If you're a fan of online shopping, you've probably heard of it before Temu. This e-commerce app, launched in the United States in September and arrived in Italy in April, is conquering the market with its bargain prices and its wide range of products. But how does Temu keep prices so low? And above all, is it really reliable?
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What is Temu?
Temu, pronounced 'tee-muu', is an e-commerce app that boasts a huge range of products, from quick fashion to make-up, passing through electronics, household items and even i bong. It functions solely as a marketplace where sellers, mostly based in China, sell goods to customers in different parts of the world (Europe, USA and Canada at the moment). As for shipping, it's not a "poor" service like AliExpress or the like. Temu relies on couriers from Poste Italiane and GLS in Italy and allows you to track the parcels sent in a very simple and also very intuitive way.
The low prices
But what do we know about this company and how does it manage to keep prices so low? Temu claims that his "next generation production model(in which it shares data about what consumers are searching for and buying on its site with its third-party sellers) helps keep prices low. This allows sellers to better predict trends, plan production and thus reduce the risk of overproduction of items that consumers do not want. These cost savings can then be passed on to the consumer.
But experts say there are other factors which contribute to its clearing prices. Most sellers are based in China, where production and labor costs are lower, and the farm-to-table business model means there is no no intermediary in the chain to take a cut of the profits.
What is the quality of the products on Temu?
One question that often comes up when talking about Temu is the quality of its products. Given the extremely low price, many customers wonder if the items they receive will live up to their expectations. Online reviews paint a mixed picture. Some customers have reported being disappointed with the quality of what they have received, noting that 'you get what you pay for'. However, there are plenty of positive reviews too, with customers saying they were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the items they received, considering the price they paid.
Is Temu better than Shein?
Temu is also trying to challenge Shein, another Chinese giant that has maintained a leading position in this sector. The battlefield has been opened in the United States, where Temu made his move during the event of Superbowl in February, an event involving over 100 million viewers, with two half-minute commercials each.
Since that time, the interest of US shoppers in this online store aimed at the general public has grown significantly. According to news reports, in May in the United States the average spend on Temu exceeded that on Shein by 20%., whose app has dropped to second place among the most downloaded in its sector.
Now Temu is upping the ante and has brought Shein to justice in Boston. accusing it of abusing its dominant position and forcing suppliers to sign exclusivity agreements, preventing them from doing business with Temu. This would have an impact on consumers, who would have less choice of products at higher prices.
