Is the same tat from China really everywhere?
11/11/2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Support: Simon Balissat
Direction: Davide Arizzoli
Video: Davide Arizzoli
Cutter: Valentina Sproge-Werndli
I went on a shopping spree and ordered products online – some from a Chinese platform, and some from Galaxus. A number of the items look surprisingly similar. Will our editor Simon, an expert in goods from China, still manage to tell the difference?
This video alone won’t convince anyone to buy less from Temu and similar websites. I don’t want to lecture anyone. I just want to clear a few things up and explain. How are the products merchants sell via Temu and similar websites different from those you get from Galaxus? Are they any different at all? Why do the products often look very similar? How does Galaxus choose its merchants?
How are the products different?
There are over eight million products on Galaxus, a number that’s increasing all the time. Other platforms, like those from the Far East, have an even larger selection. With just a little effort, you’ll soon come across supposedly identical products. These look exactly the same on Galaxus as they do on Temu, for instance – at least in the product photos.
The Community also keeps a close eye on things. Recently, editor Luca tested a protective film for his smartphone. In the comments under the article, some users were quick to claim the manufacturer was charging too much for its product.
It’s been available on Chinese platforms for a long time at a fraction of the price.
At least that’s a clear opinion. But is the statement true? Are the products from Galaxus the same as the ones you can order directly from China?
To find out, I clicked through our shop and ordered eight household products. These are items that are relatively inexpensive and frequently purchased. On a Chinese platform, I searched for products that appeared to be the same, or at least very similar, at first glance based on the product photos and description or dimensions.
When it comes to everyday practical products, Simon from the Editorial Team is your guy. A few months ago, he was part of a Galaxus delegation that met with potential and actual manufacturers of private label products in China.
Is his expertise enough to tell in a blind test which products are imported directly from China and which ones I found on Galaxus? Simon isn’t blindfolded. He’s allowed to touch the products, smell them and inspect them closely.
As you can see in the video, Simon’s hit rate is decent, but not amazing. He was deceived twice. In most cases, however, the difference in quality exposed the cheap product, for example because the material was thinner or it was produced to a lower standard.
It’s almost impossible to tell the difference between some products, like the cat toy. It could well be that the product on Galaxus – costing 15 francs – comes from the same factory as its counterpart available from a merchant on Temu. For a fraction of the price.
Why do products look identical at first glance?
There are probably companies that order a product from a Chinese manufacturer’s catalogue for corporate customers, import it to Europe and sell it as their own – in their own packaging. After all, the rustling plastic bags typical of Chinese products don’t exactly scream quality. Far more important, however, is that the company checks whether the safety regulations applicable in the EU and Switzerland are complied with. With this check, you can be safe in the knowledge your house won’t burn down because of a blown charging plug. And you benefit because you receive products stored in Switzerland more quickly, and transport is more eco-friendly.
Smaller companies tend to take this route. They look for an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), who produces the product and then sells it on under its name.
Established brands are often more concerned with exclusivity. They want to prevent their product from being available as a supposed 1:1 copy at a much lower price. They also put contractual agreements in place with the manufacturers in China to protect the design, material and function. This is to stop the factory from also producing the product for a competitor. The larger the quantities a brand has manufactured, the more negotiating power it has.
How does Galaxus check its merchants?
At Galaxus, you won’t find any suppliers selling cheaply manufactured copies of well-known products directly from the factory. There are a number of security measures against dropshipping (https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/impact-reportage/video/dropshipping---mit-versprechen-vom-schnellen-geld-manipuliert-diese-firma-ihre-kunden?urn=urn:srf:video:bb470b0c-9f6b-4e8c-b952-b95302eb8244) (page in German). More than anything else, however, it’s a decision rooted in the principles of Galaxus: unlike other stores and platforms, we offer a «selective marketplace». Claudio Mohr, who’s responsible for this topic as Head of Portfolio Development, explains what this means.
With us, not everyone can simply add their products independently and sell them via our online shop. Every new partner is checked by a portfolio manager, a real person.
To get the green light, the potential new partner must attend several in-person meetings and the product range must be reviewed. The logistical capabilities of the partner are also checked, i.e. the availability of the goods from a warehouse in Europe. Only then is an agreement signed and access given to Galaxus.
This is time-consuming, so the number of partners on Galaxus is significantly lower than on large European platforms, which check providers automatically and less strictly, if at all. In some cases, tens of thousands of partners are active there, and even more for the big players.
There are advantages to having a much smaller number of partners. It’s possible for them to be supervised and checked after going live. «We turn down the vast majority of companies that are interested in working with us and speculatively contact us, often due to quality concerns,» explains Claudio.
How can you protect yourself from bad purchases?
And what if, despite our carefully curated product range, goods of inferior quality find their way into our shop? In theory, you could buy something that ends up disappointing you. Obviously, at Galaxus, we don’t want that to happen.
As a customer, you should be given the information you need as quickly as possible to protect you against making a bad purchase. This is where various transparency features come into their own: return and warranty scores and customer ratings. Based on these data points, the relevant team at Galaxus then looks to discuss any issues that have cropped up with the partner. The aim is to optimise its product range. Products or partners may also be taken completely offline.
The challenge for Claudio and his team is to close gaps in the range and ensure the quality of the products on offer. In the budget segment, some customers may compare the prices with those of Temu and similar stores.
Why do products on Galaxus tend to be more expensive?
It’s understandable why these products tend to be more expensive on Galaxus, says Claudio. Quality controls, warehouses in Switzerland and Germany, workers who package the products at fair wages – all this costs money. If you want, you can also buy goods directly from Chinese platforms. But then, Claudio explains, as a private individual placing an order there, you’re effectively the importer yourself. This means you’re responsible for the quality control and conformity of the products, so you alone bear all the risk.
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
Background information
Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.
Show allThese articles might also interest you
Background information
This is how Gardena wants to "go green" - and you have it in your hands
by Martin Jungfer
Background information
«Buy once, buy well»: how Black+Blum develops products for life
by Anna Sandner
Background information
From motorised suitcases to dog massagers: the wackiest gadgets at this year’s IFA
by Stefanie Lechthaler
96 comments
later