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 by 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 buyers. 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 almost identical 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 regulation allowed shipments with lower values to bypass specific customs documentation and be imported without duties.

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

Trump scrapped the exemption for goods from China and Hong Kong and slapped a 145% tariff on many Chinese imports.

Which Shein and Temu products are more expensive?

Bloomberg’s analysis of Shein found that some categories saw steeper markups than others. For home and kitchen products and toys, average prices jumped more than 30% from April 24 to April 25. The rise was 8% for women’s clothing.

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

Extra plush kitchen cleanup cloths: +377%
Brush for sealing gaps in air conditioning: +219%
Manual chicken/meat shredder: +210%
Wax strips along with post-wax wipes: +205%
Natural-looking eyebrow gel: +199%
Collagen lip balm for preventing cracks: +180%
Ultra-fine blackhead extraction forceps: +168%
Eyelash shaper tool: +152%
Apply pressure to nail tips, shiny white: +150%
Gentle mint matte iridescent eyeshadow pencil: 141%

At Shein's checkout page, they've placed a banner stating, "All tariffs are covered in the cost you see. There will be no additional charges upon delivery."

What is DHgate? Fearing tariffs, Americans turn to this 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.

Products brought into the U.S. might incur import fees," notes a message from Temu during checkout. "Such charges encompass various customs procedures and expenses, as well as import duties paid to customs officials on your behalf.

A portable steam iron listed on the site’s best-selling items has a price of $25.80, however, when you add approximately $34.20 in import fees, the total cost rises to around $60.

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

Shoppers have flooded the “TemuThings” Subreddits have recently been used as platforms for 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 duties."

In another post, a user wrote R.I.P. Temu, it was good while it lasted.

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

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