Guide
Selling on Temu: A guide for brands ready to reach millions of customers
Temu has grown from a cross-border marketplace to one where sellers ship directly to local customers from their own stock. Here’s what the marketplace is, who it suits, and how to get set up.
90+
markets worldwide
700+
product categories
30+
markets with Temu’s Local Seller Program
90-day
returns window
About Linnworks
Linnworks is the multichannel commerce platform that helps retailers grow sustainably. It connects operations across 100+ sales channels, bringing inventory, order, and warehouse management into one platform. More than 4,000 retailers run on Linnworks, processing $18B in GMV and 250M+ orders a year.
Chapter 1
What is Temu?
Temu is a global online marketplace that launched in the US in September 2022 and expanded to the UK in April 2023.
It now serves customers in more than 90 markets worldwide, with sellers able to list across more than 700 product categories, spanning everyday essentials to recognized brands and premium products.
Since 2024, Temu has grown its Local Seller Program, now active in more than 30 markets including the UK and the US. It lets sellers hold their own stock and ship directly to local customers, rather than relying on cross-border shipping. There’s no registration fee to join.
Temu doesn’t own or operate any of the warehouses or distribution used by local sellers. A seller registers their store and lists products. Temu handles the storefront and customer discovery. Then the seller handles shipping, customer service, and their own advertising on the platform.
Chapter 2
Why sell on Temu?
Temu is a popular ecommerce site, reaching customers across more than 90 markets worldwide. Local sellers now account for more than a quarter of Temu’s business, and that share keeps growing.
Leading brands sell there too, spanning everything from everyday essentials to higher-value electronics.
UK customers back this up. In independent research, 81% said Temu delivers good value for money, and 74% said they’d recommend it.‡
“Temu gave us access to a much broader base of shoppers.” — Mike Worden, Managing Director, The Sleep People
Individual sellers can grow fast. The Sleep People, a Yorkshire mattress maker, saw sales jump 27% within three weeks of joining. And Exploded Sweets, a UK confectionery startup, listed around 300 products and made over 20,000 sales within months.
‡Source: Ipsos.
Chapter 3
Eligibility and requirements
Requirements differ by market. Temu runs separate local seller programs for the UK and US.
UK sellers need to:
- Be UK-registered, with a UK bank account matching the registered business name
- Provide a government-issued photo ID and proof of address
- Provide a UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference); a Companies House number is also needed if registering as a business rather than an individual
US sellers need to:
- Be registered in the US
- Provide a valid US business address and proof of address (a utility bill or bank statement, for example)
- Have the primary contact complete seller identity verification
- Have in-country US dropship capability, either fulfilling directly or through a 3PL
- Hold a registered trademark and invoices from authorized sources if selling under a brand, with no pending applications
In both markets, products must meet category-specific compliance rules. Sellers need brand authorization or proof of ownership for anything branded or trademarked.
Temu also maintains its own prohibited and restricted product categories, separate from general compliance rules. It recommends checking Temu Seller Center for the latest lists.
Approval is fast by marketplace standards in both markets. A complete application is typically reviewed within one business day. The most common cause of delay is a mismatch between the name on an ID and the name on a bank account.
Chapter 4
Fees and commission
Temu doesn’t charge a registration fee, a listing fee, or a monthly subscription in either market. Temu offers a cost-efficient service fee model, with opportunities for marketing support for sellers as part of the standard offer. Exact fee details are only available through Temu Seller Center.
Shipping is handled by the seller, either directly or through Temu’s Buy Shipping service.
Chapter 5
How to get started
- Register. Sign up with business details, ID, proof of address, and bank details that match your registered name — there’s no registration fee. UK and US sellers register separately, through the relevant local program.
- Get approved. Applications are typically reviewed within one business day.
- Set up your store. Add a store name, logo, and description to build trust with shoppers.
- Connect Linnworks. Authorize Linnworks from within the Temu Seller Center’s Apps and services section, so orders, listings, and stock stay in sync with your other channels from day one.
- List products. Upload your catalog with accurate descriptions and images.
- Fulfill orders. Ship directly to customers using your own courier or Temu’s Buy Shipping service.
- Grow. Track sales and expand your range as demand grows.
Chapter 6
Challenges to plan for
Demand can spike quickly
Growth is often measured in weeks, not months, after joining. That’s a good problem to have, but only if stock levels and order processing can keep pace without breaking down — there’s no full Temu warehouse network for self-fulfilled sellers to lean on, though Temu’s Buy Shipping service is an alternative to using your own courier.
Returns are generous, which customers notice
Temu offers a 90-day return window on most items, with free return shipping on a customer’s first return per order. That’s a genuine trust signal that helps convert first-time customers. It’s also worth planning for the operational side of a long return window.
Another channel means another storefront to keep accurate
The same challenge shows up on every marketplace: another set of stock levels, listings, and orders to keep in sync as the business grows.
Chapter 7
How Linnworks helps you manage Temu
Stock levels stay synced between Temu and every other channel a seller uses, so the risk of overselling drops as soon as the connection goes live. New listings can be built and published to Temu directly from Linnworks, with pricing and stock tied to the same inventory record used everywhere else. Orders land in one place the moment they’re placed, and dispatch, tracking, refunds, and cancellations are all managed from there too, alongside every other channel a seller runs.
Two tools handle a lot of that automatically.
Spotlight AI keeps an eye on repetitive manual work as Temu volume grows, and flags which tasks are worth automating next.
For automotive sellers, Linnworks’ Temu integration uses K-Type functionality to make listing management easier. A single part, like a brake pad or alternator, that fits multiple different cars can hold that fitment data in a single SKU and listing.
What multichannel growth actually looks like with Temu and Linnworks.
“Everything comes into one system, which saves time and reduces the risk of errors.”
Read the case study
“It quickly became hard to keep everything in sync. Stock levels, orders and listings were all being managed in different places, which led to manual work and occasional mistakes.”
Read the case study
Temu marketplace FAQ
Explore answers to common questions about Temu and Linnworks.
Requirements differ by market. UK sellers need a UK-registered business, a matching UK bank account, ID, proof of address, and (for businesses) a Companies House number and UTR. US sellers need a verified US business or individual account with matching US bank details and tax information.
Typically under one business day for a complete application, in both the UK and US programs.
Nothing upfront: no registration fee, listing fee, or monthly subscription. Temu offers a cost-efficient service fee model — for current pricing specifics, check Temu Seller Center or speak with your Account Manager.
Mostly the seller, using their own courier or Temu’s Buy Shipping service as an alternative. Either way, delivery to the customer stays free or near-free.
Broadly similar in shape. Both let sellers fulfill their own orders directly to local customers, though they run as separate programs with separate registration processes. Both launched their local seller programs in 2024. The US market has since moved faster, with a 2025 import tax policy change accelerating the shift toward local sellers there.
Temu offers a 90-day return window on most items, with free return shipping on a customer’s first return per order, as long as the item is returned in its original condition within that window.