The change comes as both Shein and Temu are attempting to expand beyond the bargain-hungry shoppers who popularized their platforms. Temu is allowing sellers to ship products to customers from local U.S. warehouses and says the move will allow it to sell larger items like furniture as it expands its selection of big-ticket items.

This competition has sharply driven up the prices they are willing to pay for prime advertising space. Both Temu and Shein have adopted aggressive marketing strategies, targeting their rivals’ keywords to outrank them in search results. This tactic increases their visibility and diverts potential customers from competitors.

Heavy online marketing spending by Temu and Shein is making it more costly for other retailers and brands to reach shoppers on Black Friday, marketing and industry experts say, with both platforms bidding heavily on search keywords used by competitors.

Amazon has been the online go-to for all household needs, but the retail giant faces serious competition from Temu, especially when it comes to retirees. The Chinese e-commerce site is attracting