Tags in Russian
At the same time, on the social media platform Threads, users are posting photos of price tags in Russian, which is a direct violation of Ukrainian law.
According to Article 30 of the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language,” all information about goods and services within the country, including price tags and labeling, must be provided exclusively in the state language.
As is well known, entrepreneurs who ignore the language law may face an inspection by the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language and substantial fines.
