Temu dropshipping: How to get started
Last update: 14 May 2025
Temu is one of the largest marketplaces in the world, and has taken the world by storm in just a few years since its founding in 2022. As of September 2024 it has 92 million monthly users in Europe, and is one of the most downloaded apps in the US.
The meteoric rise of Temu is largely due to the huge product range, extremely low prices and its generous 90-day return policy, which helps grow consumer trust.
With such scale and low prices, you may be asking: is it possible to build a dropshipping business with Temu as a supplier? And what’s the best way to approach it?
In this article, we’ll explore:
- Can you dropship on Temu?
- What are the challenges with sourcing products with Temu?
- Why AliExpress is a better alternative for dropshippers
- How to dropship with Temu (if you really want to use it)
- Why open an account with WorldFirst?
Want to easily send money to suppliers around the world (including China) for low rates? Sign up to WorldFirst, an international bank account with transparent fees.
Can you dropship on Temu?
The short answer is: Not really.
Temu does not officially support dropshipping on its platform. It’s designed primarily for direct-to-consumer retail, catering to individual shoppers who are drawn to low prices and generous return policies, not resellers or B2B buyers.
Here’s what Temu’s website says about dropshipping:
While Temu doesn’t officially support dropshipping, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it to fulfil orders.
You can still manually purchase products from Temu and ship them directly to your customers. However, it’s important to note that Temu offers no dedicated tools or services for dropshippers: no branded packaging options, no white-label shipping and no integrations to automate fulfilment.
This is a key difference from platforms like AliExpress, which offers an entire backend solution for dropshippers through its AliExpress DS Center. That platform is built specifically to help resellers automate orders, manage bulk shipping and streamline logistics (more on that later).
So while you can technically use Temu as a product source, doing so comes with limitations which we explore below.
If you’re okay with that, Temu can still be a useful source for testing product ideas or launching a low-risk store, as long as you’re strategic and manage your customers’ expectations.
What are the challenges with sourcing products from Temu?
Temu is able to offer such competitive pricing because of bidding wars (weekly auctions where manufacturers compete to win orders by offering low prices), an extensive local Chinese network and China’s zero-export tax policy. However, it’s still not the best option for dropshippers because of the following challenges:
1. Temu products are packaged in bright orange, making it harder to get repeat customers
Every product shipped by Temu arrives in its distinctive orange packaging, prominently branded with the Temu logo. If you’ve ordered from the platform yourself, you’ll know exactly what this looks like:
As a dropshipper, this will cause problems: When your customer receives the order, they’ll instantly recognise it came from Temu. That makes it far more likely they’ll go directly to Temu next time instead of returning to your store.
Unlike other platforms, Temu also doesn’t offer any branding options. You can’t include your own logo, include custom inserts or offer your own experience. This makes it a lot harder to build a long-term brand or generate repeat customers.
2. Customer service will be hard as you won’t have any control over the order
Since you’re not the direct seller, handling customer service can quickly become complicated. You’ll have to act as the intermediary between your customers and Temu’s support team, but without any backend access or control over the order, this can make resolving issues difficult.
If a package arrives damaged, is sent to the wrong address, or goes missing, you’ll be reliant on Temu’s customer service to fix the problem. Unfortunately, Temu doesn’t have the best reputation for customer support (as you can see on Trustpilot). Delays, limited responses or inconsistent resolutions are common and can frustrate your customers and reflect poorly on your business.
3. You’ll need to fulfil orders manually, which is a lot harder to scale
Because Temu doesn’t support dropshipping, there’s no automated way to fulfil customer orders. When someone places an order on your website, you’ll need to manually go to Temu, buy the product, and enter your customer’s shipping details. This process is time-consuming and makes scaling your business difficult.
If you want to avoid the bright orange Temu packaging, things get even more complicated. You’d need to ship the product to a warehouse or intermediary, repackage it, and then send it on to your customer, adding cost and significantly increasing delivery times.
An alternative is to partner with a third-party logistics (3PL) company, which can receive Temu shipments, repackage them in neutral or branded materials, and forward them to your customers. This helps avoid the obvious Temu branding, but it does come with trade-offs such as the added complexity and the higher fulfilment costs, which could affect your margins. For low-ticket items – which make up the bulk of Temu’s catalog – this can quickly eat into your profits.
Why AliExpress is a better alternative for dropshippers
If you’re an entrepreneur who’s serious about dropshipping, AliExpress is a far more dropshipper-friendly option than Temu.
The platform has been around since 2010 and is backed by Alibaba Group. It hosts over 100 million products from thousands of independent sellers, many of whom are familiar with working with dropshippers.
While prices on AliExpress may not always be as low as Temu, you gain access to several critical advantages including direct communication with the best dropshipping suppliers, more control over your branding and higher product quality. You’ll also be able to completely customise the packaging and offer faster shipping to your customers.
If your goal is to build a long-term dropshipping business with repeat customers and consistent brand perception, AliExpress is a more scalable and sustainable solution than Temu.
