How to sell on Temu: A guide to global success
Last update: 16 April 2025
With a global audience of nearly 300 million active users, Temu is a lucrative platform for scaling e-commerce businesses that are looking to connect with potential customers from around the world.
However, it can be costly and time-consuming to start selling on different online marketplaces – particularly if you plan to be active in multiple countries. You’ll typically need a local bank account to collect sales revenue from these sites, and you’ll have foreign exchange (FX) fees and the hassle of managing multiple income streams to think about too.
In this article, you’ll learn how to sell on Temu while overcoming these common challenges. We’ll share ways you can maximise your success on the platform and explain how to handle payments in multiple currencies more efficiently.
We’ll cover:
- How to sell on Temu: Five basic steps to get set up
- Nine tips to make your Temu store a success
- Why it’s so hard to manage payments on global e-commerce sites
- How WorldFirst makes it easier to sell on Temu
- How to set up a World Account
- How WorldFirst helped Bull Doza Fight Wear go global
Want an easy way to hold 20+ currencies and connect with 100+ marketplaces? Sign up to WorldFirst today.
How to sell on Temu: 5 basic steps to get set up
So, how do you get set up on Temu and start to sell on the platform? Here, we share a step-by-step guide.
1. Apply for your Temu seller account
To get set up as a Temu seller, you first need to register as a new seller or merchant. You can do this by contacting Temu directly or applying through its sister company, Pinduoduo.
There are two main ways to do this:
- Download the Pinduoduo app or visit the website to apply for your seller account.
- Contact Temu directly via [email protected] to request your unique seller code.
Regardless of your location, you’ll need to verify your business by providing details such as your business licence, a tax registration certificate and a form of personal ID. Once you’ve submitted this business information, Temu will tell you within three days whether your application has been successful.
2. Create your Temu seller profile
Once Temu has greenlit your application, you’ll need to complete your seller profile. To make your profile official, you need to set up a bank account in the country where you’re selling. Plus, you’ll be required to provide extra details including your business name, contact information, tax credentials and banking information.
You can also customise your store with your official branding, a bio that attracts the right shoppers to your business and your policies, such as:
- Your refund and returns policy
- Your shipping costs and terms
- Your payment terms and information
Note. It can be tricky to set up a local account in the country where you’re selling if you don’t have a presence there. If you’re concerned that this might present an obstacle to your growth, skip ahead to see how WorldFirst can help.
3. Select your products and list them on your store
Once your Temu store is all set up and ready to go, start adding your inventory. When selecting products for your store, there are two routes you can take:
- You can source goods from suppliers within Temu’s extensive network and fulfill them yourself
- You can try dropshipping on Temu. Note that dropshipping isn’t fully supported on Temu, and if the platform does fulfil your orders, it will send them under its own branding
Once you’ve set your inventory, you’ll need to create product listings and descriptions. Some things to consider include:
- Product titles and descriptions: Your titles and descriptions should highlight your products’ key benefits. You should also be 100% transparent about the products’ features.
- Images and videos: Use high-quality images and videos that grab attention and show your products in their best light.
- Product specs: Add your products’ weight and dimensions accurately to ensure the correct shipping calculations. Always select the right stock quantities for your products.
- Pricing: Take the time to explore the platform and how your competitors are pricing their products. You’ll want to strike a balance between competitive pricing and a healthy profit margin.
4. Understand Temu’s platform fees
Before you officially launch your store and start selling, you should be aware of the platform’s seller fees. Having a firm grasp of Temu’s platform fees will help you forecast profits and set budgets with confidence. Here’s a summary for your reference.
| Type of fee | The particulars |
|---|---|
| Listing fees | There’s no charge for listing products on the platform. |
| Referral fees | The platform’s referral fees are between 2% and 5%. |
| Subscription fees | The subscription fee is US$39 per month. |
| Fulfilment fees | If you choose Temu’s direct order fulfilment option, you’ll be charged fees based on the weight and the size of the items. |
| Shipping fees | Consumers benefit from free shipping as a platform perk. But as a seller, you’ll have to consider shipping fees and absorb them into your costs accordingly. |
In addition to understanding Temu’s platform fees, you need to know how to accept payments as a seller. To start accepting payments, accept Temu’s payment terms and provide up-to-date bank account details. You’ll also need to share a proof of address and a tax certificate.
Payment processing fees can vary according to country or region. Visit Temu’s Support Centre for information on processing fees relevant to your business.
