Is Temu legit?
Yes, Temu is a legitimate business. Temu is owned by Chinese company PDD Holdings, but they’re listed as a foreign corporation in the United States under the name “WhaleCo, Inc.” Although their products are shipped from global suppliers, the company is officially based in Boston, Massachusetts, where it operates under the name “Temu.” According to paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), WhaleCo, Inc. originally registered with Delaware in July of 2022, and then registered with Massachusetts later in September.
How does Temu work?
Temu is a lot like other online shopping platforms. Temu falls in a similar camp as sites like Amazon and eBay, especially from a user experience standpoint. You simply type in the item you’re looking for, add it to your cart, provide the necessary payment and shipping information, and check out. Lots of items on Temu are shipped from international sellers, many of which are based in China (which makes sense, given that Temu is a Chinese-owned company). Users can shop on Temu’s website and app, though it’s easy to get overwhelmed with promotional pop-ups on the app. If you’re hoping to support local businesses and buy domestic products, Temu may not be an ideal platform for you to shop on.
Why is Temu so cheap?
Temu uses a tax loophole to have extremely low prices. Temu takes advantage of the “de minimis value” of the USA’s Tariff Act of 1930, which absolves tariffs and taxes from international shipments that are valued at less than $800 (this was raised from $200 in 2015). Because of this loophole, Temu can offer plenty of perks like low price points and free shipping with orders. Because of the “de minimis” loophole, Temu packages don’t have to go through extra inspections at customs, which allows Temu to send them directly to the buyer from manufacturers.
Are the products on Temu high-quality?
Not especially—customers can expect potentially low-quality items. As of early 2024, Temu currently has a C+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has over 1,900 complaints filed since the company was first established in 2022. Some of these complaints discuss low-quality or dysfunctional items, which is important to keep in mind if you’re considering buying from Temu. Tech products like headphones and keyboards are popular on Temu, but customers have had mixed results with the quality. Some products have been reported as knock-offs or fakes of brand names that don't work as well. With Temu, it helps to adopt a “you get what you pay for” attitude with your purchases. With this in mind, some consumers advise against buying more expensive products from Temu.
Temu’s Return & Refund Policy
Temu gives full refunds in response to order mishaps. Temu offers “Temu Purchase Protection” for items that weren’t delivered, were delivered late, were damaged, or were different from what you ordered. TPP gives buyers a full refund for items upon their return. Temu has a support page and a chat bot service on their website, but they frequently respond to customers who file complaints with the BBB as well. Bear in mind that not all customers have had success with getting refunds, but, on paper, their policy should keep you and your purchases protected.
Temu Controversies & Potential Concerns
Forced labor issues The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) prevents goods made by the oppressed Uyghur people from being imported to the US. In April 2023, the Select Committee on the CCP found that Temu didn’t have any regulations in place to ensure that their products were made ethically. Because of this, the US government is concerned that some Temu products could be the product of forced Uyghur labor. The Uyghur people are a minority group in China. Over 1 million Ugyhurs are believed to be apprehended by the Chinese government for no discernible reason, and at least 10% of this population are believed to be victims of forced labor (in the northwest Xinjiang region of China).
Pinduoduo malware and employee treatment Temu is owned by PDD Holdings, the same company that owns Pinduoduo, a China-based shopping platform. In early 2023, Google uncovered malware concerns with the Pinduoduo app. While there haven’t been any reported cases of malware with the Temu app, Pinduoduo’s history of malware leaves some users uneasy. Pinduoduo also has a history of mistreating and overworking their employees to the point where several employees passed away. While this doesn’t directly relate to Temu, it’s uncomfortable that Temu’s sister company was complicit in something like this.
Data security issues Temu is upfront in their privacy policy about the information they collect from users and how it gets distributed. They clearly state that they don’t sell anyone’s data, but they do distribute it to certain third parties. Laws related to user data protection don’t exist on a federal level, though, so this issue isn’t unique to just Temu. It’s important to note that Temu has faced class-action lawsuits related to the way they collect data.
Unclear sustainability practices If you search for “Temu sustainability policy” on Google, you’ll find a snippet from the Temu site describing how they manage their carbon footprint. However, clicking on this link redirects you to the main support page, so it’s unclear if this is still an active part of their sustainability policy. Temu does, however, clearly outline a tree-planting program they run where they’ve helped plant over 5 million trees in Africa.
Shipping and refund issues On Temu’s BBB profile, customers have voiced complaints about delayed shipments or packages that never arrived. In some cases, the Temu customer service team refused to offer refunds. While Temu does seem to actively respond to complaints, their approach has left customers dissatisfied at times.
How to Safely Shop on Temu
Pay with a credit card or third-party payment service. Credit card companies are pretty good about refunding purchases, so you can have some peace of mind should anything happen when you shop online. They also aren’t directly connected to your bank, so your core financial info won’t be compromised if someone gets their hands on your credit card data. Payment services like PayPal and Google Pay also offer extra security to your purchases. While Temu claims your data is safe and your payments are encrypted, it never hurts to be careful when you’re shopping online.
Stick with lower-priced items. The less you spend on Temu, the less you have to lose if something goes wrong with your order. Low-risk items like kitchen gadgets and home goods are probably fine to buy, but you’re better off ordering big-ticket items (like tech) from more established and centralized stores.
Check product reviews and seller info. The reviews can provide helpful insights and clue you into the product’s quality before you make any purchases. You can also check the seller rating and inspect their reviews. If the seller seems to have consistently good reviews (and their recent reviews seem to be made by actual people), you can feel a little more confident shopping from them. Check the seller’s location to make sure they aren’t based in China’s Xinjiang region.
Contact Temu or file a complaint with the BBB if you run into issues. Temu has a support center on their website where you can inquire about issues with your order, but plenty of customers have also filed complaints with Temu’s BBB profile. Temu’s customer service team seems to check their BBB profile often, so you shouldn’t have trouble getting in touch with someone.
Use an alternate email with Temu to prevent spam. Use a spare email account to sign up for Temu rather than using your primary account. That way, any potential spam or unwanted promo emails won’t end up in your main inbox. It also provides another layer of separation between Temu and your personal data.
Key Takeaways: Is Temu safe to order from?
You can safely shop on Temu if you take the proper precautions. Stick with smaller, low-cost items rather than more expensive wares. While you’re browsing, check the product’s reviews as well as the seller’s reviews to get a better idea of how legit the item is. When you pay, use a credit card or payment service like PayPal rather than a debit card.
Temu claims to take steps that keep their platform safe. On their help page, Temu has several articles related to safe online shopping, including ways to stay safe from scams. In one article, Temu outlines directly that they’re a safe website, and that they take extra steps to keep the site and payment process safe and secure.
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