A new chapter in online shopping from China
If you’ve been paying attention to social media or watched this year’s Super Bowl, you’ve likely come across the new Chinese shopping platform called TEMU.
With the slogan “shop like a billionaire,” TEMU has made a major impact in the Western world, offering a huge range of products at low prices.
I believe every Danish e-commerce business, and anyone interested in online retail, should place an order with TEMU.
There’s a lot to learn from the way they operate, both positive and negative.
Everything from their email flows and advertising to the way they influence consumer behavior.
This platform can, in many ways, be compared to marketplace giants like Wish and Shein.
TEMU launched in Europe in 2023 and has quickly become one of the leading international e-commerce platforms, with an app that quickly climbed to the top of the app store rankings.
They’ve implemented an aggressive marketing strategy that has made it almost impossible to ignore the new platform regardless of age. They’re everywhere on Meta platforms, TikTok, and Google Ads.
In today’s post, we’ll take a closer look at this online marketplace and examine what consumers can expect when visiting the platform.
I also tested the platform and placed an order to see how it worked: surprisingly well.
How TEMU works
TEMU operates like any other online marketplace we’re familiar with, offering a wide range of categories and products from various sellers.
The same applies to their app.
Navigation through their products is simple, and users can receive notifications about price drops on favorited items.
Additionally, the platform prominently advertises free shipping on both the app and the website if you act quickly — more on this later.
The entire platform is heavily gamified; it’s creating a sense of urgency around purchases.
A worrying trend of counterfeit goods
Among the categories, you’ll find many products that at first glance resemble well-known brands, but upon closer inspection turn out to be counterfeits.
When it comes to Chinese platforms, the sale of counterfeit products is unfortunately nothing new.
Platforms like Wish use the same strategy, offering low-cost products that closely resemble popular brands.
Incredibly low prices
Like its competitors, TEMU has carved out a niche by offering extremely low prices, using the same strategy as similar platforms: selling products directly from suppliers to consumers at “wholesale prices.”
According to TEMU’s website, there are no additional costs associated with the shipping of the products.
In this way, the Chinese platform can keep prices low while still generating profit due to its massive success.
Benefits of shopping on TEMU
For many consumers, one major advantage is the vast selection of products at incredibly low prices.
The popularity of TEMU’s products can largely be attributed to constant promotion on social media, making consumers feel like they are getting early access to new trends.
TEMU has also differentiated itself internationally by offering fast and free delivery, as well as free returns within 90 days.
A common drawback of shopping on international platforms has been high shipping costs and difficult return policies.
TEMU seems to have tackled this issue, making it easier for international consumers to shop on their platform. Still, it’s important to note that there is always a risk when buying from sellers outside of Europe, especially concerning customs duties.
Challenges and considerations when buying from TEMU
Since TEMU entered the European market, several consumer watchdogs have scrutinized its products.
There have been noticeable quality issues in some items, suggesting they are being produced so quickly that TEMU cannot deliver what it promises in product descriptions.
There have also been concerns about data privacy when shopping on TEMU — a concern that also arose with TikTok, which is likewise Chinese-owned.
In any case, consumers in Europe should be cautious when using platforms originating outside of the EU, especially regarding safety and quality.
EU legislation offers little protection if products come from non-European sellers.
The future of TEMU and online shopping in China
This isn’t the first online shopping platform we’ve seen emerge from China – and it certainly won’t be the last.
Trends in fashion and retail are currently very short-lived. We can thank platforms like Instagram and TikTok for that, which fuel high demand for trending products seen online.
With such rapid trend development, it’s crucial to be first to market with products that suddenly go viral.
TEMU, along with platforms like Wish, has significantly influenced online shopping, where the focus is on delivering trendy items at affordable prices.
That said, the sometimes poor product quality can’t go unnoticed — especially in Europe.
Nevertheless, the platform continues its global expansion, where being first to identify and deliver new trends plays a crucial role for international consumers.
A setback for sustainability
Whether existing sustainability-focused trends will become as influential as TEMU has remains to be seen.
The negative environmental impact of platforms like TEMU, Wish, and Shein is becoming increasingly recognized.
On TEMU’s website, they state that as part of their CSR efforts, they are committed to promoting sustainable initiatives, such as tree planting around the world.
Whether this is part of a larger greenwashing campaign is hard to say, given their short time on the European market.
However, it seems likely that sustainability will become a greater focus in the future, and that more demands will be placed on future platforms in this area.
Reviews of TEMU in Denmark
So how does TEMU fare in Denmark?
Customer experiences are mixed, as reflected in reviews on Trustpilot.
While some users praise the platform for fast delivery and good customer service, others express dissatisfaction with product quality and slow response times from support.
