Last updated:
Last updated: September 15, 2026
Temu has gone from "that aggressive new marketplace" to a permanent fixture in cross-border ecommerce. For sellers used to Amazon's rules, Temu looks different — and that is exactly why it is worth understanding. Lower ad friction, faster listing velocity, and access to a price-sensitive global audience make Temu a genuine second channel. But it also comes with thinner margins, less brand control, and a different definition of "merchant." This guide breaks down the 2026 Temu cross-border model, fees, customs for EU sellers, and how to decide whether — and how — to sell there.
Key fact: Temu's semi-managed model charges an 8-15% commission (varies by category and model): you price to a wholesale rate while Temu controls pricing, listing, marketing and fulfillment, so per-unit profit = wholesale price minus Temu commission minus shipping to Temu's China warehouse minus COGS. Compare Temu vs Amazon FBA margins line-by-line with the free Temu Profit Calculator.
Quick answer — Temu seller economics 2026: the semi-managed model takes 8–15% commission by category (most categories 8–12%) plus a refundable $500–$5,000 merchant deposit; the full-managed model charges no explicit commission — Temu earns on the wholesale-to-retail spread. Typical margins: 5–15% full-managed vs 15–40% semi-managed. For EU sellers importing from China: customs duty 0–17% by HS code plus 19–27% VAT on import value and duty (EORI required); goods already in an EU warehouse avoid import duty entirely. Per-unit profit = wholesale price − commission − inbound shipping to Temu’s China warehouse − COGS.
Model your own numbers in the free Temu Profit Calculator (semi-managed vs full-managed side by side), or compare margins line-by-line against Amazon FBA fees.
You supply products at a wholesale price to a Temu-operated warehouse in China. Temu owns pricing, listing, marketing, shipping, and customer service. You are effectively a supplier, not a retailer.
Aimed at overseas sellers with existing inventory and logistics. You set pricing and handle shipping; Temu provides the storefront and traffic.
| Factor | Full-managed | Semi-managed |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets price | Temu | Seller |
| Logistics | Temu handles | Seller handles |
| Inventory location | China warehouse | Seller's warehouse / 3PL |
| Typical margin | 5-15% | 15-40% |
| Best for | Factories, low-cost suppliers | Established ecommerce sellers |
Fee structures changed several times as Temu expanded internationally, so always verify against your merchant agreement. Typical 2026 structure for semi-managed:
| Fee | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant deposit | $500 - $5,000 (by category) | Refundable; covers returns and penalties |
| Commission | 5% - 15% per sale | Category dependent (most categories 8-12%) |
| Payment processing | Included in commission | Varies by country |
| Shipping | Seller's cost (semi-managed) | Negotiate carrier rates |
| Advertising | Optional / auction-based | Far lower CPC than Amazon |
Customs is one of the biggest hidden costs for cross-border Temu sellers, especially in the EU — and in 2026 the EU rewrote the rules for low-value parcels. Here is what you need to know:
| Scenario | Customs Duty | VAT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell from EU warehouse (no import) | None | Local VAT (19-27%) | Best option for EU sellers; goods already in the single market |
| Import from China to EU | 0-17% (HS code dependent), plus the 2026 low-value rules below | 19-27% on import value + duty | Need an EORI number; consider a customs broker |
| Full-managed (Temu handles) | Temu manages export | Seller responsible for EU import VAT | Even in full-managed, EU import VAT falls on you |
If you ship parcels to EU consumers, four changes now matter more than the HS-code rate itself:
| Change | Applies from | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| €150 duty relief removed | 1 July 2026 | Parcels valued at or below €150 no longer enter duty-free. Customs duty is charged from the first euro of consignment value. |
| €3 transitional flat duty | 1 July 2026 | A €3 flat customs duty applies per category of goods (by tariff classification, not by unit count) in consignments up to €150 — and it applies regardless of which VAT scheme you use. The transitional rate runs until 1 July 2028. |
