If you’re wondering how to sell on Temu, you’ve come to the right place.
Launched in the US in 2022, Temu is a rapidly growing eCommerce platform that has boasted 167 million active users each month as of Q1 2024. And in 2023 alone, consumers placed an impressive 412.3 million orders on the Temu app.
As a thriving global marketplace, Temu offers significant earning potential for retailers who set up shop inside. But it may seem daunting to you and you might not be sure where to start.
The good news is that merchants, businesses, and manufacturers are all allowed to sell on Temu, and it’s relatively simple to get started. This article will explore key steps you’ll need to take to learn how to sell on Temu:
- Create your seller account
- Conduct product research
- Create your product listings
- Develop pricing strategies
- Launch your store
Temu’s Registration & Selling Fees [2024 Update]
Before you start selling, let’s learn how to become a seller on Temu, what Temu’s requirements are, and what the cost of selling on this platform may be.
Temu seller services agreement
First, let’s explore the key terms and conditions of Temu:
- User of account: Sellers are fully responsible for any actions taken through their Temu account.
- Rights & licenses: Sellers grant Temu a license to use their materials (e.g., trademarks, procedures) for the duration of their intellectual property rights.
- Products: Sellers must have the necessary rights to offer and sell their products, ensuring they comply with applicable laws.
- Fulfillment & Delivery: Sellers are responsible for fulfilling orders in accordance with Temu’s fulfillment policy.
- Payment: Sellers must agree to the terms of agreements with PSPs like Stripe (Stripe Connected Account Agreement, Stripe Privacy Policies) and Hyperwallet (Hyperwallet Terms and Conditions, Hyperwallet Privacy Policy).
- Tax: Sellers are responsible for collecting, reporting, and paying all applicable taxes (e.g., sales, VAT) related to their products. Temu may calculate, collect, and remit taxes on the seller’s behalf if required by law.
Temu selling registration
There are two ways to apply for a seller account and set up your online store in Temu:
Applying via Temu’s sister company, Pinduoduo
In this case, you’ll need to download the Pinduoduo seller app or visit their website to register for a seller account. Once Pinduoduo gives you the green light, you can use those credentials to create your Temu account too.
Contacting Temu directly
If you prefer to go straight to Temu, you can apply directly through the Temu Seller Center. However, you’ll need an invitation first (this invitation requirement is part of Temu’s strategy to ensure quality control and effective marketplace management).
Send an email to [email protected] to request your Temu store seller code.
As you begin the application process, either Temu or Pinduoduo will ask for some documents to verify your business. These typically include:
- Business license;
- Tax registration certificate;
- Personal identification (ID card);
- Identification for your legal representative.
And according to Pinduoduo, the approval process can be completed in as little as three days.
Temu seller fees
Selling fees are definitely a top concern for any seller concerning how to sell on Temu. There are several costs that sellers need to manage, including the following:
Fee type | Details |
Listing fee | $0. Temu does not charge any fees for listing products on their platform |
Referral fees | On each sale, Temu charges a referral fee which typically ranges from 2% to 5% of the sale price. |
Subscription fee | While individual sellers can start without any fees, business sellers are required to pay a monthly subscription fee of $39. |
Payment processing fees | For payment processing, Temu exclusively uses PayPal, which incurs a fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for every transaction. |
Fulfillment fees | If you choose to use Temu direct fulfillment, you will be charged fulfillment fees based on the size and weight of your items. |
Shipping fees | While customers enjoy free standard shipping, sellers are responsible for covering these costs, which can vary based on the size and weight of the products. |
How to Sell on Temu: 5-Step Guide
Now that we’ve gone over the requirements & registration and the cost associated with selling on Temu. Let’s dive into the comprehensive guide on how to sell items on Temu.
Step 1: Set up your seller profile
To get started, you must complete your profile.
You’ll need to submit key business information and documents such as:
- Business name
- Business address
- Contact information
- Email address
- Phone number
- Billing information
- Bank details
- Tax identification number
Also, carefully review and accept Temu’s seller terms and conditions to ensure you adhere to their policies.
Step 2: Conduct product research
Once your account is set up and ready for selling, you’ll want to consider which products to offer on Temu to maximize your profits. This is where product research comes into play.
Before you begin your research, it’s essential to answer these critical questions:
- Who is your target audience?
- What products are trending on Temu?
- What are the popular product categories on Temu?
- What are the average price ranges for products in your niche?
Next, here are two top strategies you can implement:
2.1. Explore top products on Temu
The list of best-selling products on Temu highlights items with the highest sales, providing insight into what is currently popular among customers. This list is updated hourly, ensuring you have access to real-time information on top performers and emerging trends.
