Temu Fights Back Against Shein’s Intellectual Property Theft Lawsuit

Temu has filed motions to dismiss Shein’s lawsuit, which accuses the budget e-commerce platform of intellectual property theft and unfair competition.

Shein v. Temu Lawsuit Overview

Who: Fast fashion retailer Shein has sued budget e-commerce platform Temu.

Why: Shein alleges that Temu controls its sellers and encourages them to infringe on Shein’s intellectual property.

Where: The lawsuit was filed in Washington, D.C. federal court.

Temu Seeks Dismissal, Accuses Shein of Anti-Competitive Tactics

On Oct. 16, Temu filed two motions to dismiss the claims against it, arguing that:

• Shein has failed to state a legal claim.
• The court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute.

Temu’s attorneys claim Shein is only pursuing the lawsuit because its business model is failing and that Shein is trying to stifle competition.

“Unable to compete legitimately, Shein has embarked on a crusade to hold its suppliers captive by preventing them from using Temu, whereas [Temu] firmly supports the ability of suppliers to sell on multiple platforms,” Temu’s motion states.

Shein Alleges Temu is Running an ‘Unlawful Enterprise’

Shein filed the lawsuit on Aug. 19, accusing Temu of:

• Copyright and trademark infringement
• Trade secret misappropriation
• False advertising and unfair competition

According to Shein, Temu allegedly:

• Dictates sellers’ pricing and product listings.
• Encourages sellers to infringe on Shein’s intellectual property.
• Prevents sellers from removing infringing products—even after acknowledging wrongdoing.

Fake Social Media Accounts and Stolen Data?

Shein also claims Temu engages in deceptive tactics, including:

• Creating fake social media accounts impersonating Shein.
• Paying influencers to falsely promote Temu’s products as cheaper and better quality than Shein’s.
• Stealing data on Shein’s best-selling items to help Temu unfairly compete.

Shein Seeks Damages, Injunction

Shein’s lawsuit includes 16 legal claims against Temu and seeks:

• Monetary damages
• Injunctive relief (a court order to stop Temu’s alleged practices)
• Legal fees
• A jury trial

Case Information

Shein is represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.

The Shein v. Temu lawsuit is Roadget Business Pte. Ltd. v. PDD Holdings Inc. et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-02402, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.