| EU-wide handling fee | 1 Nov 2026 | A €2 Union handling fee per item applies to distance sales imported from outside the EU (delegated regulation adopted 21 Sep 2026), on top of the €3 duty and including consignments above €150. The declarant pays it — in practice the platform or the non-EU seller. Whether "item" means each product or each tariff line varies by member state, so model both — the EU landed cost calculator shows both readings for one order. |
| Product Identifiers (PIDs) | mandatory 1 Nov 2026 | PIDs become mandatory on customs declarations to improve traceability and safety checks. They can be declared voluntarily from 1 July 2026. |
| Dimension | Amazon | Temu |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $39.99 (Professional) | None (full-managed) |
| Referral/commission | 8-15% | 8-15% + deposit |
| Fulfillment | FBA required for Prime | Seller-managed (semi) |
| Search demand | Very high | High but impulse-driven |
| Brand control | Strong (Brand Registry) | Weak |
| Customer loyalty | Prime repeat buyers | Price-sensitive, low loyalty |
| Ad cost | High CPC | Low CPC |
Decision rule: run Amazon as your profit and brand channel; use Temu semi-managed to move excess inventory at marginal cost and reach price-sensitive demographics. Products with COGS < $15 and visual appeal (home, apparel, gadgets) tend to do best on Temu.
A quick margin check for a $20 product on Temu semi-managed:
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $20.00 |
| COGS | $6.00 |
| Commission (10%) | $2.00 |
| Shipping (avg) | $3.20 |
| Returns/buffer (3%) | $0.60 |
| Net margin | $8.20 (41%) |
That is competitive with Amazon after FBA fees, with far less ad pressure — which is exactly why multi-channel sellers are expanding into Temu in 2026.
Watch the 2026 Temu fee table line by line, then run your own unit through the free calculator - merchant deposit, commission band and inbound shipping included.
Primary sources: European Commission (Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union) on VAT e-commerce and low-value consignments; the EU VAT One Stop Shop / IOSS guidance; Temu Seller Center merchant documentation.
Reference links:
• European Commission — New approach to VAT for e-commerce imports
• European Commission — Customs formalities for low value consignments
• Your Europe — EU VAT One Stop Shop (OSS) and IOSS
• Temu Seller Center
• Amazon — Sell on Amazon (basis for the Amazon vs Temu comparison)
Disclaimer: Fee percentages and customs rules change frequently — the EU low-value parcel regime in particular is still transitioning. Verify current figures against your own Temu merchant agreement and the official sources above before committing inventory. This guide is not legal or tax advice.
Every worked example on this page is recomputed from Temu's published seller fee documentation for the fulfilment model it belongs to, then re-checked against our own Temu profit calculator. Each model — fully managed, semi-managed and local-to-local — is walked through on its own, because a margin that looks correct in one model can hide a wrong deduction in another.
Where Temu prices a fee per category or per region instead of globally, the page says so rather than quoting a single number as if it applied everywhere. Customs and import-VAT figures are taken from the official EU and UK customs rules for the trade lane described, not from other sellers' summaries.
Last independently verified: September 2026. Applies to the published 2026 fee schedule. Found a figure that looks wrong? Email support@ylishi.tools — pages are corrected when the underlying published rates change.
Written by the ylishi.tools research team (8 years selling on Amazon FBA, 11 years in cross-border e-commerce, across the US, UK and DE marketplaces). Read our about page and the full author & methodology page.
Written and maintained by the ylishi.tools editorial team, which has tracked Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop seller fees since 2026. Spotted an error or a stale rate? Email support@ylishi.tools — figures on this page are corrected whenever the published fee schedule changes.
Every rate card behind this tool comes from our open dataset — 2026 Amazon FBA fee snapshots (CC BY 4.0). What changed between monthly snapshots is dated in the Amazon FBA fee change log. Machine-readable JSON, free to cite.
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