E-commerce platforms have become integral to Europe’s economic fabric, with nearly 80% of Europeans now shopping online. However, many are unaware that for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), they serve as an increasingly vital gateway for reaching consumers both locally and across the Single Market. In a sector where success depends on scale, efficiency, and consumer trust, digital platforms play a decisive role in helping European SMEs succeed and driving wider competitiveness.
AliExpress is one of Europe’s most widely used online marketplaces, being present on the continent since 2017. With its rising consumer base in Europe, it has become an essential part of the retail landscape. For more and more SMEs, it provides tools, visibility, and infrastructure to grow both at home and across the EU. The increasing presence of European and global brands on the platform gives consumers fast access to a wider range of affordable, high-quality products and a more convenient, trusted shopping experience.
A local partner in Europe’s retail ecosystem
AliExpress has for many years worked with a growing number of local sellers, logistics providers, and payment companies to create value across the chain. In the last 12 months, the number of EU brands on the platform has tripled, with their sales value rising by more than 2.5 times. Poland is a prime example of how SMEs are using digital marketplaces to scale, with local sellers now accounting for nearly 40% of Polish sales on AliExpress.
“To date, we have completed nearly 100,000 orders on AliExpress, generating revenue exceeding PLN 10 million. The key to our success was the integration with the platform's infrastructure, including the use of payment tools, logistics centres, automation, and promotional tools […] Although our current activities are focused solely on the Polish market, we see our presence on AliExpress as a prelude to future international expansion.” says Mateusz Sadowski, Head of E-commerce at Brand Distribution Group, one of AliExpress’s local Polish sellers.
For SMEs operating on tight margins, e-commerce represents a critical part of their revenue stream, making up nearly 20% of SME turnover across the EU. Platforms like AliExpress help to reduce entry costs, diversify revenue sources, and provide tools to grow both at home and across borders.
Trusted by consumers
Trust, convenience, and value for money are the main drivers behind the growth of e-commerce platforms in Europe. Consumers today expect a seamless experience, a reliable service, and products they can trust all delivered at good value.
This is what AliExpress delivers on, consumers benefit from greater choice and value as the platform broadens access to affordable, high-quality products while giving local EU brands online visibility to millions of new customers across Europe and beyond. The platform continues to invest in its European seller community, leveraging its global infrastructure to provide tailored programmes, training, and cross-border tools that help SMEs scale and stay competitive, ultimately giving consumers access to a wider range of trusted, high-quality European goods at better value. These efforts enhance the overall shopping experience across Europe, with faster delivery, greater product selection, and a marketplace that consumers can trust.
According to a June 2025 Censuswide survey, more than 80% of AliExpress shoppers across five key EU markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland) as well as the UK say they trust the platform and would recommend it to others. By combining strong consumer protection with faster delivery, transparent product information, and an extensive selection of affordable, high-quality goods, AliExpress helps make everyday products more accessible, supports competition within the Single Market, and broadens consumer choice across Europe.
A responsible player
AliExpress shares the EU’s ambition of making e-commerce safe, transparent, and trustworthy for consumers and sellers alike. The marketplace maintains a responsible and forward-looking approach to compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU’s landmark rulebook defining platform responsibilities regarding content hosted by online services. AliExpress is investing in compliance with the regulation’s provisions, among others by conducting independent audits, publishing annual transparency reports, and conducting comprehensive risk assessment and risk mitigation reports. AliExpress remains fully committed to meeting all requirements under the Digital Services Act (DSA). Beyond compliance, the company put forward a set of voluntary commitments to further strengthen consumer protection and transparency, which the European Commission accepted and made binding in June 2025, a key milestone in proving the effectiveness of the DSA.
For SMEs, this commitment helps uphold an environment that is safer and more transparent, building consumer trust, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring a level playing field where businesses and consumers can thrive.
Looking ahead
As the European Union strengthens its digital economy to enable a safer, more seamless, and competitive Single Market, global e-commerce platforms remain vital enablers of SME growth, innovation, and consumer choice. AliExpress shows how platforms can utilise their global infrastructure to support an increasing number of local sellers with the tools to compete, the supply chains to deliver, and a trusted environment in which to operate. More local than ever, AliExpress continues to build European partnerships that create lasting value for businesses, consumers, and the wider EU Single Market.