Temu launches Local Seller Program for Australian retailers

Temu has announced a big change for Aussie businesses. Picture: NewsWire/Nadir Kinani

A controversial new deal that will put more Australian businesses in the hands of Temu is underway, once again changing the landscape of shopping across the country.

Australian businesses struggling to compete with the Chinese juggernaut can now leverage the popular digital marketplace directly to improve their own sales and save their physical premises from going under.

Temu fully opened it’s Local Seller Program to Aussie businesses earlier this month, enabling Australian-registered entities with locally-stocked inventory to expand their reach on the global e-commerce platform.

The program was previously only available by invitation from Temu but is now accessible to any Australian business.

The move will supposedly enable struggling Aussie businesses to access millions of new customers to grow sales at scale.

Temu’s popularity in Australia has skyrocketed since its launch in 2023.

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Sold for its ability to leverage the popular digital marketplace directly to improve Australia’s own sales and save its physical premises from going under – it is still unknown what the long term impact will be on local jobs in the future.

It is also expected to put the country’s products and consumer data in the hands of Temu.

The Times reports the program will provide access to the Temu marketplace as well as integrated tools to manage orders, shipping, and fulfilment.

Temu said sellers in more than 20 countries had already joined the program within their own local markets, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany and Japan.

Temu launched in Australia in 2023 and quickly gained popularity among consumers for its cheap products and ability to bundle items and save on postage despite purchasing from different sellers.

Kmart has also felt pressure from Temu’s arrival. Picture: NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

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Temu’s low costs have been in direct competition to traditional retailer Kmart but it is smaller Aussie businesses that have really felt the pinch.

Already struggling to compete with Kmart and its cost-effective Anko brand, Temu’s arrival in Australia pulled more people away from traditional bricks and mortar businesses.

Temu’s Local Seller Program will now allow those struggling businesses to access a digital customer base that continues to grow in Australia.

Temu data claims the e-commerce giant produced a 72 per cent increase in unique website visits in 2024, a claim backed by Temu’s popularity in the Apple App Store where it was named the most downloaded app on iPhones in the same year.

Similarweb’s 2025 Digital 100 Australia report listed Temu as the fastest growing digital brand in the country, beating out the likes of AI giant ChatGPT.

Temu now operates in more than 90 countries and was developed by Chinese businessman Colin Huang.