Nico Edelmann had a solid seed business on paper—tens of thousands of orders a year across Germany, a loyal customer base, and a broad catalog of over 250 varieties. But rising advertising costs were eating into his profits.
Like many online sellers, visibility for Edelmann’s business came at a steep price. Reaching new buyers often meant shelling out for ads.
That changed when he received an email from Temu, a fast-growing e-commerce platform offering a model that didn’t rely on paid visibility. Temu had been opening its platforms to local sellers in more than 20 markets, allowing them to reach millions of new customers. The platform’s organic ranking mechanism that rewards quality sellers allowed Nico to focus on growth rather than paying for visibility.
“The fact that Temu doesn’t charge advertising fees is a huge advantage compared to other platforms,” Nico said. “On other marketplaces, you have to pay for ads if you want to sell in volume. But for small-packaged, low-margin products like mine, ad cost is a heavy burden.”
According to data from Stryde’s ecommerce marketing budget guide, small e-commerce businesses typically spend 7% to 12% of their revenue on marketing, or even more as they try to stand out against bigger players.
A psychiatric nurse by training, Edelmann had turned his gardening hobby into a business in 2024, offering everything from wildflowers like blue cornflower and dandelion to herbs and trees. However, competing against more established brands with big marketing budgets was becoming increasingly difficult.
At first, Nico decided to test his store on Temu with just six of his 250 seed products. Within two months, Edelmann Handel was receiving 70 to 100 orders a day through Temu—matching the volume he achieved on other platforms where he listed hundreds of items.
Customer engagement also stood out. According to Shapo’s review statistics, around 95% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase, and nearly 58% say they would pay more for a product with good reviews. On Temu, about one in six buyers left a review for Nico’s seeds—many with photos and stories of their gardening successes. In comparison, Nico estimated the feedback on other online marketplaces would come just one in every 1,000.
“This dense stream of positive reviews has given Edelmann Handel’s sales a huge boost,” Nico said, adding that 95% of Temu buyers gave his products the highest five-star rating.
The onboarding process with Temu was fast and personal. Rather than receiving automated responses, Nico was connected to a dedicated support team that created a WhatsApp group for real-time communication. “I could message them any time—even on weekends—and get a clear, helpful response within minutes,” he said. “No other platform had ever offered that level of support.”
With Temu’s continued support easing operational hurdles, Nico felt he could concentrate fully on expanding his business. The team helped him integrate invoicing software, resolve listing challenges, and streamline order management. “Temu isn’t just a place to sell,” Nico said. “It’s a partner that helps small businesses like mine succeed.”
Looking ahead, Nico plans to list his full range of seed varieties on Temu and explore new product categories to balance seasonal demand. That customer feedback fuels his optimism for the future.
“Seeing customers share photos of their blooming gardens reminds me why I started this business,” Nico said. “When I think back and see how far this small seed shop has come, I’m grateful for the support Temu has given me. It’s helped me build not only a successful business, but also a community of like-minded gardeners. And it’s shown me that with the right partner, small businesses like mine can go further than we ever imagined.”
