Temu Resumes Direct Sales from China to the U.S.; TikTok Doubles Down on the UK
Latest news and analysis on China’s global e-sellers
Here’s our pick for last week’s news:
TikTok Doubles Down on the UK
TikTok Shop Loosens Entry Rules Across Southeast Asia
Temu Resumes Direct Sales from China to the U.S.
AliExpress Drives Into Car Sales
Temu and Shein Break Into Austria's Top 10 Online Retailers
Insta360 Soars on STAR Market Debut
Xiaomi-Backed Chunmi Files for Market Debut
Smart Vacuum Maker Roborock Plans HK Listing
TECNO Enters Spain with MCR Deal
TikTok Doubles Down on the UK
TikTok is doubling down on the UK, now its largest European market with over 30 million monthly users—nearly half the population. The company is set to grow its UK workforce to 3,000 this year, adding 500 jobs and opening a second London office in the Barbican by 2026, bringing total UK infrastructure investment to £140 million. Since its 2018 UK debut, TikTok has made the country its European operational hub. Beyond direct investment, the platform supports over 1.5 million British businesses, contributing £1.6 billion to the economy and supporting 32,000 jobs, with a notable tilt toward young and diverse entrepreneurs. (TikTok)
TikTok Shop Loosens Entry Rules Across Southeast Asia
TikTok Shop has loosened its entry rules across Southeast Asia, dropping e-commerce experience requirements for business sellers. Now, any merchant with a valid business license from mainland China or Hong Kong can join, while individual sellers only need a license plus some operational history to open a store quickly. In Q1 2025, TikTok Shop Thailand's GMV more than tripled year-over-year, with Indonesia and Vietnam also surging over 150%. Globally, the platform hit $10 billion in GMV—a 42% jump—led by Thailand's $2.5–3 billion GMV and a 217% quarterly growth rate, surpassing the U.S. and Indonesia. (CYZONE)
Temu Resumes Direct Sales from China to the U.S.
Temu is restarting direct shipments from China to the U.S. after a recent trade breakthrough between Washington and Beijing, reversing its shift to local fulfillment that had delisted many items. Chinese sellers under Temu's fully-managed model are seeing some products return, though most remain offline. The move follows the end of the U.S. de minimis rule in May, which forced Temu to rethink logistics amid rising costs and a 47% drop in Q1 earnings. With the EU eyeing new fees on low-value imports, Temu now faces mounting global pressure to adjust its cross-border playbook. (South China Morning Post)
AliExpress Drives Into Car Sales
AliExpress shifts into high gear, launching full car sales abroad for the first time with a debut in the Middle East during the 618 shopping festival. Featuring models like BYD Yuan, Xiaomi SU7 and XPeng G9, it leads China's e-commerce marketplaces in full-vehicle exports. Backed by a strong auto parts base and China's 22.7% car export surge in 2024, AliExpress boosts its global push alongside brands like Unitree, Anker, Rokid, Xreal, Roborock, Realme, and Pop Mart. (CYZONE)
Temu and Shein Break Into Austria's Top 10 Online Retailers
Amazon continues to dominate Austria's e-commerce market, racking up €4.3 billion in sales and capturing over 40% of online spending in 2025, according to new data from the Austrian Retail Association and ECDB. Zalando (€607M) and eBay (€513M) round out the top three, with Chinese newcomer Temu surging to 4th place at €341 million. Shein (€217M) also broke into the top ten. Austria's online retail market hit €10.5 billion in 2024, 15.5% of all retail sales, as e-commerce penetration continues to rise—a sign of deepening digital adoption. (Ecommerce News)
Insta360 Soars on STAR Market Debut
Insta360 surged past a RMB 70 billion (about $9.75 billion) valuation within minutes of its June 11 debut on China's STAR Market, marking a major milestone for the smart imaging pioneer. Since its 2015 founding, the company has transformed from a GoPro underdog into a global leader in panoramic and action cameras, with 2023 revenue hitting RMB 3.64 billion (about $506 million) and overseas markets contributing nearly 80%. Backed by six straight years atop the panoramic camera market, Insta360 is now expanding into AI gimbals and conferencing tech, selling through major global channels like Apple Stores, Amazon, and Best Buy. (Insta360)
Xiaomi-Backed Chunmi Files for Market Debut
Chunmi Tech, a Xiaomi ecosystem partner specializing in smart kitchen appliances, filed for a New Third Board listing on June 5. Founded in 2013 and known for launching Mi Home's first IH pressure rice cooker, Chunmi has since rolled out over 20 smart kitchen products and secured ODM deals with top brands like Flyco. Riding Xiaomi's global reach, Chunmi expanded abroad with TOKIT and Joyami, building a cross-border smart kitchen ecosystem. In 2024, revenue rose 7.7% to RMB 1.697 billion (about $236 million), while net profit jumped 70% to RMB 41.5 million (about $5.8 million). (Chunmi)
Smart Vacuum Maker Roborock Plans HK Listing
Roborock, the Beijing-based smart home tech firm best known for its robotic vacuums, announced plans on June 13 to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's main board. Backed by rapid international expansion and strong demand for its cleaning devices, the company saw revenue jump 38% in 2024 to nearly RMB 12 billion (about $1.7 billion), and Q1 2025 sales surged 86% YoY. Still, rising costs trimmed profitability, with net profit down 33% and adjusted profit slipping nearly 30%, highlighting margin challenges as Roborock scales. (Roborock)
TECNO Enters Spain with MCR Deal
Transsion's TECNO is making a bold push into Europe by partnering with Spanish tech distributor MCR to launch its AIoT product lineup across Spain. Backed by MCR's 10,000-strong distribution network, the move marks a major step in TECNO's European expansion, bringing award-winning products like the MEGA MINI Gaming G1, MEGABOOK laptops, and upcoming AI Glasses and Smart Watch to cities including Madrid and Barcelona. With a growing global footprint in over 70 countries and recognition from the likes of TIME and MWC, TECNO aims to reshape digital life for European consumers with cutting-edge, high-performance, and accessible tech. (PR Newswire)