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Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has halted overseas orders for users in Turkey, limiting sales to products shipped from local warehouses, the Karar daily reported on Saturday.
Turkish users can no longer access Temu’s overseas, or “global,” shipping option, which previously allowed low-cost items to be ordered directly from China. The platform continues to operate in Turkey but now sells only items stocked domestically, a shift that reduces both product variety and the price advantages that came with direct overseas shipping.
The move follows Turkey’s decision to end a simplified customs system that had enabled individuals to import low-value goods ordered online from abroad with minimal paperwork, a change expected to raise final prices and slow delivery for many small purchases.
Under the new regulation, overseas e-commerce purchases must be processed through standard customs procedures rather than simplified declarations. Presidential Decision No. 10813, published in the Official Gazette on January 7, removes the provision that allowed non-commercial parcels arriving by post or express cargo to be cleared under simplified customs declarations. The change takes effect February 1, according to the Trade Ministry.
Temu’s decision comes amid increased scrutiny of cross-border e-commerce operations in Turkey. On January 21 the Turkish Competition Authority conducted an on-site inspection at Temu’s Turkish office. The authority said the move was part of a routine preliminary review and did not amount to the launch of a formal investigation, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
The Competition Authority said the process should not be interpreted as a formal probe and that the review remains preliminary.
Conflicting accounts emerged at the time over whether digital equipment was seized during the inspection. The Competition Authority denied confiscating computers or other digital equipment, while a Temu spokesperson told Reuters that laptops and computers had been taken and said the company would fully cooperate with Turkish authorities.
Industry observers say the combination of higher import costs and tighter oversight could prompt other overseas platforms to reconsider direct-to-consumer shipments to Turkey.