Temu shakes up South Africa

🛍️ The #1 of shopping goes to South Africa

South Africa's online shopping scene just got a lot more interesting (and potentially competitive) with the arrival of Temu, the budget-friendly ecommerce platform known for its ultra-low prices and loyal user base.

Launched in January 2024, Temu going to South Africa has already caused a stir: bargain hunters love them while local retailers hate them.

This isn't Temu's first rodeo. Already operating in 49 countries, including other African nations, it entered South Africa with ambitions to shake up the market.

Its partnership with Fastway allows for a not-so-speedy delivery of 6-20 days, though slightly slower than other regions.

💰️ Everyone loves discounts (except competition)

But Temu's biggest draw is its affordability, and users love it.

• Temu users spend an average of 18 minutes browsing the app, nearly double the time users dedicate to competitors like Amazon and AliExpress.

But with rock-bottom prices come whispers of unfair competition. South African retailers fear Temu, and similar players like Shein that could exploit tax loopholes to hurt local businesses.

While Temu denies this, questions linger about its use of "de minimis" rules, exempting low-value imports from duties.