Online shopping has become a norm across the globe in recent times. Over the past years, e-commerce sites such as Temu have increasingly become the easiest and fastest go-to for many people as they seek to meet their purchasing needs, but the issue of trust persists as many are wary about the legitimacy of the many e-commerce or online shopping platforms available on the digital space, how genuine the items they sell are, how long they take to be delivered to the buyer and whether they are good quality.
What is Temu?
Temu is a popular Chinese-owned e-commerce site. It is a digital marketplace with a vast majority of its users residing in the United States of America, USA. The online shopping megastore offers almost any product including car accessories, clothing, kitchen appliances, electronics, outdoor furniture, power tools, baby clothes and everything in between at an incredibly cheap price unlike many other e-commerce sites such as Shein, Wish, and AliExpress amongst many others.
Its parent company, PDD Holdings, which also owns Pinduoduo, a sister e-commerce site to Temu, is a multinational commerce group headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
PDD Holdings was formerly headquartered in Shanghai, China before it changed its name from Pinduoduo to its current name in a Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC 6-K filing in Washington DC, United States of America before moving all its principal executive offices to Dublin.
It is assumed that Temu’s relocation to Ireland may be because of the country’s low corporate tax rates which is the same reason some American tech companies also relocate to Ireland.
Though some controversy about the exact origins of Temu still lingers, Temu says the company was founded in Boston in 2022. The Washington Post had also reported that the site’s “About Us” page does not mention its parent company, adding that Temu’s Boston office is not a warehouse full of products, but more than likely is the central office that’s connected to Temu’s other offices worldwide.
On its part, Boston Globe, while describing Temu as a Chinese e-commerce giant reports that Temu set up camp in Boston partially because of its proximity to Canada, where the company recently opened another office.
According to available data, millions of Americans download and purchase items from Temu using its mobile app which is available for download both on Google playstore and on Apple’s App store.
Also, according to Statista, Temu which quickly rose to the top spot in the App Store’s and Play Store’s shopping categories following its launch in late 2022, sees over 30 million new downloads monthly, making it the number one shopping app in Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.
Is Temu legit?
The legitimacy of Temu, like many other online shops, continues to remain in question, especially for those who have not bought from the platform before (first-time shoppers). Online shoppers who may have been scammed in the digital space will also be wary about the legitimacy of a digital marketplace whenever they come across a new one. Those who have probably received items below the quality they ordered from e-commerce sites are also often concerned if the new site they are about to purchase from is one that is worthy of trust.
Online shopping can actually be a gamble. This is because fake reviews are littered across American retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, which damage consumers’ trust in online stores. We are not oblivious of these. We also know that items can sometimes be lost in transit, stolen from your doorstep, broken during the shipping process, or show up looking completely different than they did online. However, subsequent customer reviews in this article will guide you on whether to consider Temu legitimate or not.
On our part, we can say from our findings that Yes, most of the products on Temu are real; you will receive them, and it takes about 10 days for them to reach your doorstep.
Typically, Temu’s standard shipping policy in the US is free, but your items aren’t expected to ship for seven to 15 business days. Temu says that if your package never arrives, or you’re told it’s been delivered but hasn’t been, you should contact customer service within 90 days of purchase.
However, while consumers have reported that the products they received were of poorer quality than they had anticipated or that they just slightly differed from the pictures on the internet, it is safer to order products, especially electronic products whose page has a blue tick as such products are name-brand. Any other product without a blue tick on its page is not a name brand and is, by default, considered made by unknown companies.
Temu offers a wide selection of high-quality tech accessories, including laptop covers, AirPods cases, phone cases, tablets, computers and cell phones and these may also fall in this category.
It would, however, be out of place not to add that Temu is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Many recent complaints about Temu on the BBB website say that items never arrived or took weeks or even months to arrive.
