Temu, the online marketplace famous for jaw-droppingly low knockoff items, may seem too good to be true. The unfortunate truth about things that are too good to be true, though? They usually are.
While you can snag wildly cheap stuff on Temu, there are still reasons to avoid it. Here are eight big ones.
Unclear Labor Practices
Temu doesn’t disclose their labor practices, and we are far from the first to speculate about that. When something is supposed to cost $100, but Temu is selling it for only $5? Yeah, that’s a red flag.
Design Theft
Moral issue #2: People out there have claimed that Temu steals their designs. This is wrong for a host of reasons, and especially frustrating for artists out there trying to make a living on their own work.
The BBB
Temu is not credited with the Better Business Bureau, and currently retains a B- rating. In the last three years, the only ones in which Temu has been in business, they’ve racked up nearly 4,000 complaints. Not so great, Temu.
Confusing Descriptions
The product descriptions on Temu are notoriously misleading and confusing. There are plenty of fake and hard-to-decipher products on Temu, leaving people scratching their heads.
Quality Problems
If you log onto Temu, you might see something like a fuzzy rug that normally costs $85 being advertised for $3. This should hopefully send a signal to your brain: This is not the same quality that the $85 rug is made of.
With plenty of synthetic materials being manufactured by Temu, this type of low-quality stuff is terrible for the environment. According to the National Library of Medicine, synthetic fabrics are “more polluting than natural textiles because they do not decompose easily.”
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Customer Service Issues
As mentioned above, Temu’s BBB complaints are abundant. If you’re looking for quick responses and prompt solutions to your issues, look elsewhere.
Long Waits
Shipping delays on Temu are extremely common. Temu claims shipping can take anywhere from seven to 20 business days, which in the world of Amazon, is a whole lot. Many users have reported waiting up to a month to get their items.
Scams Ahoy
There are so many scams on Temu, all designed to get people to give up sensitive information. Don’t fall for the gift card thing. Don’t go for the affiliate links. Don’t do any of this stuff, please.
