Can I Dropship on Temu?

Dropshipping has become increasingly popular all over the world, including in Nigeria. It entails the sale of products without holding inventory, thus minimizing initial costs. Temu is an e-commerce platform that is growing at a very rapid rate, considering its immense suite of very affordable products.

Now, the question is, Can I dropship from Temu? Is it even allowed? You want to get clear answers to these questions so that you don’t run a business that infringes on any party’s policies or even takes you on a date with the authorities, so this is something you need to know before starting.

So, in this post, we will establish a clear answer as to whether dropshipping on Temu is possible, how to connect Temu with Shopify and Amazon, and if it is recommendable for Nigerian online entrepreneurs.

What is Temu Dropshipping?

Temu dropshipping is using the Temu platform as a seller, or your supplier. As a seller, you will need to have an inventory of the goods, while using them as supplier, you will not require any inventory.

Since now you’re looking for a side hustle or an extra source of income, you probably have no money for inventory to be your option: to use Temu as your supplier.

Also see: What is Temu App Used For?

Can You Dropship on Temu?

From its official website, it clearly states that dropshipping is not supported. Should you give up just from this? Not just yet.

You can dropship from Temu now that the company clearly says you can buy an item directly from their site. After a deep screening of the policy and from my understanding, what Temu means by ‘not supporting dropshipping’ is there’s no platform specifically designed for dropshippers, for example, AliExpress DS Center in AliExpress dropshipping.

Can I Dropship on Temu?

According to Temu’s policy, officially, Temu doesn’t support dropshipping. However, it does in some cases and provides its special orange-colored packing for that purpose. If you are into dropshipping, you must know that not all of customers appreciate getting packages with Temu’s name on it.

That said, the service is liable for dropshipping only when you need to generate revenue from customers unaware of Temu.

Also, by ordering dropshipping with Temu, you are up to the rate of cancellation. In a post on Reddit, it is mentioned that if you try to dropship with your own packaging, it won’t take a minute for Temu to cancel your order and ban your account. Be very cautious before violating Temu policies.

Now, you only have two options left: go for a compromise with the orange packaging of Temu, or find another dropshipping platform for yourself.

Can I use Temu for Shopify?

Yes, you can use the Temu products with your Shopify store but in mind that Temu itself doesn’t give official support to dropshipping. That means there is no direct integration or app to automate the process.

This will involve manually listing the products of Temu in your Shopify store and processing orders one by one. This may be very cumbersome, prone to errors, and especially bad when the volume of orders increases.

Moreover, as Temu generally ships from China, the shipping period to Nigeria can be quite extensive and hence may give customers a terrible experience.

Consequently, with the occurrence of such challenges, using Temu products services via Shopify is quite possible but not smooth as per the requirement.

Can I Sell Temu Items on Amazon?

You can sell Temu products on Amazon, but it is a highly challenging job. First, Temu does not support dropshipping, which means you have to manage your inventory and shipping all by yourself. Second, Amazon has very strict policies regarding product authenticity, shipping times, and seller performance.

Since Temu ships from China, longer shipping times can result in delays, which can hurt your seller ratings on Amazon. Often, products will also arrive in Temu-branded packaging, which might confuse customers who expect items to come from Amazon.

There is also the possibility of intellectual property violations if the products are not up to Amazon’s standards. In summary, it is possible to resell Temu items on Amazon; however, it is a very precarious proposition with several potential pitfalls.

Also Read: 10 Best Websites Like Amazon for a Variety of Products: Top Online Shopping Platform

How to Start Dropshipping from Temu

Being a beginner, you probably don’t know where to start or how to advance. Of course, you have found a reliable supplier, Temu, so you’ve already cranked up the engine. Let’s share a step-by-step guide on how to launch your Temu dropshipping business.

Step 1: Product Research

While there are no exact figures out there, it is generally agreed that only 10-20% of dropshipping businesses succeed, and one of the reasons for the downfall of many is selling the wrong product.

To be able to have a successful Temu dropshipping business, you have to find a winning product. Below are some of the characteristics of a winning product;

Unique
Not available locally
Solves a problem
High profit margins
Size
No competition

A good dropshipping product has a ‘wow’ factor, it’s not available at your local store and solves a problem. The price points should also secure high-profit margins from 20-40%, and the product should be compact to avoid expensive shipping.

Of course, it should not have many sellers with the same product, and the item should not be on the banned list.

