You might soon be able to buy quality, Canadian-made products on uhhhh… *checks notes* Temu?
What happened: Canadian businesses will be able to list items on Temu and sell them to Canadians for the first time. The company, which entered the Canadian market two years ago, says the move will lead to faster fulfilment and a wider range of products.
Why it matters: Temu has ambitions beyond being the premier home for fake Louis Vuitton wallets and junky fairy lights. By breaking away from knick-knacks that break after a week, it aims to attract more customers and compete with Amazon for e-commerce supremacy.
- Building out domestic supply chains in key markets like Canada — instead of relying on direct air cargo shipments from China — is key to achieving this goal.
- Temu already began this process in the U.S. last year, investing in warehousing and allowing all U.S. businesses and individuals to become sellers in November.
Zoom out: While Temu is trying to be like Amazon, Amazon is trying to be like Temu. Last November, Amazon launched a store page where every item is $20 or less. It’s been slow to take off though, with a recent survey finding just 8% of customers have tried it out.—QH