Editorial
Why you may want to think twice before “teaming up” with Temu
By Angelina Harnett, Staff Writer
April 5, 2023
Temu (pronounced TEE-moo), an online shopping app with headquarters based in our very own Boston Massachusetts, is taking the internet by storm with its absurdly low prices and addictive nature. The app encourages users to share the platform with their friends and relatives for rewards and free items. Temu was founded in September 2022 and made its debut commercial during the Superbowl last February, enticing its audience with the guarantee to "spend like a millionaire” and splurge on low-cost items. The shop offers everything from clothing items to kitchen essentials to even electronics.
I first stumbled upon Temu when a friend of mine sent me an invitation to receive discounts for her and myself, and I was quickly captivated by its wide selection of products and seemingly endless sales. Right away when I opened the app, I was bombarded with special offers and free gifts; even a deal for seven free items if I purchased ten.
Temu seemed like a frugal shopperʼs paradise; it promised special deals "just for you”, wheels of fortune popups hit the "jackpot” whenever you spun, and no matter which prize out of the three boxes you picked, it was always the highest offer.
At first, I thought I had just gotten lucky, but the more time I spent on the app, the more the true gimmicks of the app shone through. Really, the app gets first-time users hooked with big offers and chances to win prizes, but the longer you spend on it, the harder it actually is to obtain these promises, at least, without sharing your link with everyone on your contact list, making purchases, or even just scrolling through.
Temu also offers in-app games like “Fish Land” for chances to win a free item of your choice, Paypal credits, and other prizes. The catch is, many of these games have a time limit of up to six days to claim an offer, and more often than not you need to make purchases, scroll through the inventory, or share the app with friends or family to continue playing.
With its promises of rewards and huge savings, fun toys and knick-knacks, and extensive options for shoppers, Temu has completely taken over online shopping, claiming customers through TikTok, and even surpassing leading marketplaces Shein and Amazon.
The boastful and indulgent nature of this app begins to pose questions and suspicions; where did Temu come from? How are their prices so low? And of course, one of the biggest rising questions is; is Temu ethical?
Of course, while there are glowing reviews for Temu, there have been many complaints.
According to TIME magazine, ‟Temu has already been subject to more than 30 complaints to the Better Business Bureau, and has a BBB customer rating of fewer than 1.5 stars.” Temu’s website claims to value “empowerment, integrity, social responsibility, diversity, and inclusion", and even claims to “offset carbon emissions so that we compensate for our carbon footprint and do our part to protect the planet” for every package delivery.
This sounds all well and good, but these claims are extremely vague and fail to underline clear standards and practices that uphold these values, especially when “Temu’s sister company Pinduoduo has been long accused of hosting sales of counterfeits, illegal goods, or products that do not match their descriptions.” The New York Times even reported investigations and boycotts for the deaths of two Pinduoduo employees back in 2021.
After discovering this information, I decided that while Temu is an entertaining app with fun items, ultimately there are better places to shop for quality and necessary items and better ways to spend your time. It is incredibly easy to spend hours and lose sleep on the app trying to win a free item (that you probably don't need to begin with) and is nearly impossible to obtain without spamming your friends and family with links. After all, Temu is still a product of fast fashion, and despite their claims to protect the planet, they are still contributors to mass production and plastic waste.
