Temu’s got a local warehouse in SA
Temu has just launched its first warehouse in South Africa! Here’s what this means for you shopaholics
If you’ve been living under a rock (or ignoring those “70% OFF EVERYTHING” pop-ups), here’s some news: Temu has officially launched a warehouse right here in South Africa!
The online shopping giant that’s been eating up your screen time and tempting you with ridiculously cheap gadgets, clothes, and pet sunglasses now has a local base.
That can only mean one thing: faster delivery.
How fast are we talking?
Items marked as “local” on Temu’s site can now be delivered in under two days, with many arriving as soon as the next day.
So if you’ve ever ordered a phone case, forgotten about it, and it arrived three months later along with a strange sticker, those days are numbered.
This is Temu’s first big move since it landed on our shores in January 2024.
Now considering how quickly South Africans fell in love with it this expansion makes a lot of sense.
Sadly, not everyone is clapping.
While bargain hunters are doing victory dances in their kitchens, some local businesses aren’t thrilled.
MyBroadband reported that Temu (and its fellow discount-happy rival, Shein) faced heat from South African retailers last year for taking advantage of a tax loophole.
Here’s the gist:
- A 2007 South African Revenue Service (SARS) rule lets importers pay a flat 20% duty on goods under R500, skipping the usual 45% duty on clothes.
- That rule was meant to speed up customs clearance, but it’s turned into a major advantage for international online stores.
This rule left local shops feeling like they brought a butter knife to a bazooka fight.
No survivors.
For shoppers, this is a huge win. For Temu, it’s full steam ahead.
For local businesses though; their headache just became a head wound.
Love it or hate it though, it looks like Temu’s here to stay, and your impulse buys just got a whole lot faster.
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