Here’s a brief list of popular categories according to Temu:
- Women’s clothing
- Electronics
- Men’s clothing
- Home and kitchen items
- Arts, crafts & sewing supplies
- Beauty products
- Toys & games
- Men’s shoes
- Baby products
- Home appliances
You may also like: Top 15 Online Marketplaces to Sell Your Products
2.2. Analyze reviews and use the Temu search bar
Another effective method to assess customer interest is by examining the auto-suggestions in the Temu search bar, which can reveal popular search terms. Also, reviewing similar products can help you identify gaps and potential opportunities.
However, keep in mind that this approach may be time-consuming, subjective, and might overlook emerging trends or shifts in consumer demand.
Step 3: Create your product listings
Now that your seller profile is complete, the next step on how to sell on Temu is listing your products. Head over to the “Add Products” section in your seller dashboard.
Adding products on Temu is a breeze. Before you begin, make sure you have the following information ready:
- Product title and description: Create a catchy product name and an engaging description that highlights your product’s features, specifications, and potential uses.
- Product category: Choose the most relevant category for your product from Temu’s classification system.
- Product images and videos: Use high-quality photos and videos to make your product shine for potential buyers.
- Pricing: Ensure to price your products competitively, as Temu is known for its great discounts and low prices.
- Product quantity (inventory): Set the stock quantity for your product, and don’t worry, Temu will automatically adjust this number as you make sales.
- Product weight and dimensions: Finally, enter your product’s weight and dimensions to ensure accurate shipping calculations.
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Step 4: Develop pricing strategies
Temu’s secret sauce for competing with giants like Amazon and Walmart is its incredibly low prices. To help sellers develop effective pricing strategies that meet various product and market needs, Temu offers a range of methods:
- Dynamic pricing: Temu adjusts product prices in real-time based on demand, competition, and customer behavior to help you stay competitive effortlessly.
- Temporary offers and discounts: This method focuses on using flash sales and other time-limited promotions to draw in customers and boost sales during specific periods.
- Free shipping pricing: Temu also offers free shipping pricing to make it more appealing for customers who prefer free shipping. In this case, sellers often incorporate shipping costs into their product price.
What’s more, having worked in the eCommerce industry for many years and being familiar with a number of marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Temu…, we’ve compiled 3 common strategies in this field as well as on Temu to pricing your product:
- Low pricing strategy: Set prices lower than competitors to attract bargain hunters. However, be cautious about your profit margins and ensure your prices are attractive yet still profitable.
- High pricing strategy: Position your products as premium by pricing them higher than competitors. This can convey exclusivity and quality, but make sure you have the features to back it up.
- Competitive pricing strategy: Match your prices with those of direct competitors to attract price-conscious customers without sacrificing profit margins.
Step 5: Launch your store
Now, you’re ready to launch your store on Temu. Before you hit that “go live” button, take a moment to double-check your listings, ensuring that all product descriptions, images, and prices are accurate and compelling.
When you’re confident everything looks great, make your store visible to potential customers. This is the last step of our guide on how to sell on Temu.
Marketing Products on Temu to Grow Your Sales
We’ve walked you through a comprehensive guide on how to sell products on Temu. But remember, launching your store is just the beginning. To reach more potential customers and boost your sales, you must think of marketing.
Here are some of the key trends you should implement into your Temu marketing strategy.
Strategy 1: Leverage Temu display ads
Temu offers a variety of marketing tools to help you promote your store and products. Using Temu’s advertising options, you can increase the visibility of your items in search results.
Two main types of Temu ads are sponsored products and sponsored brands. These determine how and where your ads appear.
Sponsored product
These ads focus on individual products and appear on Temu’s search and product pages. They can even show up as alternatives to competing products, especially useful if your competitors have lower ratings or higher prices.
You should consider allocating around 80% of your ad budget to sponsored products, as they tend to be more scalable compared to other ad types.
Sponsored brands
Formerly known as headline search ads, these allow you to showcase your logo, a custom headline, and multiple products. For example, if you sell clothing, you can use sponsored brand ads to highlight your entire catalog with engaging text, images, and videos instead of just advertising a single item like a jacket.
This type of ad is great for sellers who have seen a decent return on investment with sponsored products and want to enhance their brand authority and awareness in their niche.
No matter which ad type you choose, here are 4 tips to help you maximize your return on investment:
- Match type analysis: Break down your performance by match type to get a clearer picture of your results and allocate your budget effectively for the highest revenue.
- Dataparting: Some categories perform better at specific hours or days. Adjust your bids during these peak times to increase sales or reduce costs.
- Seasonality adjustments: Seasonality impacts most products. When demand is low, consider lowering your bids to save inventory for times when demand is expected to rise.
- Break down your ad spend: Analyzing your ad spend can help you identify areas of over- or under-spending. Look at the percentage going to each match type, ad type, and targeting type to fine-tune your strategy.
Strategy 2: Utilize off-Temu traffic
Outside of Temu, there are several other advertising platforms at your disposal: Google and social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, among others.
Google Ads
Google Ads mainly consist of text and keywords, similar to Temu sponsored products ads. There are various campaign types, but we’ll focus on Google Search Ads (formerly Google AdWords), which are easy to set up and can drive high-intent traffic to your Temu store.
