Chinese e-commerce giant Temu displays “import charges” resulting from US tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, but Amazon dropped similar plans after facing criticism from the White House.
Temu has started adding “import charges” to customer orders in response to President Trump’s tariffs on China after previously warning that prices of some products sold on its platform would increase significantly.
At checkout, customers in the US are now shown a cost breakup that displays the total price of items in their basket, the amount after “discounts” were deducted, shipping costs if there are any, and – now – import charges.
In many cases shared by customers online, the addition of import charges of about 145% more than doubled the final price of the order.
“Items imported into the US may be subject to import charges. These charges cover all customs-related processes and costs, including import fees paid to customs authorities on your behalf,” Temu says on its website.
“The amount listed may not represent the actual amount paid to customs authorities,” the company adds.
Rival Chinese platform Shein also increased prices on its site, but has so far chosen not to display the cost of import charges, only noting at checkout that “tariffs are included in the price you pay.”
Amazon has reportedly planned to display the cost that Trump’s tariffs were adding to its products as well, but backed down after the move was denounced by the White House. This did not go unnoticed by critics, who described the American retail giant as “spineless.”
$AMZN might be spineless, but TEMU? Different story.
undefined BonkDaCarnivore (@BonkDaCarnivore) April 29, 2025
155 million Americans use TEMU. Think they're gonna be ok with tariffs once they understand and have it quantified to them? pic.twitter.com/Nomm0osvXq
Hedge fund founder Spencer Hakimian posted on X, warning that “Americans are addicted to cheap goods and this shock therapy isn’t going to go over well with them.”
$31 tariff on a $22 dress for a total of $54.
undefined Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) April 28, 2025
Get ready to see anger like you have never seen before.
Americans are addicted to cheap goods and this shock therapy isn’t going to go over well with them. pic.twitter.com/pIysTicUNq
However, many commenters welcomed the move, with one saying, “Anyone buying a dress from Temu deserves the $31 tariff charge,” and that products sold on Temu are “garbage quality.”
Others noted questionable business practices by Temu and Shein, both of which have faced allegations involving forced labor and intellectual property violations. “Temu being crushed by tariffs is an absolute win,” one user said on X.
Temu being crushed by tariffs is an absolute win. If you’re mad about this, perhaps you could buy authentic goods from reputable retailers. China has the worst intellectual property protection in the world, and companies like Temu give them an outlet to profit from this theft. pic.twitter.com/3x8xW90Q91
undefined Adam Oney (@oneystar) April 28, 2025
“Jeff Bezos is very nice”
Meanwhile, Amazon backed down from plans to disclose the added cost of US tariffs after the White House slammed the move as “a hostile and political act” by the retail giant.
President Trump called Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos to complain about the company’s plans, first reported by Punchbowl News.
Just hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Amazon and accused it of ties to a “Chinese propaganda arm,” President Trump was back to praising Bezos, who had apparently assured him there were no plans to display tariff prices.
"Jeff Bezos is very nice," Trump told reporters after the call. "He solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing," he said.
The company initially denied reports, but later confirmed that its smaller Haul division, which competed for low-cost buyers with Temu and Shein, had mulled displaying import levies. It said it eventually rejected the idea.
Amazon said it had never considered listing tariff prices on its main retail site, nor had anything been put into place.
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