We’re a niche seller that’s been watching Temu from the sidelines for a while. Finally jumped in recently on semi-managed because we saw competitors moving serious volume there.
But I keep wondering – what’s the real difference between Temu and platforms like AliExpress or Wish? All of them started with cheap small-package shipping worldwide. AliExpress seems to be fading. Is Temu going to follow the same path?
Also, we’re currently doing semi-managed with inventory in UK, US, and Germany. That means we’re missing orders from other regions. For anyone doing full-managed globally – what’s the order split outside UK/US/Germany? Is it worth opening a full-managed account to capture those orders?
Answers (8)
We run both. Honestly, full-managed still has better reach outside US/UK/DE. If you already have inventory for those core markets, adding full-managed for other regions is relatively low effort. The inventory risk is higher, but if your product moves, the extra volume can be worth it.
That said, check the compliance requirements first. EU countries have packaging laws, WEEE, battery regs. If you’re not already set up for those, full-managed adds another layer of complexity.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned: Temu is basically a channel for factories to move excess inventory. There’s almost no skill development for sellers. You don’t learn marketing, you don’t learn customer acquisition. You just supply and hope your price survives the next round of cuts.
If you’re a manufacturer, it’s a good way to dump volume. If you’re a reseller or a brand, it’s a dead end.
If you’re thinking about semi-managed, avoid POD (print on demand) and avoid large furniture shipped via FedEx through Temu. Those categories were the biggest headache.
This is the biggest downside for me. You have zero pricing control. The category manager decides based on the lowest price they can find anywhere. Even if you have a unique product, you end up begging to get a reasonable price approved. And they keep coming back asking for more cuts.
I’ve had products that were already at breakeven get flagged as “uncompetitive.” They don’t stop until there’s no margin left.
Can you make money on it? Yes. Should you stay on it forever? Probably not. If you stay long-term, you’re just a supplier. You never own the customer. If you want to build a real brand, platforms like Amazon give you more room to grow.
Depends on what you’re selling. I’m in home decor (sofa covers, slipcovers). Looking at US numbers, full-managed volume is still about 3x semi-managed. Outside the US? Full-managed volume is probably 10x semi-managed right now.
But that’s changing. Semi-managed sellers are growing fast and getting better at logistics. With the de minimis changes, Temu has already reduced full-managed traffic exposure in the US. Future growth will come from semi-managed.
Also – Temu and AliExpress aren’t the same game. Temu controls everything and runs on extreme supply chain efficiency. AliExpress still depends on sellers to do the work. Their “semi-managed” models aren’t the same either – Temu’s version is seller-handled logistics but platform-controlled pricing and customer service. AliExpress’s version is different.