On August 26, the Financial Times reported that cross-border e-commerce platform Temu has resumed direct shipments from Chinese factories to U.S. consumers and increased its advertising spending in the American market.
According to suppliers, partners, and investors, Temu reinstated its “all-inclusive” model in July, under which the platform manages logistics and customs clearance. The service had been suspended in May due to tariff pressures. Temu’s parent company is PDD Holdings (拼多多控股), headquartered in Shanghai.
Insiders revealed that Temu’s advertising budget in the U.S. has returned to its first-quarter level, before former President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs. Data from Smarter Ecommerce showed that the platform had previously cut back on U.S. marketing spending under tariff pressure.
The report noted that the resumption of direct shipping reflects the breathing space provided by the temporary U.S.–China tariff truce, which lowered additional tariffs to 30% and reduced small-parcel duties to 54% for 90 days. The truce was later extended, but from August 29, the U.S. will fully cancel the de minimis rule that exempted packages valued under USD 800 from duties. In 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection processed 1.3 billion de minimis parcels, worth about USD 64.6 billion.
Temu is also adopting strategies from rival Shein, which has set up a U.S. subsidiary to handle logistics and customs, enabling profitability even after the de minimis exemption was scrapped. Temu is gradually building its own logistics capabilities to reduce reliance on third parties and mitigate risks of stricter customs inspections.
Some Chinese suppliers said sales have “picked up” since the resumption, though others noted volumes remain below pre-tariff levels. One supplier from Zhejiang reported improved sales, while another from Guizhou said: “The U.S. used to account for one-third of our sales. Now it’s only slowly recovering.”