Tag: temu

Is Temu Killing Dollar Stores? Why Are Dollar Stores Stock Prices Crashing

When I first heard about Temu, my initial thought was about how unsustainable the model seemed. But my second thought went to dollar stores: How could they compete with a website that makes it easy to find thousands of even cheaper items and have them delivered directly to your home, instead of having to search through the aisles of these stores?

Having recently read about Dollar Tree and Dollar General’s stock prices dropping significantly in the last quarter, I immediately wondered if competition from Temu and Shein was too much for these companies. Was my assumption correct, or is the situation more complex? Let’s see what’s happening with dollar stores and see if Temu is responsible for the drop in their stock prices. Then, I’ll quickly review what I observe on the digital side of these companies.

Continue reading

Changes on the De Minimis Rule : Who are the Winners and Losers?

Is this the end of $0.50 funny cat socks and $5 disposable dresses? There’s been a lot of buzz over the last year about the de minimis rule, which has been exploited by companies like Shein and Temu. Now, the Biden-Harris administration is pushing for new regulations.

It seems like a direct jab at the two Chinese giants, but these changes would affect a lot more players. How bad could it be for Temu and Shein? And who will lose or benefit from the elimination of the de minimis rule? Let’s find out.

Continue reading

Amazon Plans to Facilitate Direct Shipping from China: Are Temu and Amazon Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Right before taking a vacation, I saw the news about Amazon planning to assist sellers based in China to ship directly to US customers, similar to what Temu does. While I recognized the importance of this move, the news didn’t surprise me. It’s been clear that China-based sellers have become a key part of Amazon’s strategy. We’ve seen several moves in the past to help Amazon compete with Temu and Shein, so this isn’t entirely new.

However, this might be Amazon’s boldest move to date. My initial thought was, “Some Amazon sellers are in big trouble.” After discussing this shift, I’d like to reflect on the convergence between Amazon’s and Temu’s strategies and review the potential impact on US-based sellers.

Continue reading

Etsy Q1 Earning Call Review – Interesting Initiatives but Poor Threat Assessment?

“Etsy? Who cares about Etsy Q1 earning call when we can review Amazon’s?” Believe it or not, the world of ecommerce is more than just Amazon. Etsy is a large marketplace that is much more relevant than Amazon for many small business owners. I found that Etsy is working on relevant projects over the last year. And as the competition from Chinese giants is threatening many companies, I thought it would be interesting to see if/how Etsy approaches it. 

Continue reading

How Many Amazon Sales are Too Many? Why I Think Amazon Does More Sales Events than Ever and Why It Isn’t Sustainable.

As a kid, going to a fast-food restaurant was an exciting experience. After all, I didn’t get the chance to get a Happy Meal very often, and I was always looking forward to my next visit to Mickey D’s. As an adult, however, I couldn’t care less. If I crave a Big Mac, I can drive anytime to the nearest McDonald’s. That’s exactly how many customers feel when a retailer does too many flash sales; it doesn’t feel special anymore.

As I explained in a recent LinkedIn post, Amazon seems to keep doing more and more sales events. We were used to Prime days once a year in the summer, but in the past year, we have also experienced Prime Big Deal days last fall, and now Amazon’s Spring sale just ended.

Today, I’d like to discuss this shift in Amazon’s strategy. The e-commerce landscape has changed a lot since the pandemic, and Amazon had to update its strategy to maintain its market share. In a second part, I want to discuss the drawbacks of this strategy and how it may affect the e-commerce giant negatively.

Continue reading

Forget Gen Z: Why Boomers are Obsessed with Shopping on Temu

When I first heard about Temu, my knee-jerk reaction was to think it would be a Shein for random items, from kitchenware to toys. I also thought the target audience would be similar, Gen Z, especially after I saw some young influencers showing off their “Temu hauls” on TikTok. 

Recent reports proved me wrong: Boomers placed on average 5.6 orders last year on Temu, while Gen Z only ordered 2.6 times.

Continue reading

Temu Opens to US and European Sellers : Extra Revenues or Major Headaches?

Have you found yourself needing a toaster-shaped desk lamp? How about a $1.28 keychain stapler? Or a 200-pack of men’s ankle socks? If so, I’ve got you covered. Temu has it all, and quickly became one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the US, offering millions of relatively inexpensive products shipped directly from China, targeting low-income Americans.

In recent news, Temu announced they would open their marketplace to US and European sellers. While this sounds like an obvious way to expand their operation, this information surprised me and made me wonder about Temu’s long-term strategy. Will they still pursue low-cost items, or are they attempting to diversify their offer?

Continue reading

© 2024 François Maingret

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