You can read our guide to dropshipping with AliExpress here: How to Set Up Your AliExpress Dropshipping Business.
- 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 to dropship with Temu (if you really want to use it)
While Temu isn’t built for dropshipping, and comes with several challenges, you can still use it manually, especially if you’re testing product ideas or operating a small, low-risk store.
If you’re set on using Temu, here’s a practical guide to help you make it work:
1. Set up your store (or choose to sell directly to marketplaces)
Before anything else, you’ll need to decide where you want to sell:
- Do you want to create your own online store?
- Or would you prefer to sell through an existing marketplace?
Selling through marketplaces
If you’re just getting started, selling through platforms like Amazon, TikTok Shop or eBay can be a smart move. These platforms already have built-in traffic, so you’ll reach potential customers much faster, without needing to invest heavily in marketing or SEO from day one.
However, there are trade-offs:
- Marketplaces charge seller fees (for example, Amazon charges £25–£30/month for a professional seller account)
- It can be harder to stand out, since your product listings sit alongside hundreds of similar ones
- You have less control over your brand, packaging and customer experience
Building your own shop
If your goal is to build a long-term brand, you’ll eventually want to create your own store. Platforms like Shopify, Wix and BigCommerce make it easy to get started and they support dropshipping through integrations with tools like DSers, Zendrop or AutoDS.
If you go this route, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Choose a mobile-friendly, fast-loading theme that reflects your niche and brand style
- Set up your key pages, including product pages, checkout, cart and confirmation
- Create informational pages, such as an “About” page, FAQs, and even a blog to build trust
- Set up payment gateways, such as PayPal, Stripe or Shopify Payments, so you can start collecting orders right away
You can read our guide to Shopify stores for sellers here: How does Shopify work as a seller?
2. Find and add products
If you’re using Temu as your supplier, keep in mind that you’ll need to add products manually since Temu doesn’t have direct integrations with platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. This means you’ll have to:
- Copy product details, images and prices by hand
- Upload them to your store manually
- Use a spreadsheet to keep track of product links, pricing and inventory
It’s time-consuming, but manageable if you’re testing a few products or running a small store.
Even if you don’t source directly from Temu, it’s a great place to spot trending best-selling products.
From the Temu app home screen, tap on the “Hot Sales” or “Top Rankings” section. You’ll find a curated list of trending products across different categories, from home gadgets to fashion to tech accessories. This is a valuable tool for identifying what’s gaining traction and the winning products in the market, which you can then cross-check on other platforms like AliExpress or 1688.com for better fulfillment options.
3. Start selling and marketing through your dropshipping store
Once your store is set up and your products are live, it’s time to focus on driving traffic and generating sales.
There are two main types of marketing strategies you can use: paid and organic. Most successful stores use a combination of both to build momentum and grow consistently.
Paid marketing channels
These methods can generate traffic quickly but require budget and constant optimisation:
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: Use platforms like Google Ads to target high-intent search queries
- Paid social media ads: Run targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok to reach specific demographics
- Influencer marketing: Partner with niche influencers who can showcase your products to their audience
- Affiliate marketing: Allow others to promote your products in exchange for a commission on each sale
Organic marketing channels
Organic strategies take time but help you build long-term, sustainable growth:
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Optimise your product pages and blog content to rank in Google search results
- Email marketing: Build a list of subscribers and send newsletters, offers or product updates to drive repeat sales
- Social media content: Regularly post content on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok to build a loyal following
The key is to start with one or two channels, test what works best for your audience and scale from there.
4. Manually track any sales and put them through Temu
Since Temu doesn’t offer any dropshipping integrations, you’ll need to manage orders manually. This means keeping a close eye on your incoming sales and placing each order yourself. Here’s how the process works:
- A customer places and pays for an order on your website
- You go to Temu and find the same product
- At checkout, enter your customer’s shipping address
- Temu ships the product directly to your customer
It’s a straightforward process, but doing it manually becomes time-consuming as your store scales, especially if you start getting dozens of orders per day.
To avoid sending Temu-branded packaging directly to your customers, you can work with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. In this case, you’ll:
- Enter the 3PL’s warehouse address as the shipping destination in Temu
- The 3PL receives the product and repackages it in neutral or branded materials
- They then ship it out to your customer
This gives you more control over the unboxing experience, but it also adds cost and delivery time.
If your store begins receiving a high volume of orders, managing everything manually on Temu will quickly become overwhelming. This is where order management apps like DSers, AliDropship or Zendrop come in. But it’s important to note that these tools only work with AliExpress, not Temu.
With these apps, you can:
- Automatically sync orders from your store
- Click “Order Product” next to each order to trigger fulfillment
- Have customer details (name, shipping address, etc.) automatically passed to the supplier
- Track order statuses and delivery timelines from a single dashboard
These integrations save hours of manual work, reduce errors and make it much easier to scale, which is why AliExpress remains the go-to choice for serious dropshippers.
