Temu Shut Down Cross-Border Sales to Türkiye
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu shut down the overseas shipping option in Türkiye. Sales are continuing only from the Türkiye warehouse.
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu shut down the overseas shipping option in Türkiye. Sales are continuing only from the Türkiye warehouse. Last week, a raid was conducted at Temu’s office in Istanbul, and digital data were seized.
The Ministry of Trade of Türkiye had taken the decision to “abolish the customs procedure for products under 30 euros.” The decision will enter into force on February 1, 2026. Following this decision, Chinese e-commerce giant Temu shut down the overseas shipping option in Türkiye.
On Temu, customers in Türkiye were able to order products directly from China. When entering the application, products listed under the “global” category can no longer be seen. Currently, sales are proceeding only from the Türkiye warehouse.
The company did not make a statement on whether this change is temporary or permanent. No timeline was shared regarding when cross-border sales may resume. This step eliminated Temu’s core appeal among price-focused consumers, which had stood out with access to low-priced imported products.
With the “30 Euro Law,” All Orders Will Be Subject to Customs Duties
With the entry into force of the regulation known in the Turkish public as the “30 euro law,” the practice of users paying low customs duties on low-value purchases was abolished. According to the regulation, which will be effective as of February 1, overseas orders under 30 euros will be subject to a stricter customs process, the costs of items such as customs brokerage fees and full taxation will increase, and the period of “buying cheap products from abroad” for individual users will come to an end.
The decision was taken following the detection of toxic and carcinogenic substances in tests conducted on imported products and complaints from domestic producers regarding unfair competition. On the other hand, it is stated that Temu will not completely withdraw from Türkiye; however, it will narrow its operation. This decision was taken following the new customs practice as well as the increasing legal pressures in recent periods.
Developments regarding Temu in Türkiye reflected increasing regulatory scrutiny of Chinese online marketplaces as Türkiye and the European Union tightened rules regarding low-value imports, product safety, and fair competition.
This regulation followed the exclusion of high-risk categories such as toys, shoes, and leather goods from simplified customs procedures in October. Similar concerns also came to the agenda in the European Union, and the EU decided to abolish the customs exemption for shipments under 150 euros in line with pressure from local retailers.
A Similar Practice Was Implemented in Europe as Well
European authorities carried out a similar practice in December at Temu’s European headquarters in Dublin to determine whether it received unfair state support from China. Although the scope of the inspection in Türkiye was not disclosed, it revealed increased oversight at a time when Temu was expanding its local presence.
Temu opened an office in Türkiye in June 2025 following regulations by the Ministry of Trade of Türkiye requiring foreign digital marketplaces to establish a legal entity in Türkiye and appoint a local representative. The company also enabled local sellers to list their products by including Turkish sellers on the platform.
As Temu Grows Rapidly, It Struggles With Regulations in Global Markets
Owned by China-based PDD Holdings, Temu began operations in 2022 and grew rapidly thanks to low-cost products shipped directly to consumers. The company’s growth model is based on offering lower prices compared to local retailers by benefiting from customs exemptions applied to low-value shipments.
As Chinese platforms such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress increased their market shares, they began to be subject to stricter inspections in many countries regarding product safety, tax practices, and competitive balance. The steps taken in Türkiye overlap with a global reassessment of how cross-border e-commerce should be handled within existing regulatory frameworks.
For Turkish consumers, the suspension of cross-border sales changed shopping habits based on inexpensive imported products. For Temu, however, this decision raised questions regarding its long-term strategy in Türkiye; uncertainty remains as to whether the company will focus on local seller integration or return to its global model.