Before You Place That Temu Order, Here's What You Should Know About the Company

If you like to shop online, you've likely heard of the Temu app. While this online retailer has created a lot of buzz thanks to its unbelievably low prices and catchy Super Bowl ads, many worry about how safe it is to share their personal and financial information while using the Temu app.

Not to mention, Temu is considered a fast fashion company that is currently embroiled in a legal battle with one of its direct competitors, Shein. Keep reading to learn more about the Temu app, including what you need to know before entering your credit card information.

If you're curious about all those deals you see popping up on TikTok and Facebook, encouraging you to save big time while shopping the app, all you need to do is turn to social media to see how risky it can be.

In 2023, the Better Business Bureau (BBC) issued a warning via an NBC News Chicago affiliate to warn consumers that shopping on the app could open them up to having their financial information stolen, leaked, or cloned. Or, a lesser offense but still not great: you could receive an order completely different than the one you placed.

Temu has become infamous on social media after many shoppers claimed to be the victims of bait-and-switch tactics, showing side-by-side images of the items they ordered versus the products they received. 

Since so many of those moments sometimes went viral, shoppers have begun to develop a certain wariness when it comes to shopping the virtual storefront. 

One user on TikTok, @mimmaangelica, shared a video of a swimsuit and sarong, which she said she ordered through the app. Despite ordering a size up to ensure the fit would be what she needed, Mimma hilariously showed her followers how small the outfit was once it arrived on her doorstep, looking nothing like the original pictures that prompted her order.

And her story isn't unique. Search "Temu fails" on any social media platform to get more stories like the one she shared.

Even if you aren't worried about losing money when you take a chance on some of the deals that seem too good to be true, you may find yourself among the growing number of shoppers who find themselves asking, "but, at what cost?"

Temu faces accusations that it violates the human rights of its workers and those who live in the communities where its warehouses are located, including allegations that the company relies on the labor of enslaved people located in Xinjiang.

Additionally, the company stands accused of creating a hostile work environment, which has led to several employee deaths, like that of an employee who reportedly set himself on fire as a form of protest for wages he said he was never paid.

Then there's the impact that fast fashion has on the world. When products are made to sell at ultra-low prices but not intended to last, it creates a cycle where people are forced to keep shopping to replace the items that quickly end up in landfills, taking a toll on resources and contributing to the ongoing climate crisis.