The Trustpilot reviews show a clear divide, making it important for potential buyers to read multiple reviews to get a more nuanced picture of TEMU’s offerings and reliability.
FAQ: Key insights from TEMU for retailers and consumers
Is it safe to pay on TEMU, and how do they handle data privacy?
When shopping on a platform like TEMU, you should always maintain a healthy dose of skepticism.
Although the actual payment processing is encrypted through standard, secure gateway solutions like Apple Pay and PayPal, the app has faced massive scrutiny for background data collection.
My best advice is to deny the app unnecessary permissions to your device and always use a virtual credit card just to be on the safe side.
Why are the prices on TEMU so cheap compared to Western e-commerce shops?
TEMU has simply eliminated all expensive middlemen and wholesalers from the equation.
They utilize a “Next-Gen Manufacturing” model, allowing consumers to buy directly from factories in China at raw wholesale prices.
When you combine this direct-to-consumer approach with massive bulk shipping operations straight to Western borders, they keep operational costs at a level that local e-commerce businesses simply cannot match.
Do you have to pay customs duties and VAT when ordering from TEMU to Europe?
The short answer is no. You won’t get hit with an unexpected bill from your local postal service after delivery, because VAT and customs duties are already factored into the price you pay at checkout.
TEMU is registered under the EU’s IOSS scheme (Import One-Stop Shop), meaning they collect and settle the local VAT directly with European authorities during checkout.
You should still be aware of strict EU customs controls on packages under €150, but the entire collection process happens seamlessly inside the app.
What is gamification, and how does TEMU use it to hook us into buying more?
TEMU isn’t just a traditional webshop; in many ways, it is a video game disguised as a shopping app, meticulously engineered to exploit cognitive biases.
By utilizing lucky wheels, countdown coupons, and constant pop-ups stating “only 2 items left,” they trigger an artificial sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
The entire platform exploits psychological triggers that turn shopping into a hunt for the next dopamine hit, making us add things to our cart that we don’t actually need.
What can e-commerce businesses learn from TEMU’s marketing strategy?
You don’t have to love their business model to learn from it – place a small order yourself and treat it as cheap e-commerce education.
Webshops should look closely at TEMU’s hyper-personalized email flows and their absolute dominance in Meta and TikTok Ads.
They have mastered the art of creating a frictionless mobile buyer’s journey and a retention loop that many marketing departments could successfully draw inspiration from.
How long is the shipping time from TEMU, and who delivers the packages?
Even though the goods are dispatched all the way from Chinese warehouses, the delivery time is surprisingly fast, typically landing between 5 to 12 business days.
TEMU has secured powerful logistics agreements with local Western couriers and postal services.
This means that once your package crosses the border, it is handled by reliable local distributors and delivered directly to your doorstep or local parcel locker, removing the classic barrier of waiting weeks for overseas shipping.
Why are there so many counterfeit goods on TEMU, and what is the risk of buying them?
The sale of knock-offs and counterfeit items is an unfortunate but well-known trend on these platforms because TEMU operates as an open marketplace with thousands of third-party sellers.
Products are often manufactured at a rapid pace to look identical to famous brands at first glance, though they omit official logos to bypass trademark and IP regulations.
The primary risk for you as a buyer is that customs authorities can seize and destroy the item if they flag it as a trademark violation.
Do products on TEMU comply with European chemical standards and CE marking?
This is where you really need to be careful, as the EU’s strict product safety and chemical regulations (REACH) are incredibly difficult to enforce outside of European borders.
Several European consumer protection groups have tested toys and electronics from TEMU, discovering significant defects along with illegal levels of toxic chemicals and heavy plasticizers.
My clear advice is to completely avoid buying cosmetics, electronics that plug into the wall, or toys for small children.
How does TEMU’s return policy work, and is it easy to get a refund?
TEMU has completely disrupted the market compared to older Chinese platform models, like Wish, by offering a generous 90-day return window with free return shipping on your first return per order.
You simply download a prepaid return label directly within the app, drop the package off at a local shipping point, and the refund hits your account shortly after.
It is a very deliberate strategy designed to eliminate the friction and high return costs that for a long time have scared off international online shoppers.
What does TEMU do for sustainability, or is their CSR policy just greenwashing?
Although TEMU advertises corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts like tree-planting initiatives, it is hard not to view it as a highly polished greenwashing campaign.
Their fundamental business model relies on ultra-fast fashion and cheap plastics flown across the globe, which is inherently a massive step backward for the climate.
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of this heavy carbon footprint, and it will undoubtedly lead to much stricter regulatory demands for the platform in the near future.
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