5. Launch your Temu store
At this point, you’ll have set up your store, arranged your inventory and examined Temu’s platform fees and payment options in detail. Now you’re ready for launch.
Once Temu has reviewed and published your online store’s product listings, you can monitor your sales and fulfill orders directly through the seller portal.
To make a healthy profit through your Temu store, it pays to be consistent and transparent. That means sticking to your store policies, shipping your goods on time and communicating with your customers regularly.
9 tips to make your Temu store a success
Once you’re set up, these practical tips can help you succeed as a Temu seller and earn consistent growth through the platform.
- Choose trending or popular products that appeal to your audience. When sourcing new inventory for your Temu store, one way to find inspiration is to look at Amazon Marketplace’s Best Sellers list to identify trending products in your niche. You can also use product research tools like AMZScout’s PRO AI Extension to scout out low-competition products with high demand.
- Experiment with pricing strategies to maximise your sales. To maximise your profit, try different pricing strategies to stay competitive while maintaining healthy margins. Dynamic pricing, temporary discounts and free shipping are all effective ways to sell products and boost your sales on Temu.
- Familiarise yourself with seller restrictions to stay compliant and avoid account suspensions. Temu has certain restrictions concerning age, geographical location, prohibited items, intellectual property, payment policies, quality standards and shipping requirements. Take the time to understand these restrictions to avoid the risk of an account suspension or, worse, a ban.
- Review and update your content regularly to keep your product listings competitive. Continually review your product pricing and provide detailed descriptions to ensure your listings are accurate, engaging and competitive. Do this regularly so customers know that your information is up to date.
- Leverage paid advertising across channels to reach wider audiences. One important marketing strategy is to use Temu’s display ads platform to increase the visibility of certain products and strategically promote specific deals, discounts, or new stock. You can also promote your store across external channels like Google Ads and your most engaged social media accounts to attract extra traffic.
- Reply to customer enquiries promptly and offer excellent customer service. If you’re managing fulfilment yourself, sending regular shipping updates and telling your customers about potential issues or delays will build trust and result in a positive brand reputation.
- Reward loyalty and incentivise your customers to shop with you regularly. While you can’t offer personalised or exclusive offers to specific customers through the Temu platform. However, one way to build loyalty through Temu is to include a discount or coupons for use on your own store in the physical package when the item is delivered. Happy repeat customers are likely to refer you to their friends and family, so it always pays to reward loyalty.
- Get reviews and testimonials to build trust and show your value. Encourage reviews and testimonials to build trust, showcase your value, and enhance your reputation as a Temu seller.
- Make use of Temu’s analytics tools to track your sales performance. Temu has in-built analytics that you can use to monitor your sales performance. Doing so will allow you to identify trends or patterns and make strategic changes (better product descriptions, optimised ad messaging, seasonal sales campaigns, etc.) to improve your sales success.
Why it’s so hard to manage payments on global e-commerce sites
Your Temu store is set up, but one of the most important considerations is how you’re going to manage the sales revenue that you earn.
While that might sound easy enough, there are some challenges that you shouldn’t underestimate when selling through e-commerce platforms like Temu, Amazon or Etsy:
- FX costs and delayed transfers. FX fees can eat into your profit margins, while account maintenance fees for business accounts are often not very transparent. It’s worth being aware that international payments can also take up to six working days to settle – which can cause logistical bottlenecks by delaying the shipping or procurement of goods.
- You often need a local account. On some marketplaces, to sell in certain geographies, you often need to have a local account to collect your earnings. For example, if you want to sell on Amazon in the US, it’s mandatory to have a local account in USD. While it’s not necessary to have one to sell on Temu, it does mean that you can save on international transaction fees and get paid faster.
But opening a bank account in a foreign country isn’t always easy. You’ll often need a physical presence in that region – and that means meeting specific administrative and regulatory requirements.
- Managing multiple accounts can be messy. You likely have multiple bank accounts for each one of your stores (website, Amazon, Shopify, etc.). This tends to be useful for accounting and attribution purposes, but it can reduce visibility over your finances. Add in different accounts for different currencies, and managing it all can be overwhelming.
- Paying suppliers in China adds an extra layer of complexity. Without a local CNY account, paying Chinese suppliers often means high fees, slower processing times and more paperwork. Plus, verification processes and currency restrictions can create delays at the wrong time, like when you’re trying to restock or launch a new product.
