Temu is a new online shopping service that offers a wide variety of products at very, even extremely, low prices with free shipping. The company was founded in 2022 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts with warehouses on both coasts. Temu’s mission is to “make shopping easy and affordable for everyone.”
I recently placed two orders with Temu and I will share my experience below, including reviews of some of the products.
Temu offers a wide variety of products, including clothing, electronics, home goods, and more.
Sources of TEMU products.
The company sources its products from a variety of suppliers, including both domestic and international manufacturers. Temu also has a team of in-house stylists who help customers find the perfect products for their needs.
One of the things that makes Temu unique is its pricing model. The company offers a variety of discounts and promotions, including daily deals, flash sales, and free shipping on orders over $50. Temu also offers a rewards program that gives customers points for every dollar they spend. These points can be redeemed for discounts on future purchases.
Temu Reviews
Temu has received mixed reviews from customers. Some customers have praised the company’s low prices and wide selection of products. However, other customers have complained about the quality of the products, the length of time it takes for orders to arrive, and the company’s customer service.
Personally, I find those complaints misplaced.
After all, when you are buying a complete vehicle backup camera and monitor system for $24 with free shipping AND a $5 rebate for late delivery or a waterproof smartwatch that measures sleep, oxygen saturation, links to your phone, tries hard to report accurate blood pressure and more for $8 including two wrist straps (and the thing actually WORKS!!), then the fact that the company SAYS it will take 30 days to deliver, should be a clue that this isn’t going to be Amazon next day delivery.
Temu has a lot of potential, but it is still in its early stages of development. It will be interesting to see how Temu evolves in the future.
Here are some of the pros and cons of using Temu
Pros:
- Wide variety of products
- Low prices
- Daily deals and flash sales
- Free shipping on orders over $50
- Rewards program
Cons:
- The quality of products may be inconsistent
- Shipping times can be long
- Customer service may not be as responsive as some customers would like
I didn’t contact customer service so I can’t report on that experience. On the other hand, I had no need to contact them.
Some Junk, Some Amazing Bargains.
I did get a few items that were real junk, which I just tossed, but they cost almost nothing and, going back to the listing, I see if I had read the online reviews and description more closely I probably wouldn’t have ordered them.
I would say that out of a $122 order, minus the $25 first-time buyer coupon and minus $15 for late delivery, I probably wasted $5.
Temu the Hard Sell, a Pushy Friend for Life
One complaint that I have seen and which is reasonable relates to how much marketing push you will get.
I see as many as three emails a day with special offers and if I didn’t have decent filters in my email service then they would be annoying.
On the other hand, they aren’t just bugging me; they make intelligent suggestions and send special price offers, some of which I took advantage of.
I can see that this hard sell is part of their business plan forcing volume, which helps to keep prices low.
TEMU Packaging
I got one or two small items quickly then a big bundle with a dozen items in one of the trademark orange bags. They were not in a box, even the electronics, but nothing was damaged and individual items were usually in sturdy boxes in the bag.
Some of the clothing items were so inexpensive I may toss them rather than bother with laundry.
Ankle socks for 30 cents each is one example.
64G USB dongles were $4 each and all tested as advertised.
More TEMU Bargains
A 3 MP pan and tilt wifi camera installed easily on my network and downloading the app to my Samsung camera was simple, much easier than more expensive and similar cameras I wasted money on at Amazon and have never gotten to work correctly.
The app includes two-way audio and motion detection/alarm with still photos and video recording (no additional or monthly charges). Cost? $21.97.
How about a 200 inch endoscope that plugs into the USB port on my smartphone for $8.49?
One word of warning. When you see a real bargain and the site warns you that it is selling fast, they aren’t kidding; grab it quickly.
There are time-limited flash deals for items that are in stock but also some limited number of remaining items.
All this is clearly marked and I normally ignore such tactics as countdowns but there is usually plenty of time to investigate, read reviews, and decide.
Something everyone needs is batteries, especially the buttons that go in a lot of small devices. 10 CR2032s for $2.08 and 20 cents each is a GOOD price. There are many other button battery sizes.
Bluetooth key finder locators are $1.69 each including battery. Just pull the plastic tab to connect the already installed battery.
Items like batteries and memory cards or USB dongles usually come in multiple sizes. I take a lot of photos and have a dash camera so I have lots of uses for microdrives, especially at $2.98 for 32G including adapters. Not the fastest so they don’t go in my high-end Nikon DSLR but plenty fast for most purposes.
Slow Shipping, OK, Deal With it
Four items didn’t arrive after 30 days but you get the option to cancel. I want them but am in no hurry so I have a $20 credit for my next order and they are still on the way, perhaps from China.
I want to be clear, TEMU clearly states that they do not ship quickly and provides updated delivery estimates.
I may not order next week but I definitely will use Temu again.
My latest note from Temu sales included offers of a toothpick crossbow for $3.50 and several tiaras that would probably be fine for a child or even a teen’s dance or birthday party – they all seem to be under $7.
Oh, and a plastic but very realistic-looking Swiss Army Watch. 98 cents. More than 1,000 watches are listed including some in the hundreds of dollars and, of course, “Dick Tracy” two-way radio watches at $13 for a pair, 3,500 sold. Not only do the radios work, there is a flashlight, magnifying lens, compass, and the watch works.
A kid’s toy but I recommended it to a friend who leads a scout troop on wilderness hikes.
Final Comments About TEMU
Most of the prices I have listed are the result of flash deals or other temporary reductions and when I went back most were higher, although still claimed to be discounted from the list price, and the ones I cross-checked with other sites such as Amazon confirmed the list prices.
One final item which I found listed but haven’t bought yet – the exact model of blood pressure cuff sent by my insurance company, UPMC, Pittsburgh, was also available on Temu for $16 which is a double check on the quality – my BP cuff from UPMC worked for 5 years.
Free 90-day returns; how can you go wrong?
