In 2022, China exported goods with a value of 3.59 trillion dollars. As the world’s biggest exporter, it is a very popular place to source products at competitive prices. Importers often use websites such as Made in China or Alibaba, while portals like AliExpress or Shein target individual buyers. However, in July of 2022, a new platform was launched that may catch the interest of consumers – Temu.
What is Temu?
Temu is an online marketplace founded in July 2022 under Pinduoduo Holdings. Temu connects manufacturers and consumers, allowing buyers to get products at competitive prices. Despite being fresh, it is very popular among private buyers, and they are the main target group of Temu.
Advantages of Temu
- Wide choice of offered products – from clothing and toys to electronics and household accessories
- Low prices – due to the operative model of Temu, where the goods are bought directly from the suppliers, their offered prices are very competitive. Besides that, Temu offers various discounts and special offers, and the prices are even lower
- Unlike other Chinese websites, for example, 1688, on Temu, payments can be made via commonly used methods such as Pay Pal or with a credit card
- Temu website is very intuitive and easy to use
Disadvantages of Temu
- Shipment may take a long time – delivery time may exceed even 2-3 weeks
- On the website, there is a minimum value of the order – 15 $ – and if your order is below the minimum value, it will not be shipped
- There are only a few language options on the Temu website, so it might be necessary to use the English version
How to register on Temu?
1. Open the Temu website.
2. Choose the “Register” option.
3. There will be two options – you can either choose to continue with your social media account/ Google email or enter your phone number/email to continue the registration.
4. The website will ask you to enter the password – and your account has been set up!
How to use Temu?
1. In the search bar, enter the product name you want, for example, “earphones.”
2. The results will show – next to the icons of the products, you can see the name of the model, the price, the number of sold items, and the rating of the product. In the left part of the screen, there will be filters such as color, material, technical specification, or price range that you may use to filter your results.
3. After you choose a particular product, you can see the expected delivery date, the reviews of previous buyers, or technical information.
4. After you add a product to the cart, you can either continue shopping or finalize the order. Keep in mind that your order must be over 15 $ – otherwise, the products that you want to order will not be shipped.
5. Before the payment, you have to enter your shipping information.
6. The payment – you can choose from a few options such as PayPal or credit card.
Should you buy on Temu?
Temu is a relatively new platform, and despite its huge popularity, it is still developing. However, it is a portal that is rather focused on final goods. Therefore, importers who want to customize their products should source from other platforms, such as Made in China. Temu is also an attractive option for consumers who buy items for individual use. However, it is not an option for importers that buy in bulk. Portals like Made in China or Alibaba will be a much better choice for them.
How to buy on Temu – a summary
- Temu is an online marketplace under Pinduoduo Holdings, connecting consumers with suppliers
- Temu offers an extensive range of products at competitive prices
- The website has the minimum value of order (15 $), and the time of delivery may take longer than two weeks