Sea's Shopee raises seller fees above those of TikTok and Temu to lift margins

Sea's Shopee has raised the commissions it charges merchants in many core markets by about a third since the start of the year, underscoring the South-east Asia e-commerce leader's renewed attempt to boost its bottom line.

The moves, which have not previously been reported, reflect Sea's growing confidence it can retain merchants in key markets, despite competition from TikTok, Temu and Lazada.

Its commission now exceeds its rivals', with its fee in Thailand rising to as much as 13% in Jul from 10% previously, according to its website. TikTok charges as much as 8% and Lazada up to 10%, according to a JPMorgan report.