“Order Time: Apr 22, 2024 Order ID: ************************ Item: *****cm 2+32GB 4Core IPS Full Touch Android Car Raido Player ********** For Corolla 2006-2013 With Wireless WiFi SWC MirrorLink Rear View GPS Navigation $124.39 Delivery guarantee states: 15-day no update refund If your package has no tracking updates for over 15 days without being delivered, you can apply for a free reshipment or refund because the package may have been lost in transit. If you do end up receiving the package after applying, you can keep it for free without needing to return it.Delivered on May 30, 2024 (More than a month later).There was no tracking updates for more than 3 weeks. Item arrived but was not operating well and had some faults after installation into vehicle (which incurred $75 labour cost).Reported issue to Temu, but they are unable to replace as seller is no longer valid. Hence, no warranty or support. Now, only option is to incur another labour charge ($75 or more) to remove the item and re-install with a newly purchased unit. Suddenly, I have to foot all these unnecesarry labour charges. According to Temu’s delivery guarantee, they should have refund me for a delayed delivery item and now a faulty item. But instead I have to pay extra charges before I can get refunded.”
On social media, particularly on TikTok, many people are pleased with their Temu purchases. From little gadgets and household items to clothes and shoes, Temu is one of TikTok’s popular obsessions.
Also, on Trustpilot, we found some reviews about Temu and curated them thus:
Izzy said, “Been using Temu for two months and ordering a lot of bits for the kids and for the house, the experience has been brilliant.
“The goods I’ve received have been of good quality the price absolutely amazing and the delivery service has been spot on.
“I have used similar sites and have been disappointed, but with Temu your always being updated on the items and delivery so far I have ordered over 100 items and I’m very impressed with on time delivery.
“Definitely recommending Temu and I shall be shopping more bits.
“By the way ITS VERY ADDICTIVE.”
Kev said, “Great place to order from
“This company is banging 😎 I absolutely love ordering from them and regularly do and the special offers they give out daily is a really great way to promote and show what and how any business should run
“Excellent Jobs Temu👍”
Also, on Trustpilot, TC Hansen urged new users to give it a try. Hansen wrote:
“Temu is fantastic! I ordered a bunch of items for my Middle School Classroom, including fake floral arrangements, custom stickers, storage containers, and I couldn’t be happier. The shipping was really quick, which was a huge, unexpected plus. Everything arrived promptly and in great condition. Sometimes the ads and spinning wheels are over the top, but other than that I highly reccomend!”
My only piece of advice is to make sure you read the product description for sizing!
Is Temu safe?
While user safety and the safety of user information are usually determined by the site owners, we only have a few tips to share with users and potential users to enable them to play their own part in ensuring their safety while on the Temu e-commerce site and any other online retailer. Below are our recommendations:
- Use the “Hide My Email” feature when signing up for a Temu account if you are using an iPhone. This feature generates a random email address and will forward messages to your iCloud email. If you receive too many spam messages to the hidden email address, you can easily deactivate it.
- Non-iPhone users can leverage aliases offered by email providers. These aliases can be created and used for websites you don’t fully trust or don’t want to clog up your inbox.
- Avoid linking your debit card or bank account with an internet merchant. It is possible for your payment details to be compromised by a hack. Paying with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal is an alternative. You can also buy and use Visa gift cards. We cannot compromise on these techniques.
On the other hand, Temu became controversial after the US government accused it of potential data risks. The allegations were made after Google suspended its sister site, e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, for containing malware.
However, we gathered that Temu is less dangerous, according to analysts, and Pinduoduo’s hazards were aimed at Chinese users, as reported by CNBC.
In a different study, the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party claims Temu does not take the required actions to guarantee that the goods on the website abide by the Uyghur Forced Labour Act.
The same article alleges that Temu uses a loophole in US commerce to evade paying tariffs and adhering to US commerce laws and regulations.
Why is Temu so cheap?
Temu’s standout point is the incredibly cheap nature of products on its e-commerce site. Unlike other digital marketplaces, Temu offers a variety of products including handbags for as low as $1. One might wonder the quality of a $1 worth of bag. Either way, a 50% slash from prices obtainable elsewhere is mostly assured on the Chinese-owned company’s site, according to information available to us.
