The Risk You Take When Buying Items From Temu

Launched in late 2022, Temu has already claimed its spot as the number one free app available on both iOS and Android devices. That's what rigorous advertisements and competitive campaigns yield. What makes Temu so popular is not just its wide catalog of products, but the prices one can get them at. Pretty much everything you can think of exists on Temu at a fraction of the cost you'd expect. 

The reason why Temu's prices are so low is because they are mass-produced and delivered straight from factories to the end user. By offering unbranded products and eliminating the middleman, Temu is able to pull off prices that sometimes seem too good to be true. If heavily discounted goods weren't attractive enough, one can find potentially free items on Temu through the usual promotional offers it runs. 

Despite all the concerns one often has regarding legitimacy and quality of products when shopping online, Temu has delivered cheap goods to millions of customers in the U.S. alone, providing free shipping and promises of hassle-free returns. It seems like you truly can shop like a billionaire on Temu — however, with its huge savings come a few risks you need to assess before you start splurging on the viral ecommerce portal. 

Your biggest concern should be wondering whether Temu is safe to order from or not. Fortunately, the website sells real stuff, and it's quite rare to get outright scammed on such a big platform outside unfortunate instances stemming from legitimate delivery issues. This isn't to say you always get exactly what you order. Temu has an interesting slew of accurately cloned tech products, where you don't need to surf for more than five minutes to see a perfectly good replica of Apple's phone cases or smartwatch. 

For the non-tech savvy, a $10 pair of AirPods sure sounds like a steal, until they realize that they've got their hands on a generic pair of Bluetooth earphones that sound or function nothing like the original. In fact, stumbling across counterfeit products isn't rare — especially on an app like Temu that has been accused of selling stolen designs, as reported by Time. Even if you find what seems to be a completely legit product from a well-known brand like HP, Apple, or Lenovo, it's best to steer away from the risk and stick to what Temu specializes in — unbranded items at affordable prices. 

Avoiding straight up fake products on ecommerce sites is easy once you become familiar with false marketing strategies and other patterns. Receiving items that you are more than satisfied with, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Most of Temu's catalog consists of highly affordable products — which is something that's immediately explained when you factor in their quality. 

Even products listed in Temu's bestsellers section often have reviews from customers disappointed with the quality of the items. It's crucial to keep in mind that the product images could sometimes be misleading, especially when trying to decipher the finish and materials of items. 

As long as you're aware of the level of quality you're buying into, adding products to your cart from Temu without draining your wallet can be an exciting adventure. This also means you should probably avoid purchasing goods you expect to last a long time, since there are far better places to rely on when buying products like laptops, home appliances, or clothes you wish to wear more than once. 

Temu's return policy states that for eligible orders, you should be able to initiate a refund within 90 days. Every order gets one instance of free return shipping, as long as it's in the three-month purchase period. Subsequent returns for items belonging to the same order will run you $7.99, which will be cut from your refund transaction. 

Temu has an average of 2.48/5 stars on the Better Business Bureau, with a good chunk of the negative reviews revolving around delivery issues. People seem to have items missing from their orders or being sent and charged for products that they have not even purchased. Delivery times for items ordered with standard shipping are between 6 and 22 days, or 4 to 11 days for express shipping. 

Temu offers a $5 or $13 credit, depending on your shipping preference, in case an order doesn't reach your doorstep on or before the estimated delivery date. You can utilize this credit on a future order. Since Temu's entire business strategy involves aggressive discounts, it also offers price adjustment for products you've purchased in the last 30 days. This diversity of pitfalls and wallet-friendly options makes Temu an interesting place to shop — as long as you are able to tell the good and bad products apart.