Temu points Chinese sellers to Middle East, Latin American markets amid US tariff woes
US tariffs are prompting Chinese merchants to seek alternative markets, but some sellers remain hopeful that the worst is soon behind them
On Friday, more than 1,000 Chinese merchants selling on the Temu online marketplace gathered for a five-hour event in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province and a key export hub in southern China. They came to learn about the latest clothing trends in various overseas markets – except the largest one, the US.
The event featured three sessions focused on the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, along with a fashion show highlighting styles from some of those regions.
Co-hosted with cross-border e-commerce consultancy Yuguo, the event drew participants from nearby cities Dongguan and Shenzhen, who were encouraged by Temu managers to “make products in China and earn money globally”.
Since it launched three years ago, Temu has quickly risen on the global stage to compete with established platforms like Amazon.com, as well as newcomers like Shein.