Temu Temporarily Suspends Cross-Border Sales in Turkey

January 25 — According to Today Turkey, Chinese online retailer Temu has halted all international product sales in Turkey, marking a significant shift in the platform’s local strategy.

Until now, Temu had been aggressively courting Turkish shoppers with ultra-low-priced imports and heavy advertising. With this change, users who open the Temu app or website can no longer access the thousands of inexpensive overseas items that helped define the platform’s appeal.

In their place, Temu is now displaying only products from local Turkish sellers that offer domestic delivery. In effect, the move reshapes the global e-commerce player into a Turkey-only marketplace focused on in-country fulfillment.

This sudden pivot removes cross-border shopping—previously dependent on customs processing—and weakens one of Temu’s biggest advantages for value-focused consumers. Shoppers attempting to browse or add items to their carts now see only domestic inventory, with all international options removed from the system.

Shift follows a competition authority inspection

The policy change came just days after Turkey’s Competition Authority conducted an on-site inspection at Temu’s Istanbul office on January 21.

While the authority emphasized that the visit does not necessarily signal a formal investigation, the timing suggests Temu may be restructuring its operations to address regulatory compliance expectations.

In a statement provided to Reuters, Temu acknowledged the inspection and said it would fully cooperate with Turkish authorities. The company denied reports that officials seized laptops and desktop computers during the visit, while confirming that devices were examined. Turkey’s Competition Authority similarly denied any seizure.

For now, there is no official timeline. Temu has not publicly clarified whether this local-seller-only setup is a permanent business transformation or a temporary measure, nor has it indicated when—or if—cross-border sales may return.

The shift is already influencing Turkish shopping habits, as many consumers had grown accustomed to using the platform for low-cost imported goods.

Temu is owned by China’s PDD Holdings, and its model has traditionally centered on low-priced products shipped directly from China, often leveraging duty-free treatment for low-value parcels to price below domestic retailers.

Rising regulatory pressure on Chinese platforms

Temu’s move comes amid intensifying scrutiny of Chinese e-commerce platforms operating in Turkey over the past several months.

In early January, Turkey’s Ministry of Trade announced that, starting February 1, it will remove the simplified customs procedure for goods valued at €30 or less. Officials cited safety concerns following tests that allegedly found toxic or carcinogenic substances in certain imported products.

Earlier, in October, the Turkish government introduced measures excluding high-risk categories—such as toys, footwear, and leather goods—from simplified customs procedures. Turkish industry groups have pushed for tighter import rules, arguing that artificially low pricing from overseas platforms undermines domestic manufacturers.

In June 2025, after the Ministry of Trade required all foreign digital marketplace operators to register a domestic legal entity in Turkey, Temu established a local office. The platform also began allowing Turkish merchants to list products, expanding beyond its core cross-border model.

Industry estimates suggest that by 2024 Temu had reached 416 million global monthly active users, with annual sales projected at $70.8 billion. Its rapid expansion has drawn the attention of regulators in multiple markets, including enforcement action involving its European headquarters in Dublin last December.