Impact of new EU customs duties on Chinese e-commerce platforms

One month after the implementation of a three-euro customs duty on small parcels from platforms such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, the volume of imports from China has shown only a minor decrease. While the number of individual shipments has declined, the average value of total orders has increased as consumers adjust their behavior to mitigate the surcharge. Buyers are now aggregating multiple items into single shipments to distribute the three-euro cost across more products, leading to logistical strain at customs offices and subsequent delivery delays.

To retain customers despite the new fee, platforms are offering significant discounts of 68% to 80% and providing five-euro gift vouchers as compensation for shipping delays. Additionally, these Chinese companies are increasingly shifting their operations toward utilizing warehouses located within the European Union to circumvent import hurdles. While customs authorities currently face a backlog due to the influx of consolidated, higher-value packages, the market is continuing to stabilize as companies adapt their logistics strategies to the new regulatory environment.