Step 2: Choosing a Sales Channels

Finally, you found that perfect product from Temu, so now the next big question is where you are going to sell. A sales channel is one important thing in business, since it affects the overall success and sustainability of the business.

Now, there are a number of sales channels; each has its fair share of pros and cons. You can sell on marketplaces or by creating a store.

Selling on Marketplaces

Amazon and eBay are established marketplaces where you can sell your products. They are good, especially when you are starting out in business.

The fact that they are already established means you already have an audience, so you don’t waste time marketing. You should be able to focus on finding the best products to sell and offering customer support.

Creating Your Store

If you want full control over your business and brand, you should invest in your store. You may build your store from scratch by having it customized with your brand to keep everything cohesive.

Then there are e-commerce website builders such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix. Either one of these will, of course, involve costs.

The most expensive way is creating a website from scratch, as you need to hire a developer, buy a domain, host, integrate, and so on.

Using prebuilt platforms is the easy way out because they come with everything you may need to start selling professionally and cost a fraction-just monthly subscription fee.

Step 3: Creating Listings

You now have a product(s) in mind and a selling channel, the next step is product import. This is an important stage and can be the deal maker or breaker since product listings affect aspects like product visibility and conversion.

Also, write proper product titles that are optimized to rank in the SERPs. Include all the required information such as product features, estimated delivery time, and proper images.

Next, you need to determine your pricing. You would want to check around so that your pricing remains competitive enough for you to at least start getting the orders by commanding advantage of lower pricing. Let your final pricing include buying cost, all the additional fees, and your profit margin.

When starting, product import and pricing can be made manually, but as you advance and start receiving more orders, you will have to think about a solution which will let you import bulk products with one click and be on top of re-pricing without human errors.

Step 4: Marketing

You now have a running store with products and everything required for a purchase to be made. Be keen here as this is where many businesses start failing.

You need to lay down a marketing plan to promote your products. Remember, there are many other dropshippers, so you need to stand out. Your marketing strategy will be greatly reliant on your sales channel.

Some of the simple strategies to put in place would be social media: TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. To those who have personal websites, SEO will equally be crucial for organic traffic.

However, should you want an inorganic feel, then ads do it well. Other marketplaces like Amazon and eBay have built-in marketing tools for their users.

You should also consider free shipping perks. Target sells products that offer free shipping or has a strategy aimed at offering free shipping options.

Statistics have shown that 90% of consumers shop more online if there’s a free option, while 24% agree that they can spend more just to qualify for free shipping.

Step 5: Create a Customer Support System

You also need to focus on offering steadfast customer support. Avail multichannel support and make sure no message gets to slip through the cracks. Importantly, communicate with customers regularly regarding the status of their orders.

Step 6: Order Fulfillment

Your store should be up and running by now, and orders are trickling in. Even though it is one or two orders, it is encouraging. You have to ensure that all orders are fulfilled.

That said, it is your responsibility to transfer the order to Temu, together with the customer’s information, and the rest will be handled by Temu.

But make sure there is always communication with the customer on the order of their status. Ensure there’s a way for them to track their order in real-time, as statistics show that 90% of consumers want to be able to track their orders.

Also Read: Temu’s Sales Skyrocket Following Its International Expansion

Is it recommended to dropship on Temu?

Generally speaking, Temu is not a platform recommended for dropshipping, for a number of reasons. Their policies do not support dropshipping, meaning there is no infrastructure for this business model.

The manual processing of orders will be a headache, prone to errors, especially when your business starts to scale.

Moreover, shipping from China to Nigeria may take quite a while, which might make customers complain and even lead to disputes. There is also the issue of Temu-branded packaging, which can confuse customers and affect how your brand is perceived.

In light of these challenges, it will be good to look for other suppliers or platforms that are friendlier towards dropshipping and more supportive of Nigerian entrepreneurs.

FAQs

Does Temu do dropshipping?

No, Temu is not a dropshipping wholesaler, but it is an eCommerce marketplace.

Can I sell Temu items on Amazon?

Amazon is an ideal platform for reselling Temu products

Can you use Temu for Shopify?

Yes, you can selectively use Temu for shopify

Conclusion

While the idea of dropshipping Temu products might be great on paper since these products are relatively cheap, there are practical reasons that make it not an easy option for entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Without official support for dropshipping, manual order processing, longer shipping times, and branding issues mostly make the idea less feasible.

Looking for other suppliers or platforms that can provide better integration, speed up shipping, and support the dropshipping model is very important to building a successful and sustainable business.