Temu order problem details in South Africa
One of Temu’s new order fulfilment partners in South Africa has apologised for delayed deliveries and poor communication over the festive season and committed to improving its service quality.
MyBroadband recently noticed numerous complaints from people who had ordered items on the Chinese e-commerce app that were handed over to newcomer GFS Express.
Many were frustrated that they had not received order updates for several weeks after their items shipped.
Some also reported that GFS Express’s drivers falsely claimed to have been at their address to deliver their items, but that no one was available to receive them.
One of the big problems was that GFS Express was failing to answer customers’ calls, leading some shoppers to try alternative contact information they found online.
That caused problems for another fulfilment service headquartered in the United Kingdom with the same name.
UK-based GFS Express issued an “important message” that it does not deliver for Chinese e-commerce retailers or any other service providers.
“We are receiving many phone calls and emails from Saudi Arabia and other countries about the tracking status of parcel deliveries,” it said.
“Please note that if you are not able to track your parcels on our website, GFS Express, then it is not our shipment.”
The notice led some South African shoppers to conclude that GFS Express on Temu was a fraudulent operation.
The truth was less concerning — it was just a case of mistaken identity. The GFS Express Temu used is based in Saudi Arabia.
The two companies use similar logos and URLs for their websites (gfsexpress.com and gfsxpress.com). However, closer inspection showed that Temu’s partner’s domain excluded the “e” in Express.
When asked for comment, Temu did not apologise for the service and communication issues. “During peak shopping periods, delivery times may fluctuate due to increased parcel volumes,” it said.
“We are working with our logistics partners to ensure they maintain high service standards for our users.”
Following the publication of MyBroadband’s first article on the situation, a representative of GFS Express reached out and clarified what went wrong.
Mitigation measures were insufficient
The GFS Express spokesperson told MyBroadband the company first entered the South African market in 2025, but its issues started during the peak holiday season.
“Several [Temu product] batches arrived at the same time due to flight backlogs, which overloaded our short-term capacity,” they said.
“Since the start of the Christmas holiday, we have been aware of the severe backlog and delivery delays.”
The company said it implemented various mitigation measures to limit the impact, including:
- Recruiting drivers to supplement transportation capacity.
- Arranging deliveries on a first-in, first-out basis according to the arrival time of shipments.
- Increasing customer service staff to answer hotline calls and address complaints.
- Sending text messages to consumers who have not yet received their packages to explain the situation.
However, it acknowledged that these preparations were insufficient in the early stages of its local operation, resulting in a poor service experience.
“We sincerely apologise for this,” it said. “Going forward, we will continue our efforts to clear the backlog and deliver the packages to consumers as soon as possible.”
GFS Express said it took all customers’ complaints seriously with a view to providing better services in the future.
“We kindly request your continued trust and anticipation for GFS Express and Temu, as we remain committed to delivering the highest standard of service,” the company said.
“Meanwhile, we will also strive to treat our employees as partners and grow together as a team.”
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