(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If you shop on Temu and Shein, expect to pay more soon. In response to Trump's tariffs, both Chinese e-commerce providers plan to raise prices effective Friday, April 25.
The price hikes, announced by Temu and Shein in similar notices, come after President Trump said he would axe the de minimis tax exemption, which allows packages to enter the country duty-free as long as they are valued at $800 or less.
That goes into effect on May 2 for packages from China and Hong Kong. They will be tariffed at 120% or face a $100 postal fee per item, increasing to $200 on June 1. Postal carriers will decide whether to pay the percentage-based tariff or the item-based duty, but the extra costs are expected to be passed down to consumers.
“Due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, our operating expenses have gone up. To keep offering the products you love without compromising on quality, we will be making price adjustments starting April 25, 2025,” Temu and Shein said in their statements.
The good news is that both e-commerce providers appear to have built up inventories to serve US customers over the next week at existing prices. “Until April 25, prices will stay the same, so you can shop now at today’s rates,” Temu said. “We’ve stocked up and stand ready to make sure your orders arrive smoothly during this time.”
Still, the announcement may mark the end of an era for both Temu and Shein, which rose to popularity in recent years by offering US consumers cheap goods directly from Chinese manufacturers. Temu has halted its Google ad campaigns as traffic declines.
For now, the two companies merely say, "We’re doing everything we can to keep prices low and minimize the impact on you," although there's been speculation that Chinese merchants will develop workarounds to bypass the tariffs.