Is Temu a scam? Is Temu Legit for shopping?
You’re not alone. Read on to learn everything we know about Temu to help you make an informed decision.
If you frequently shop online and have been receiving a lot of ads from Temu, you might be curious about what the website is and what it offers.
Temu is a digital marketplace that is owned by a Chinese company.
It has become quite popular on the internet over the past year but the question that still looms around it is Temu legit.
According to Statista, Temu has over 30 million new downloads every month, making it the most popular shopping app in both the App Store and Play Store.
If you’ve hesitated to place an order because you don’t know the answer to Is Temu Legit?
You may need to know if the items are authentic, how long they take to get to your door, and whether they’re good quality.
Look no further because this article addresses all your questions about Temu. Let’s get into it.
What is Temu Legit?
It is an online store that offers a vast range of products, from car accessories and electronics to kitchen appliances, clothing, baby clothes, power tools, outdoor furniture, and much more.
Temu has super-low prices, but is Temu legit enough to trust your wallet?
The site is known for its affordable prices, with many products priced at under $50.
For instance, you can buy shoes for $15, necklaces for $1, and a wireless keyboard for $10.
While Temu is often compared to sites such as Shein, Wish, and AliExpress, it sets itself apart by offering a wider range of products.
Unlike Shein, which focuses mainly on fashion and clothing, Temu caters to almost all your shopping needs.
Although Wish and AliExpress offer low prices, they are known to have lower-quality items, longer shipping times, and a shorter item return window.
Launched in late 2022, Temu has quickly become the top shopping app on both the App Store and Play Store.
People have discovered Temu through ads and have been attracted to its low prices.
Don’t leave your loved ones wondering if Temu is legit enough for gifts or if they got scammed.
Is it a Scam?
Is Temu legit as a website depending on how you define ‘legitimate.’
While most of the products available on Temu are authentic and are delivered to your doorstep within ten days, it’s important to note that the tech products listed on the site are only considered name-brand if they have a blue checkmark.
This means that if you’re looking to buy laptops, tablets, or smartphones, they may be from lesser-known manufacturers.
Last year, HP representatives informed ZDNet that they could not verify the authenticity of the HP products sold on Temu, nor could they confirm that they came from an authorized reseller.
As a result, you won’t find any HP products advertised on Temu.
Some customers have reported receiving items that looked different or were of lower quality than they expected.
Is it safe to buy from Temu legit?
I can’t definitively tell if you want to know if Temu is legit and if it’s safe or unsafe to buy items from Temu.
However, I suggest some safeguards you should use when buying from Temu and any other online retailer.
If you own an iPhone, it’s recommended to use the “Hide My Email” feature while creating a Temu legit account.
This feature helps you generate a random email address, and forwards all the messages to your iCloud email.
If you happen to receive too many spam messages to the hidden email address, you can always deactivate it with ease.
However, if you don’t use an iPhone, it would be best to create a separate email address for the websites that you don’t fully trust, or those whose messages you don’t want to clog your main email address.
When shopping on an online retailer, it is not recommended to link your bank account or debit card to your account.
This is because in the event of a hacking incident, your payment information can be compromised.
Instead, you may consider using alternative payment methods such as Visa gift cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal to make your purchases.
How to place an order?
It is best to know if Temu is legit before placing an order.
To place an order on Temu, you simply need to add the items you want to your cart, and then proceed to checkout.
However, before checking out, please note that there is a minimum purchase requirement of $10.
This is to cover the shipping fees for users who prefer free shipping.
If you choose standard shipping and your package arrives late, Temu will give you a $5 credit.
For express shipping, you will receive a $13 credit for late deliveries.
While some items may arrive on time, have good quality, and match the product description on Temu’s website, the quality of the products can be unpredictable, much like other offerings from online stores.
If you receive items from Temu that are different from their online listing, are damaged, or do not arrive at all, you can take advantage of Temu’s Purchase Protection Program.
This program allows you to get your money back with a full refund if you return the items within 90 days of purchase.
Please note that the prices of items on Temu are subject to change frequently.
So, if you buy something and its price drops afterward, you can request a price adjustment.
This will credit the difference to your Temu account within minutes.
What is the controversy around Temu?
Temu has been in the news for some controversy about whether is Temu legit.
The US government has accused Temu of potential data risks after its sister site Pinduoduo was suspended by Google for containing malware.
However, experts believe that people should know is Temu legit.
It poses less of a threat, and the risks associated with Pinduoduo were targeted at Chinese users.
Furthermore, the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has published a report claiming that Temu does not take sufficient steps to ensure that is Temu legit with products listed on the website and complies with the Uyghur Forced Labor Act.
The report also states that Temu exploits a loophole in US commerce laws which allows the company to avoid paying tariffs and complying with US regulations.
Are the products in Temu good quality?
Temu is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an average rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Several recent complaints about Temu on the BBB website indicate that items either never arrived or took weeks, if not months, to arrive.
Despite the negative reviews, many people on social media, particularly on TikTok, are happy with their Temu purchases.
Temu has become one of TikTok’s popular obsessions, offering a range of items from gadgets and household products to clothes and shoes.
Personally, I have tried some of Temu’s products and experienced minimal issues.
While some items are cheaply made, this is to be expected for items that cost between $1 to $3. Overall, the items on Temu are what you would expect them to be.
Which products should I avoid in Temu?
This is a subjective matter. At ZDNET, we have only tested tech-related products from Temu.
One of our contributing experts, David Gewirtz, purchased a handheld gaming console that claimed to have 27,000 retro games pre-installed on it.
However, upon using the console, David discovered that none of the games were downloaded and that the product listing needed to be more accurate.
As for my personal experience, I have tested a pair of earbuds, headphones, and a wireless keyboard and mouse from Temu, and they all functioned as expected.
However, I must mention that they were of lower quality, and you may find better-quality tech items elsewhere.
However, I’ve purchased many AirPods and iPhone cases from Temu and have been pleasantly surprised.
The cases are usually of excellent color, fit, and durability.
The best advice we can give you is to avoid electronics and big-ticket items and go for accessories and little gadgets.
Is Temu a Chinese company?
Temu is a company owned by PDD Holdings, a multinational commerce group with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. PDD Holdings also owns Pinduoduo, Temu’s sister company.
However, the exact origins of Temu are uncertain. In February 2023, Pinduoduo changed its name to PDD Holdings and relocated its principal executive offices from Shanghai, China, to Dublin, Ireland.
This move is not necessarily a red flag, as many tech companies relocate to Ireland due to the country’s low corporate tax rates.
According to Temu, the company was founded in Boston in 2022.
However, the company’s ‘About Us’ page does not mention its parent company, as reported by The Washington Post.
The Boston office is likely the central office connected to Temu’s other worldwide offices.
Temu set up camp in Boston partly because of its proximity to Canada, where the company opened another office.
Online shopping can be risky due to fake reviews, lost packages, stolen items, broken goods, and items looking different from what they are online.
Temu’s standard shipping policy in the US is free, but items are not expected to ship for seven to 15 business days.
If your package is lost or has not been delivered, Temu advises you to contact customer service within 90 days of purchase.