For those who may not know, Google Search Ads appear at the top of Google search results, above organic listings.
How to optimize your Google Search Ads
As Google Ads costs rise each year, sellers need to use optimization tactics to keep CPC (cost per click) low. This involves creating ads that align well with what users are searching for.
What’s more, in the ad auction, the brand with the highest Ad Rank wins. Ad Rank is determined by your bid, ad relevance, landing page experience, and expected CTR (click-through rate). A high CTR is particularly important because Google earns money when users click on ads.
So, sellers with a better CTR can win auctions even if they bid less, as their ads are more appealing to Google’s algorithm.
Social media
Social media is also a great way to drive traffic to Temu for several reasons. With over 5.17 billion users worldwide as of July 2024, these platforms offer brands a huge opportunity to connect with potential customers outside of Temu.
You can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. With advertising campaigns tailored to each platform, you can effectively drive traffic to your brand’s product listings on Temu.
How to optimize your social media
- Choose the right platforms: Identify where your target audience spends their time and focus on promoting your products there. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and X (formerly Twitter) are excellent options for eCommerce brands.
- Create compelling content: Social media thrives on visual content. That’s why you should focus on sharing engaging posts that showcase your product’s unique features and benefits. Also, you can use a mix of product photos, videos, customer testimonials, and lifestyle images to catch attention.
- Engage with your audience: Don’t forget to actively respond to comments and messages to foster a sense of community. Encouraging user-generated content and customer reviews is also a great way to build trust and credibility around your brand.
Understanding Temu’s Shipping Policy
Once your product has reached your customers and they decide to purchase your items, the final step in their journey of how to sell on Temu involves selecting a shipping option and completing the transaction. Hence, it’s important to familiarize yourself with Temu’s shipping policy.
Shipping options
Temu offers 3 shipping options which are:
- Standard shipping;
- Express shipping;
- Click & collect.
The available option depends on the items in the buyer’s order and their location.
Shipping time and cost
Shipping times can vary based on several factors. Typically, standard shipping and click & collect take between 6 to 20 days, while express shipping offers a quicker turnaround of 4 to 8 days.
Although Temu is headquartered in Boston, most products are shipped from China, which contributes to the longer shipping durations.
Once an order is successfully paid and confirmed, buyers will see the estimated delivery time and shipping costs on their order confirmation page.
For detailed shipping costs, look at the image below:
5 Tips to Succeed at Selling on Temu
After you know the answer to how to sell on Temu, there’s still a lot to do to keep your business thriving and profitable. Here are some expert tips to help you succeed after your launch.
Tip 1: Build a strong brand and product
Creating a solid brand is crucial for long-term success on any platform, and Temu is no exception. You should invest in professional product images, engaging descriptions, and clear branding.
Also, high-quality products that deliver on their promises tend to earn positive reviews and encourage repeat customers. Focus on crafting unique listings and packaging that customers will recognize and love.
Tip 2: Optimize your listings for search
As Temu operates on a search-driven model, it’s important to optimize your product listings. Make sure to use relevant keywords in your product titles, bullet points, and descriptions.
Spend some time creating compelling copy that resonates with your customers’ needs and concerns.
Tip 3: Plan your inventory and fulfillment strategy
Effective inventory management is key to ensuring you don’t run out of stock or have excess inventory, both of which can impact your sales and search rankings on Temu.
Decide if you’ll handle order fulfillment yourself, it can streamline shipping and customer service, but keep in mind that it may come with extra costs.
Tip 4: Engage with customers & encourage reviews
Providing outstanding customer service is essential. Respond promptly to customer inquiries and concerns. Friendly and timely communication can lead to positive experiences and repeat business.
Tip 5: Stay updated and innovate
Keep an eye on any changes in Temu’s policies, algorithms, and trends that could impact your business. Hence, being adaptable and adjusting your strategies is key.
Look for creative ways to stand out in your niche, whether it’s through unique packaging, promotions, social media engagement or influencer partnerships.
How to Sell on Temu – FAQs
Yes. Temu is a global e-commerce platform that welcomes both individuals and businesses to sell a diverse range of products to customers around the world. Getting started is easy. Simply create a seller account, and you’ll be on your way. You can reach out to Temu directly at [email protected], explain why you want to sell on their platform, and request an invitation code. You should also include if you have a registered business, and where that business is located. Temu offers a wide variety of products: fashion items, home goods, electronics, beauty products, and handmade crafts at competitive prices.
Kickstart Your Store’s Success on Temu Today!
For Temu beginners, starting your own business can feel a bit overwhelming. With our guide on how to sell on Temu, we’ve provided you with the key steps to start earning money.
One final tip is to ensure to prepare for those sales spikes during key holiday periods. You don’t want to run out of your best-selling products when customers are eager to buy. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to LitCommerce for assistance. Alternatively, you can explore a variety of eCommerce blog articles to help your business thrive.
