Temu's Shift from Chinese Imports to Global Sourcing: Opportunities for Turkey and Counterfake’s Role

Temu, a fast-growing e-commerce platform known for delivering affordable Chinese products to U.S. consumers, is undergoing a major transformation. As of 2025, the company has officially abandoned its direct-from-China import model and is shifting toward a global sourcing strategy. This change means Temu will now prioritize listing products from local sellers in key markets and fulfill orders domestically, aiming to reduce delivery times and comply with new international trade regulations.

Why Did Temu Change Its Strategy?

One of the major drivers behind this shift is the introduction of new tariffs by the U.S. government. In May 2025, the United States imposed a 30% tariff on all imported goods valued under $800, ending the long-standing "de minimis" exemption. This policy shift directly impacted platforms like Temu and Shein, which relied on low-cost Chinese imports. In response, Temu launched a "local fulfillment" model, allowing American sellers to list products on the platform while orders are shipped from domestic warehouses. This ensures faster delivery and shields both the company and customers from rising import costs.

Similar changes have taken place in Europe. Temu now uses regional warehouses across the EU to store and ship products locally, dramatically reducing delivery times. By the end of 2024, over 80% of orders in Europe were being fulfilled from within the continent. This marks a significant departure from the company’s original model: "source from China, sell to the world" is now becoming "source locally, deliver faster."

What Does This Mean for Turkey?

This global sourcing transformation creates a valuable opportunity for Turkey to become a key player in Temu’s new supply chain model.

-Strategic Location and Manufacturing Strength

Turkey’s geographic proximity to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa makes it an ideal logistics hub. With established air, sea, and road infrastructure, Turkish suppliers can offer faster shipping times compared to Chinese exporters. Moreover, Turkey has a robust manufacturing ecosystem, particularly in textiles, home goods, electronics accessories, and furniture—all high-demand categories on platforms like Temu.

-Trade Advantages

Thanks to its Customs Union with the European Union, Turkish-made products enjoy reduced tariffs and streamlined customs procedures when exported to EU countries. This gives Turkish suppliers a competitive edge in serving European markets through Temu. Even fast fashion giants like Shein have announced plans to localize their supply chains in regions like Brazil and Turkey, aiming to shorten delivery timelines and reduce costs.

-Unlocking Dropshipping and Micro-Export Opportunities

Temu’s evolution aligns perfectly with the growing dropshipping and micro-export trends in Turkey. Sellers can now list their products on Temu and ship them directly from Turkey to global customers or leverage Temu's warehouse infrastructure in target markets.

Key benefits for Turkish sellers include:

• Stock-free global selling: No need for a large inventory; products can be manufactured on demand.

• Access to a wide customer base: Temu offers exposure to millions of consumers across the U.S. and Europe.

• Operational ease: Temu handles payment processing, customer support, and returns.

• Foreign currency revenue: Turkish brands gain international visibility and earn in strong currencies.

Temu enables small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Turkey to scale globally without building their e-commerce infrastructure. With established micro-export channels, Turkish suppliers can fulfill orders quickly and efficiently, especially within Europe.

Counterfake: Ensuring Product Safety and Brand Protection

As product variety increases on Temu, the risk of counterfeit goods entering the platform also rises. Global estimates suggest that over 5% of all traded goods are counterfeit, posing risks to consumers, brands, and platforms alike.

That’s where Counterfake plays a crucial role. As an AI-powered brand protection platform, Counterfake helps detect and remove counterfeit products from online marketplaces. Using advanced machine learning algorithms, Counterfake scans product listings 24/7, analyzing images, descriptions, reviews, and pricing data to flag suspicious items.

For Turkish products listed on Temu, this adds a critical layer of trust. Counterfake ensures:

• Product authenticity

• Real-time detection of replicas or infringements

• Protection of original Turkish brands from unfair competition

• Compliance with IP and consumer protection regulations in target countries

By working directly with Temu and its partner brands, Counterfake helps maintain a safe, reliable shopping environment. This collaboration not only supports Temu’s compliance goals but also protects Turkish suppliers and, most importantly, global consumers.

Final Thoughts

Temu’s pivot from Chinese sourcing to a global supplier network marks a turning point in cross-border e-commerce. For Turkey, this is a chance to position itself as a trusted export hub. By combining high-quality manufacturing with proximity to key markets, Turkish businesses can become vital contributors to Temu’s supply chain.

Meanwhile, with the support of Counterfake, this ecosystem remains secure and trustworthy. We’re not just helping brands—we’re helping platforms like Temu become safer, more transparent spaces for global trade.

Temu, Turkey, Dropshipping, Global Sourcing, Tariffs, Counterfeit Risk, Product Safety, Brand Protection, Counterfeit, E-commerce Trends