Temu claims that the reason the products are so cheap on the website is that the supply chain connects buyers and sellers directly. Therefore, the e-commerce site can lower prices in the absence of an intermediary even though its ethics are called into doubt by its sole usage of third-party merchants.
What can I expect when I place an order?
When placing an order on Temu, follow the same formula as for any e-commerce site. Find things you like, add them to your cart, and check them out.
As a peculiar feature, the e-commerce site requires you to have at least $10 worth of items in your cart before you can check out. According to Temu, the minimum of $10 covers shipping fees for users who want free shipping.
Also, Temu offers a $5 credit for packages purchased with standard shipping if your items arrive late. The company will also credit you $13 for packages purchased with express shipping that arrive late.
In other cases, the products might be as described on Temu’s website, arrive on schedule and be of respectable or high quality. However, just like with products from other internet retailers, the quality of the products can fluctuate a lot. Therefore, according to Temu, your order is eligible for its Purchase Protection Programme if your things arrive damaged, don’t arrive at all or don’t appear like their online listing.
Also, if you return your purchases within 90 days of purchase, Temu’s Purchase Protection Programme ensures that you will receive a full refund.
Temu’s item costs are subject to frequent changes. You have the right to ask for a price adjustment if the item you buy becomes less expensive after you acquire it. Within minutes, the difference will be available as a Temu credit on your account.
Does Temu produce its products ethically?
According to Retail Insider, Temu reduces waste by more precisely estimating the products that customers want. Thanks to its reverse-manufacturing strategy.
The e-commerce site is also clear in its Third-Party Code of Conduct that it will not tolerate suppliers using forced labour to produce its goods. All Temu sellers have to abide by the wage and hour regulations in the area, and their working environments must be secure and free from abuse. Temu does not, however, have an auditing or compliance programme to guarantee vendors abide by its Code of Conduct, according to the findings of the US House Select Committee.
This is despite claims by Sites like Temu, Shein and AliExpress that they are committed to environmental sustainability by digitizing the economy, cutting supply chain waste and offsetting carbon emissions. But a lot of these businesses also sell goods that are dangerously chemical-laden and wind up in landfills.
Additionally, some businesses assert that they buy carbon credits to finance sustainability programmes, thereby offsetting their emissions. It is however unclear how, when or where these carbon credits benefit the environment.
According to the report of the US House Select Committee, Temu does not accurately guarantee that its products are not the product of forced labour, as items originating from China’s Xinjiang region cannot be sold in the United States. The history of hostility between the Uyghur people and the Chinese government in China’s Xinjiang region is complex and brutal. Items produced in this area are frequently the result of forced labour.
Does Temu steal or sell your data?
All e-commerce apps collect data when you create an account and visit the app’s home page. This data can include your precise physical location, address, and device ID, as well as your search history, payment information, and contacts.
While some apps use this data to track you across apps and websites, to understand performance and to target you with ads, some of these data are linked to your identity while some are not.
Irrespective of whether these data are linked to your identity, the connection depends on the app you’re using. In recent years, people have been increasingly concerned about how their data is being stored and are wary specifically of data storage by Chinese-based apps.
But according to Temu’s privacy policy, the company does not “sell” your data — for money, at least. What Temu only does is share your information with shipping affiliates, marketing providers and consumer research companies, which in turn generates revenue for Temu.
The privacy policy document also states that Temu “shares” your data with third-party advertising, marketing and analytics companies to target you with ads. The company also acknowledges that this transfer of data can be considered “selling” your data under applicable laws.
While worries about your data being shared with Temu may be legitimate, keep in mind that apps can and will gather and store your data with limited restrictions since there is no one federal regulation protecting user data of US citizens and most states continue to have unrestricted data gathering practices.
Users in the United States are free to choose which platforms to share their data with and how much of it they are willing to give up since user data is not fully safeguarded.
But remember that when you sign up for an account on any platform, you agree to the company’s privacy policy. So, Temu is not “stealing” your data if you willingly sign up and purchase items.
