Before 2025, Temu shipments under $800 entered the US duty-free under Section 321 de minimis. That's why prices looked unbelievable. After Trump's Executive Order 14324 ended de minimis for China-origin goods (effective May 2025, extended to all countries shortly after), every direct-from-China Temu parcel now pays customs duty.
Rather than absorbing the cost, Temu added a separate "Import Charges" line item at checkout (Shein took the opposite approach and bakes the tariff into displayed prices). Combined with state sales tax and any card FX markup if you're outside the US, the real total can be 40-70% above the listed price for direct-from-China items.
The good news: Temu has been moving inventory to US-based Local Warehouses. Items marked "Local Warehouse" or "Ships from US" were imported in bulk before the tariff was assessed, so no per-parcel Import Charge applies. These ship faster too (2-5 days vs 6-20 for direct-from-China).
Temu's "Import Charge" combines several US customs fees:
Section 301 tariff (USTR) — China-specific. Lists 1-3 at 25%, List 4A at 7.5%. Most cheap apparel and toys are List 4A; electronics and home goods are List 3.
Section 122 temporary surcharge (WH proclamation Feb 2026) — 10% baseline on China-origin imports. Expires 24 July 2026 unless renewed. Currently in effect for general public, though one Court of International Trade ruling (7 May 2026) invalidated it for specific plaintiffs.
MFN base duty (HTSUS) — varies by product. Apparel can be 11-32%, electronics often 0-5%, jewelry 5-13%.
MPF (CBP) — for formal entries 0.3464% (min $33.58); small informal parcels pay just a flat ~$2.69. Temu's Import Charge is its own estimate, not a direct pass-through of CBP MPF.
Customs broker fee — $15-25 per parcel for informal entries.
For a typical $20 cheap apparel item: Section 301 (7.5%) + Section 122 (10%) + MFN (11%) = ~28% effective. Temu rounds up to 30-35% to cover broker fees and margin. For electronics: ~40-50% is typical.
For exact per-category math, use our US China Import Duty Calculator with your specific HTS code.
Example 1 — $5 phone case from China: Listed $5.00. Coupon 10% off = $4.50. Direct from China, Import Charge 35% = $1.58. Sales tax 7% on $4.50 = $0.32. Total ≈ $6.40. Real cost 28% above listed.
Example 2 — $30 wireless earbuds from China: Listed $30.00. Credits $5 applied → $25.00. Import Charge 45% (electronics) = $11.25. Sales tax 7% = $1.75. Total ≈ $38.00. Real cost 27% above listed.
Example 3 — $30 earbuds from Local Warehouse: Listed $33.00 (slightly higher than direct). No Import Charge. Sales tax 7% = $2.31. Total ≈ $35.31. Cheaper than direct-from-China example despite higher list price.
Takeaway: Always check fulfillment mode before checkout. Local Warehouse items often win on real cost despite higher list prices.
1. Filter for Local Warehouse. Look for "Ships from local warehouse" or "Free local return" badges on listings. These bypass Import Charges entirely.
2. Stack coupons + credits. Apply a coupon code first, then credits. Credits act like store balance, not a discount, so order matters.
3. Consolidate orders. Temu's Import Charge has fixed components (broker fee) that hit each parcel. A single $50 order pays less in fixed fees than five $10 orders.
4. Use a USD card if possible. Non-USD cards add 1-3% FX markup. If you have a no-FX-fee card (some Wise/Revolut/Chase Sapphire cards), use it.
5. Compare against Amazon for items over $15. Below $10 Temu still wins comfortably. Above $20 the gap narrows; sometimes Amazon Prime is cheaper once you factor in 2-day shipping vs 10-20 days.