Temu, the Chinese e-commerce giant, has stopped shipping products directly from China to US customers. Instead, all orders will now be fulfilled from warehouses within the United States, a company spokesperson confirmed Friday.
The move comes following the closure of a provision that previously permitted Chinese-made products valued up to $800 to enter the United States without import duties, according to The New York Times.
The exemption, which President Donald Trump described as a “big scam” detrimental to American small businesses, concluded on Friday.
After Trump announced plans to end the “de minimis” loophole, which let goods under $800 enter the US without tariffs, Temu said last month it would adjust its prices. De minimis is a Latin term, which loosely translates to English as “of the smallest”.
The company began implementing import fees for US customers purchasing Chinese items last week, occasionally resulting in price increases exceeding double the original cost.
This regulation has significantly affected international retailers, particularly Chinese online platforms like Shein and Temu, who are now subject to substantial duties.
Recently, customers observed the removal of numerous Chinese products from Temu’s website, leaving only items shipped from domestic warehouses.
The company stated Friday that US consumer pricing “remains unchanged as the platform transitions to a local fulfillment model.”
“All sales in the US are now handled by locally based sellers, with orders fulfilled from within the country,” the company spokesperson said in a statement.
“Temu has been actively recruiting US sellers to join the platform. The move is designed to help local merchants reach more customers and grow their businesses. This shift is part of Temu’s ongoing adjustments to improve service levels,” they added.