While managing e-commerce payments comes with its challenges, you don’t have to do it alone. At WorldFirst, we support e-commerce brands of all sizes to accept payments and make international transfers quickly and affordably.
Read on to find out more – or sign up today to open an account.
- Open 20+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
- Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
- Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
- Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty
How WorldFirst makes selling on Temu easy
WorldFirst’s World Account is an all-in-one multi-currency account that offers simplified and secure solutions for global payments. If you’re a cross-border business selling on global e-commerce sites, WorldFirst can help you save on FX fees and send money faster.
Many global e-commerce businesses already rely on WorldFirst as their preferred payment platform. Over 300,000 Amazon sellers currently use a World Account to handle their international payments. Since 2004, over $300 billion has been sent through WorldFirst and its partner brands, helping businesses like yours go global while saving on FX costs.
Here are three reasons why you should open a World Account if you’re looking to sell on Temu:
1. Connect with 130+ marketplaces and payment providers on one easy-to-manage platform
E-commerce brands often have separate accounts for each currency and marketplace. However, this can make it difficult to get visibility over all your finances.
To make this easier, WorldFirst connects with over 100 seller marketplaces – including Temu – and over 30 payment platforms. Receive your funds with zero fees and access your sales revenue faster.
What’s more, you can manage all your sales in one place for better visibility over all your income streams. For instance, you can open an account for your Temu sales and another for your Amazon revenue, but view them both in the same interface.
2. Get local account details in 20+ currencies
Unlike with other e-commerce platforms, selling globally on Temu doesn’t strictly require you to have a local account in each country where you’re selling. However, having a separate account for each geography helps you to save on international transaction fees and get paid faster when collecting funds.
However, with a conventional bank, you’ll typically need to have a local presence in each of these countries to open an account. And this can dramatically slow you down.
With a World Account, you can get paid like a local – without the hassle. One account gives you local account details in 20+ currencies, so you can leverage local payment networks and get paid faster. You can reduce payout times from six business days (via SWIFT) to as little as one business day.
This makes it easier to pay local suppliers too. For instance, with a CNH currency account, you can easily pay suppliers in China while minimising processing fees.
3. Pay in 100+ currencies to 200+ countries and save on FX costs
When you handle payments in several currencies, FX costs can stack up over time – eating into your profit margins.
With WorldFirst, you can make payments in 100+ currencies to accounts in over 210 different countries. Our payment fees and conversion costs are clear and competitive, helping you keep costs to a minimum, while our advanced FX tools let you manage risk.
For example, you can choose when to convert currencies and take advantage of favourable rates when they’re available. Set a target rate and we’ll notify you the moment it hits. Alternatively, lock in an exchange rate for up to 24 months to protect against future volatility.
How to set up a World Account
Ready to set up a World Account? It couldn’t be easier. Simply follow these steps:
- Visit our Sign up page to get started
- Fill out some basic details about you and your company
- Provide the necessary verification documents and wait for verification. This is typically complete in one business day
- Once verification is complete, you can start opening receiving accounts in the currencies you need
- Start selling on Temu and other global e-commerce marketplaces
Note: you can use this official Help Centre guide to navigate the process.
How Bull Doza Fight Wear cut up to 3% in fees with WorldFirst
UK-based Bull Doza is on a mission to sell high-quality martial arts wear around the world. The brand sells its products exclusively online without any intermediaries involved, passing the savings onto its customers.
After gaining traction in the UK, Bull Doza had ambitious plans to expand into the global market, but a roadblock stood in its way. Limited by banking restrictions, Bull Doza couldn’t sell on Amazon US or Europe. To grow, the brand needed a sustainable, global solution.
Working with WorldFirst, Bull Doza successfully expanded into several global markets. They could easily verify their banking details in different countries by quickly downloading an account ownership statement. Plus, they were able to integrate their World Account with Xero for improved accounting and financial decision-making.
The result? Bull Doza accelerated their market entry by three to six months, reaching new regions faster. The company also saved as much as 3% on every $10,000+ sized transfer compared to traditional banks.
Maximise your e-commerce profits with a World Account
In this guide, we’ve covered how you can start selling on Temu. Now, all you need is an efficient payment system that’s built for international growth.
WorldFirst’s World Account is a multi-currency account that empowers your business to grow beyond borders. With WorldFirst, creating administrative efficiency, expanding into international markets smoothly and reducing FX fees is now easier than ever.
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