As the 2025 Black Friday shopping event approaches, cross-border e-commerce platform Temu is implementing stricter policies for sellers, particularly in the toy category. The platform has significantly increased deposit requirements and imposed listing limitations on fully managed sellers, presenting new challenges for merchants preparing for the annual sales extravaganza.
Soaring Deposits and Compliance Requirements
Temu's latest adjustments focus on toy sellers in ten European countries, raising deposit requirements to 30,000 RMB (approximately $4,100) while mandating quality inspection reports from authorized agencies like SGS. This move comes in response to concerning compliance statistics—only 5% of toy products on Temu currently meet EU regulatory standards.
Non-compliant sellers risk facing penalties up to 6% of their turnover, with potential additional sanctions under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The platform's stricter policies represent a proactive measure to ensure product quality, protect consumer rights, and minimize legal exposure.
Listing Restrictions and Price Controls
Temu has also introduced monthly listing caps, limiting fully managed sellers to just 14 new product links per month. Sellers seeking to bypass this restriction must comply with the platform's price adjustment framework.
This policy aims to stabilize prices during the high-volume Black Friday period, preventing price wars that could damage consumer trust and platform credibility. The measure reflects Temu's effort to maintain a balanced marketplace amid intense promotional competition.
Operational Challenges for Sellers
The new regulations present multiple hurdles for merchants. Maintaining inventory flow while adhering to listing limits, ensuring regulatory compliance, and remaining price-competitive all require sophisticated operational adjustments.
Industry analysts suggest sellers transition from volume-driven strategies to precision operations. Key recommendations include rigorous quality control, data-driven inventory management, and dynamic pricing models that respond to both market conditions and platform requirements.
ERP Solutions Gain Importance
As operational complexity increases, cross-border e-commerce ERP systems are becoming essential tools. Advanced platforms offer comprehensive order management solutions that support Temu's various business models, including fully managed, semi-managed, and Y2 configurations.
Modern ERP systems automate critical processes from order fulfillment to international shipping logistics. They provide real-time inventory tracking, automated order routing based on destination markets, and consolidated financial reporting—features that help sellers navigate Temu's evolving policies while maintaining profitability.
Some solutions even integrate directly with Temu's fulfillment channels, potentially saving high-volume sellers substantial operational costs through optimized logistics.
Adapting to the New Normal
Temu's policy tightening reflects broader trends in cross-border e-commerce regulation. Successful sellers will likely be those who view compliance not as a constraint but as a competitive advantage, leveraging technology and operational excellence to thrive under stricter marketplace conditions.
With Black Friday approaching, merchants who embrace these changes and optimize their operations stand to benefit most from the seasonal sales surge while building sustainable businesses for the long term.