“I strongly relied on TEMU articles for my business, and I panic that I do not find any of my usual supplies,” wrote a Reddit user on the R / Temuthings Subdreddit. Another user shared a screenshot which, according to him, was of a conversation with the TEMU customer chat function, in which an agent declared that the platform was “currently unable to display items outside the United States” and could not provide a period for the duration of the limitation persists.
The change also confused TEMU sellers in China, who were apparently not informed in advance that the Americans could no longer browse their products. Adding to the confusion is the fact that TEMU would have removed a large number of sellers based in China from its platform last week, to quickly revers the measure, bringing certain sellers to believe initially that the same problem occurred, according to sellers who shared their experiences on the Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu.
The furniture and the interior decoration seller have confirmed to Wired that all of her products shipped from China have been deleted, a decision which, she said, was made in response to the end of the “minimis” exception, a rule that allows Americans to import packages from anywhere in the world assessed at less than $ 800 without the need to pay import rights.
TEMU, Shein and other companies that send customer orders directly from China have benefited from the commercial provision for years, but criticisms say they have given the unjust advantage to foreign online purchase platforms. Trump has published an executive decree earlier this year declaring that from Minmimis would no longer apply to expeditions from China from May 2.
“The platform may have to make regulatory adjustments during this difficult period,” said the TEMU furniture seller.
In the end, Trump’s trade war could basically modify the functioning of TEMU in the United States and its strategies to retain American customers. The company has become popular in the United States, both because of its sumptuous advertising expenses and because it could consider prices below the similar articles offered on other electronic commercial platforms. With high prices on Chinese imports and the end of the minimis exemption, the cost of TEMU products could increase quite significantly, and it can also take more time for people to receive packages now subject to a more rigorous customs clearance process.
Even before Trump announced the prices, Tamu was already making changes to his business model, in particular by storing more inventory in warehouses based on the United States and experimenting with a more traditional and Amazonian logistics structure. The platform also currently explores another shipping program which he calls “Y2”, to which TEMU began to integrate Chinese sellers on April 27, According to ChinellersA newsletter focused on cross -border electronic commerce.
As the publication explains, Y2 is a more flexible variation in the existing American storage model of TEMU, with sellers shipping individual commands rather than bulk stocks. But the sellers are responsible for managing the new prices and customs declaration process, as well as any problem that can be accompanied, rather than supporting the burden. In many ways, it is similar to an existing Amazon logistics option called “Merchant development” or FBM.
These changes on the scale of the platform highlight the speed with which TEMU has adapted to the current volatile political environment, but the company also risks losing what was once an essential part of its identity and its comparative advantage. “It seems to me a massive step back for TEMU. What really helped Temu to differentiate himself from Wish and Aliexpress is that he controls the supply chain, so that he can guarantee the speed of delivery and the level of quality insurance to offer a coherent experience, “explains Kaziukėnas.
The TEMU furniture seller says to Wired that they have so far held to jump on the Y2 wagon. “We are a big organization, so we cannot make changes overnight. We always observe to see if the policies will change, ”explains the seller.
TEMU also tries to increase its sales on other markets such as Europe, where prices on Chinese imports remain much lower than those of the United States. A Chinese Temu seller told Wired that if their American lists have been removed, their overall sales have increased due to the growth of other regions.
