Shane and Tem’s favorite t-shirts, dresses and cheap appliances have become more expensive due to President Trump’s tariffs.
On Friday, the Chinese web retailer hiked prices to offset the 120% tariffs that the items would be eligible for the May 2nd DE Minimis exemption.
The two patio chairs listed on Temu’s site were marked up to $70.17 on Friday, starting at $61.72 a day. According to CNN. The swimsuit set for Shane cost $8.39 on Friday. The report said it was up 91% from $4.39 on Thursday.
Prices often fluctuate online, and the price hikes for Temu and Shein were inconsistent across the entire range of products. For example, the smart rings sold at Temu were about $3 cheaper on Friday than on Thursday.
In an online memo, Temu said operating expenses have increased due to “recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs.”
“We will be adjusting prices from April 25th, 2025 to continue to provide products that we love without compromising quality,” Temu says.
Shein and Temu did not respond immediately to requests to post comments.
Last week, two retailers warned customers to scoop up their products before the fee.
Trump signed an executive order earlier this month, targeting a loophole.
In addition to taxing additional products, the end of the De Minimis rule will put more low value items under the microscope with border entries.
It could help prevent dangerous or incorrect products from giving way to US customers.
However, closing the loophole will disproportionately affect low-income Americans who spent more than three times their income in apparel compared to the wealthiest households in 2021, according to a report by Trade Partnerships worldwide, based on statistical data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research by economists at UCLA and Yale shows that low-income Americans are more leaning towards sites like Shein and Temu, with 48% of the package being shipped under the minimum threshold passed to a minimal ZIP code.
Only 22% of these packages were awarded to the richest postal codes in the United States.
