What to Know Before Shopping on Temu

Temu is an online marketplace selling a huge range of products at very low prices — clothing, accessories, home goods, electronics, tools, and toys. Prices often run 50-90% below US retail, because most items ship directly from manufacturers in China.

Temu has grown fast in the United States and is now one of the most downloaded shopping apps. Many people do find good deals there. It helps to go in with realistic expectations about the trade-offs.

There are three things to weigh. Shipping is slow: 7-21 business days is common, though Temu does offer "guaranteed" delivery dates. Quality varies widely — some items are great, others are poor. And returns can be awkward, since they often mean shipping an item internationally. Temu does give you one free return per order.

The refund policy is generous for a discount retailer. Temu offers full refunds for orders that arrive late, items that differ a lot from the photos, and damaged products. Purchases are covered by its "Purchase Protection Program."

One privacy note: Temu collects a large amount of data through its app, as most shopping apps do. You can reduce that by using it in a browser instead, or by limiting the app's access in your phone's privacy settings.