Budget Retailers Shein and Temu Boost Prices as Trump Tariffs Bite

( NewsNation ) — Affordable retail stores Shein and Temu are following through on plans To increase prices because of President Trump’s tariffs, causing some items to nearly double in cost over the past few days.

Last week, the average cost of the top 100 beauty and wellness items on Shein surged by 51%, as reported. Data gathered by Bloomberg News Some items experienced even sharper increases: a pack of 10 kitchen towels jumped 377%, and eyebrow gel climbed almost 200%.

In the meantime, the Chinese retail app Temu seems to be transferring "almost all" of President Trump's new import duties directly to American shoppers. Bloomberg said The firm has begun including "import fees" that, in certain instances, surpass the worth of the item itself, as reported by Bloomberg and USA Today .

Why is Trump terminating the 'de minimis' exemption?

U.S. customers were preparing for the alterations following the moves by both corporations. announced plans To increase prices at the beginning of this month, both Shein and Temu released remarkably similar statements explaining that their operational costs had risen because of "recent alterations in international trade policies and duties."

The pricing adjustments began on April 25, just one week prior to the expiration of the "de minimis" threshold. This policy allowed shipments with low values to bypass specific customs documentation and avoid duties when entering the nation.

Lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum have advocated for changing the de minimis rule in recent years, expressing concerns that this exemption facilitates drug smuggling into the nation.

Trump eliminated the exception for products coming from China and Hong Kong. slapped a 145% tariff on many Chinese imports.

What items from Shein and Temu cost more money?

According to Bloomberg's examination of Shein, certain product categories experienced higher price increases compared to others. Home and kitchen items as well as toys witnessed an increase of over 30% in their average prices between April 24 and April 25. In contrast, women’s apparel saw an uptick of only 8%.

Here are some of the most significant price increases on Shein between April 24 and April 25, as reported by Bloomberg:

Heavy-duty kitchen cleanup cloths: +377%
Brush for air conditioner window gap: +219%
Manual chicken/meat shredder: +210%
Wax strips along with post-wax wipes: +205%
Naturally enhancing eyebrow gel: +199%
Collagen moisture-lock lip balm: +180%
Ultra-fine blackhead extraction forceps: +168%
Eyelash shaper tool: +152%
Apply pressure to nail tips, shiny white: +150%
Glossy sweet mint matte finish shimmery eye pencil: 141%

At checkout, Shein has introduced a banner stating, "All tariffs are incorporated into the price you see. There will be no additional charges upon delivery."

What is DHgate? Concerns over tariffs drive Americans to Chinese platform.

Temu

It seems Temu is adopting a somewhat distinct strategy by adding import fees during the checkout process.

For instance, a versatile 14-in-1 power strip priced at $19.34 on Monday has an increased cost of $48.32 once you add the $27.49 in import fees to your total.

“A note from Temu states at checkout that items brought into the U.S. might incur import fees,’ ” which encompass all expenses related to customs procedures and payments made to customs officials on your behalf."

A portable steam iron listed on the website’s bestseller page has a price of $25.80, however, when you include the approximately $32.10 in import fees, the cost rises to around $60.

Nevertheless, many products on Temu’s bestseller list are fulfilled from local warehouses and do not incur extra import fees.

Shoppers have flooded the “TemuThings” In recent days, subreddits have been used by people to express their frustration. one post A user posted an image of their purchase receipt showing import taxes and commented, "Temu won’t be for me anymore. Best wishes to everyone dealing with these tariffs."

In another post, a user wrote Goodbye Temu, it was enjoyable while it lasted.

Neither Temu nor Shein promptly replied to NewsNation’s request for comment on Monday.

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