5. Use a multi-currency bank account to manage your international payments
As a dropshipper, you’ll often be dealing with suppliers from different countries and receiving payments through various international marketplaces, from Temu and AliExpress to platforms like Amazon, eBay, Etsy and TikTok Shop.
To reduce fees and simplify your financial operations, it’s smart to set up an international bank account.
Traditional banks often charge high foreign exchange (FX) fees and cross-border payment charges, which can quickly eat into your profit margins, especially when you’re paying suppliers in different currencies.
For example:
- Some AliExpress sellers inflate their USD prices to cover potential FX losses
- By paying in local currencies like CNH (Chinese Yuan Offshore), you can often get better rates and improve supplier relationships
- You may even be able to negotiate discounts or more favourable terms by offering to pay in your supplier’s preferred currency
A World Account from WorldFirst gives you access to local currency accounts in 20+ currencies, allowing you to:
- Receive payments from over 130 marketplaces (like Amazon, Etsy and Shopee)
- Hold and convert funds at competitive FX rates
- Pay suppliers directly, in their local currency, without extra fees
This setup not only saves money but also gives you the flexibility and professionalism needed to grow your online business across borders.
6. Monitor site and sales performance
As your store grows, it’s important to regularly track how your website and products are performing. Use tools like Shopify analytics or Google Analytics to monitor traffic, conversions and revenue.
You should also keep an eye on product performance through Temu or AliExpress. Identify which items are selling well, generating repeat orders, or causing issues. This helps you decide which products to scale and where to focus your marketing budget.
By reviewing your data consistently, you’ll make smarter decisions and grow your store more efficiently.
Why open an account with WorldFirst?
WorldFirst’s World Account is a multi-currency business account designed to simplify international payments for e-commerce sellers. You can hold funds in 20+ currencies, make fee-free local payments and receive payouts directly from global marketplaces, all from one central dashboard.
For dropshippers, especially those sourcing from platforms like Temu or AliExpress, WorldFirst offers key advantages that help streamline operations and reduce unnecessary costs.
Here’s why it makes sense to open a World Account if you run a dropshipping business:
Open 20+ currency accounts and save money on FX fees
With a World Account from WorldFirst, you can open 20+ local currency accounts complete with local bank details enabling you to receive, hold and send money in those currencies without unnecessary conversion fees.
Supported currencies include: USD, CAD, CNH, HKD, SGD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD, JPY, AED, CHF, CZK, SAR, MXN, PLN, SEK, ZAR, THB (for non-Thailand users) and MYR.
Note: Available currencies may vary depending on where your business is registered.
One of the most valuable currencies for dropshippers sourcing from China is CNH (Chinese Yuan Offshore). With CNH, you can make same-day or next-day payments directly into your supplier’s Chinese bank account without high transfer fees or slow processing times.
Using local currency accounts not only helps you avoid inflated FX markups, but also improves your ability to negotiate better prices with suppliers, since you’re paying them in their preferred currency – quickly and without friction.
Pool all your global e-commerce funds in one place
As a dropshipper, you’re likely managing multiple suppliers across different countries, selling through platforms like Amazon, Etsy or TikTok Shop, and sourcing dropshipping products from e-commerce marketplaces such as Temu or AliExpress. Managing these transactions across multiple accounts can quickly become messy – and expensive.
If your revenue from Amazon lands in one account and supplier payments are made from another, you not only risk incurring unnecessary FX fees, but also create a complex reconciliation process that can slow down your business.
With WorldFirst, you can manage everything from one centralised digital account. From there, you can easily convert your revenue to CNH and pay your Chinese suppliers the very next day, all without opening multiple currency bank accounts or losing margin to avoidable expenses.
This streamlined approach helps you keep more of your profits and focus on growing your business, not managing accounts.
Use an account designed for digital businesses
Unlike traditional banks that often require in-person appointments and paperwork, WorldFirst is built for modern, digital-first businesses. You can open a World Account online in under 30 minutes, with no need to visit a branch.
The platform is designed to support growing e-commerce and dropshipping businesses with features that go beyond basic banking. You can:
- Add multiple users to your account to streamline team operations
- Integrate with accounting tools like Xero and NetSuite for seamless bookkeeping
- Issue virtual cards to allocate spend by supplier, country or campaign, such as ad spend for paid social
Whether you’re managing global payouts or tracking supplier expenses, WorldFirst gives you the control and flexibility your business needs without the overhead of traditional banking.
Grow your dropshipping margins with WorldFirst
In dropshipping, even a small boost in your margins can make a big difference to your bottom line. That’s likely part of the appeal of using Temu: its ultra-low prices can offer a competitive edge.
But while Temu may help you reduce product costs, it comes with trade-offs like Temu-branded packaging and manual order fulfillment, which can limit your ability to scale or build a strong brand.
To help offset those challenges and protect more of your profits, it’s smart to optimise other parts of your operation, especially payments. By using a multi-currency account like WorldFirst, you can reduce FX fees, streamline supplier payments and keep more of your earnings.
Whether you’re sourcing from Temu or scaling up with AliExpress, WorldFirst helps you grow your margins and build a more resilient, global business.
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