With this new system, selling partners are in charge of shipping their own goods, which gives foreign merchants a chance to take advantage of Temu’s popularity in their own countries.
Temu’s owner, PDD Holdings, sees this marketplace model as a way to speed up deliveries to customers in the West and add bigger things to its virtual product line. The site sets the prices that consumers pay for goods, and merchants are in charge of their own inventory and product selection.
Where is Temu Located – Expansion in Europe
The Business Development Manager, Zixia Yi says that the market is “officially open for registration for businesses with EU entities, including those based in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the Netherlands.”
Temu currently doesn’t charge any base fees or sales commissions to merchants. They even let listings on the site be advertised for free. It’s still not clear how long this introductory time will last.
Speedy Growth and Rules
Europe just got Temu last spring, and it’s already getting a lot of attention. For example, one-third of Germans have bought something on the app in the year since it opened. Because of its fast growth, Temu was put on the VLOP list (Very Large Online Platforms) by the European Commission this spring. This means that it has to follow strict rules under the Digital Services Act.
This spring, the platform’s new marketplace model was first introduced in the United States, where a lot of Temu sales are now shipped.
Problems in the Industry
Groups in Europe are worried about the fast growth of Temu and other Chinese sites. In June, Ecommerce Europe and several of its national association members penned an open letter advocating for a level playing field for all ecommerce players in the European market. They specifically called for improved enforcement of existing regulations.