Temu partners with DHL for local-to-local in Europe

Temu, the international ecommerce platform owned by China’s PDD Holdings, is expanding rapidly. Online entrepreneurs in many Western countries are increasingly concerned as the company makes its mark on the ecommerce landscape. Business and consumer advocacy groups have raised issues about unsafe products and misleading marketing practices. The European Commission is also keeping a close eye on the company.

Temu local-to-local

Temu benefits from the European threshold of 150 euros for import duties, which is set to be abolished within three years. In preparation, Temu has begun using warehouses across the continent to enable faster shipping to European consumers. The company has previously revealed ambitious plans for its local-to-local initiative, which is expected to eventually account for 80 percent of Temu’s sales in Europe.

This is a key reason for the deeper collaboration with DHL Group. The parcel market leader, via COO Katja Busch, stated: “We are excited to elevate our partnership with Temu to the next level. By combining our logistics capabilities with Temu’s innovative platform, we can create more efficient, compliant and convenient solutions that benefit both consumers and local businesses in the markets we serve.”

Going global

DHL will assist Temu in growing its presence in ecommerce markets, including the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions. The press release also states that Temu will enable European-based sellers to reach global markets in the future. “This allows, in particular, SMEs to scale and expand their businesses.”

DHL and Temu are focusing on logistical efficiency to drive mutual market expansion and say they will operate in compliance with applicable regulations. “Both parties are committed to fostering compliant trade and sustainable practices”, the press release on the memorandum states.