Highly efficient logistics: behind the scenes at Temu
04.02.2025
The Chinese e-commerce platform Temu delivers at record speeds at unbeatable prices. It is often claimed that Temu benefits from favorable shipping conditions because China is classified as a developing country by the Universal Postal Union. However, this has no longer been the case since 2019. How does Temu still manage to implement the short delivery time so cost-effectively?
Anyone who has ever ordered from Temu knows that the Chinese online marketplace not only scores with unbeatably low prices, but also with extremely fast delivery times. My test order on a Sunday evening was delivered on Thursday morning - with free shipping. Even Swiss online shops with local warehousing often cannot keep up with this speed. But how does Temu manage to get the goods to Switzerland so quickly? A look behind the scenes shows a highly optimized logistics network.
Temu's optimized shipping strategy
Temu follows a shipping strategy based on efficient bundling of shipments and optimized customs clearance. The ordered products are picked in China in one of Temu's numerous warehouses, packaged and franked with shipping labels from the Asendia labeling platform (a joint venture between the Swiss and French Post). To minimize costs and increase efficiency, Temu bundles between 25 and 50 individual orders into cardboard boxes. These, in turn, are stacked on special pallets for air transport.
An air freight pallet is delivered fully automatically to Zurich Airport for further transport by forklift
Air freight: Fast and cost-effective
The pallets are transported to Europe by air freight - either on pure cargo flights or as additional cargo on passenger flights. The preferred destination airport is Liège in Belgium, as landing rights there are cheaper than in Zurich. The pallets are delivered overnight by truck from Belgium to Zurich Airport and not directly to the post office. By the way, most Temu packages arrive at Zurich Airport between Thursday and Saturday. The airport's cargo area has infrastructure in place to enable rapid further processing in a highly automated manner, but also with numerous forklift drivers.
Customs clearance in Switzerland
Swiss customs are notified in advance of incoming shipments and usually only check samples. Temu has carefully analyzed the Swiss market and optimized its shipping method accordingly: Larger orders are split into several packages if the order total is over CHF 63. This means that there are no customs fees for the end customer, which further increases Temu's price advantage.
After customs clearance, the large parcels are unloaded from the pallets and handed over to the Swiss Post. There the cardboard boxes are opened and the individual orders are distributed to the parcel or letter processing centers.
Conclusion: Logistics as a competitive advantage
The speed at which Temu delivers parcels to Switzerland is not a coincidence, but the result of a meticulously thought-out logistics strategy. From the warehouse in China to the air freight hub in Belgium to fast customs clearance and distribution by the Swiss Post - every step is aimed at minimizing delivery times and keeping costs low. No wonder that the company is growing rapidly: According to estimates by the consulting firm Carpathia, Temu will generate sales of around 700 million francs in Switzerland in 2024. For now, the Chinese online giant is setting new standards in e-commerce.