We Tried Ordering From TEMU Where One Shops 'Like A Billionaire'

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(SPOT.ph) Getting targeted by a myriad of product advertisements is something this editor is used to. I write mostly for the Shopping and Services section of SPOT.ph, after all. I had my fair share of moments where I was budol-ed by some of the most popular e-commerce platforms out there, including Shopee and Lazada, but this hasn't stopped me from shopping online, of course.

A few months back, I started seeing a lot of ads from a platform named Temu, whose logo shares the same magnetic orange shade as that other shopping giant, Shopee. Temu ads appear more aggressive, dominating my timeline across all my social media platforms. It's like I'm Peter Parker and Temu is Tony Stark in that popular meme. "Everywhere I go, I see his face."

The products I see flash before me are most of the time things I don't even remember searching for, like a cleaning water gun for motorcycles or a pack of self-adhesive, glow-in-the-dark tapes. And the prices sound just too good to be true—because what do you mean I can get over-ear wireless headphones for less than P300? The platform clearly knows how to make its offerings impossible to resist. It doesn’t help that its tagline is like a gentle stroke to a shopper's delulu nature: “Shop like a billionaire.”

I managed to resist until I couldn't. It was around last week—at the ungodly hour of 3 in the morning, no less—that this editor took the bait and ordered from Temu. So in case the experience is a nightmare, you don’t have to.

Also read: Tried and Tested: 10 Fashion Finds From Shopee and Lazada That Didn’t Hurt Us in the End

What is Temu?

Temu is pretty much like Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora which allows you to shop from merchants and manufacturers locally and abroad. It is operated by the Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings and is available in almost 50 countries all over the world. PDD owns several e-commerce sites, including Pinduoduo, which is Temu's Chinese sister site. According to the Temu site, the company is based in Boston, Massachusets. 

Temu has been available in the Philippines since last year. Its motto is: "Team up, Price Down," which it explains to mean it connects "customers directly with cost-efficient producers, allowing for competitively priced goods." 

First Impressions of Temu

What's it like to use Temu? A lot of things will welcome you to the site—and you won't know where to start looking. Lookswise, I can't quite pinpoint what it is that makes it messy but it is, and a touch on the tacky side, too—which is most likely intentional. The app is not much better. I once couldn't get past the home page without a pop-up insisting on offering me a discount voucher, or a roulette of some sort. But if you're into good deals, these distractions should be no problem. Signing up on both platforms, the site and the app, is relatively fast and easy.

Temu offers a wide range of items starting from apparel and home and kitchen stuff. There are sneakers, accessories, beauty and health items, gadgets, and electronics. It has pretty much everything under the sun, and all at very low prices—I'm not kidding when I say it feels like everything's at 99% off. You can go through all of them in their tabs and categories, though clicking on some products have redirected me to different pages, not exactly to the product I wanted to see.

Compared to Lazada and Shopee which carry both locally and globally-famililiar products, Temu has products shipped directly from and are made in China.

I downloaded the app on an Android phone and there was a pop-up message that informed me that Temu’s data security had been verified by Google Play’s Mobile Application Security Assessment, which I take as a sign that the app is safe to use.

A bit of distrust aside, Temu assures privacy, safe payments, and guaranteed shipping to their customers. They even put up a reminder to be wary of scam messages and links. “Temu won’t ask for extra fees via SMS and email,” the website says. And let me tell you, they will send a whole awful lot of notifications through SMS and email (but the good thing is you can adjust the settings).

Ordering

On my inaugural transaction, I ordered a pair of sandals, a mirror, and nipple tapes. I initially wanted only the sandals, which was priced at only P146, and whose original price (at least what was scratched down on the item) was P1,712. That’s almost 91% off. Keep that price in mind.

The product page on the website is a bit cluttered but it has the full deets— images, information, et cetera. The sandals had 8,677 provider reviews as well as 293 item reviews. 

I only added the other two items because Temu had a minimum spend of P280 to checkout. They said it was to “offer more and lower-priced items." With the mirror and nipple tape in my cart, my supposed total amounted to P2,128, and because there was quite a discount (P1,843 off)—I only paid P285. Shipping is free.

Payment

Temu accepts GCash, PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Card, Diners Club International, and JCB. You can also do Cash on Delivery. I used GCash for my payment.

Delivery, Shipping

The order was placed on August 13. They regularly updated the status of my packages—from packing, arrival at the airport, customs pick-up, and clearance to courier pick-up and delivery to my location. I received my packages four days later, on August 17, through J&T Express.

Quality of the products

The first thing that came to mind when I saw my purchase was, well...meh. I consoled myself with the thought that, "Oh, well, I didn't even spend that much, so it's fine." But I couldn't help but wonder: if the sandals were indeed P1,712 and I paid that same price, would the items be of a different, better quality? But by shelling out only P146, I guess I got what I paid for.

The fit of the sandals felt cheap, or maybe my feet just didn't look good in them. The branding has faded a bit on one of the sandals. I could have purchased the same pair at a different store, maybe paid just a little lesser than the P1,712 price tag, but I would at least have been able to inspect the goods before purchasing, and ensured the footwear fit me well.

The mirror and nipple covers were both in good condition. I got  the nipple covers for P61 from the original price of P162 while the mirror retailed at P67 from the original price of P191. The mirror, though, turned out to be a bit smaller than my iPhone.

Is TEMU safe?

It works, for sure, but it's a hit or miss. 

Some reviews warn against putting in your card details—or just get your items via COD if you really have to buy from the platform. Some people say it's the best when you need unusual stuff, which it has a lot of. If you're looking to buy tech and gadgets, perhaps it would be best to go to the platforms you've engaged with before, where you were pleased with the results. Temu is an option if you're on a tight budget and if you're looking for trinkets or items you think you won't find anywhere else (the self-adhesive, glow-in-the-dark tapes, for example). 

The Temu site assures its consumers that their payment links have PCI certifications. They also have refund and return policies. The return shipping is free "on the first return of one or multiple items for every order within 90 days from the date of purchase." It also has the Temu Purchase Protection Program, which allows its customers to get a full refund if their item "can't be delivered, arrives damaged, or isn't as described."

There's really no harm in being wary about ordering stuff online. Form a good habit of reading reviews before trusting and purchasing, and remember it is best to order from those you trust.  

Also read: Package Arrived? Shred That Shipping Label to Protect Your Data

Links are updated regularly and as much as possible but note that products can run out of stock, discounts can expire, and listed prices can change without prior notice.

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