picture alliance / Zumapress.com | Pavlo Gonchar
The Chinese shopping app Temu has taken the app stores by storm and impresses with low prices.
But sometimes they are too good to be true: just like on the viral marketplace Wish, there are also plagiarism and junk items on Temu. The consumer advice center advises caution when it comes to technology.
Free returns aren’t always that free either. And Temu’s predecessor app Pinduoduo was also accused of containing malware in some versions and being able to access photos and calendar data or change the settings of the smartphone, among other things.
The Chinese online shop Temu first took the USA by storm and has also been available in Germany since April of this year. The company got involved with a veritable flood of marketing on all channels: from the Superbowl commercial to massive online advertising in mobile games, among other things, to viral Tiktok marketing and an obscure affiliate program. The biggest advertising argument is the incredibly low prices – but users keep reporting lousy products, failed returns and other problems.
To do this, you first have to understand how Temu works: Like the viral marketplace Wish, the company is a marketplace and, unlike the online giant Amazon, does not offer its own products. He doesn’t even have a warehouse, but the manufacturers sell their products themselves and usually send them directly from the factory. This is partly responsible for the cheap prices.
Ago – knows Wish 2.0?
But only in part, because on the other hand there are prices that should still surprise you. Smartwatches for 2.50, for example. Some that look like Apple Watches for around 15 euros. Or a handheld game console that looks like a Nintendo Switch at first glance and a cross between a Switch and a Playstation Portable at second glance – for around 30 euros.
There are hardly any details, only on one of the later pictures do you find out that very old games from the arcade are running on it, which you have to download somewhere. Further information: None. To be fair, one has to say: A product that looks almost identical can also be found on the Amazon marketplace – for 70 euros. There, however, with much more detailed and understandable explanations about what you are actually buying.
At the time, the Wish marketplace had become a meme for such imitation and junk products or other plagiarism – in a negative sense. Some viral Temu-Haul videos on YouTube also suggest that there is a lot of junk with little durability, especially with electronic devices.
At the request of Business Insider, Simone Bueb from the Bavarian Consumer Center advises to weigh carefully before buying. Since the products are cheap, this can affect the quality. “Especially for electrical devices, there are no European seals of approval, so product safety is not guaranteed,” she warns. She also advises against selling counterfeits in any case, since they “never meet the standard of the original product.” If an imitation is advertised as the original, you are theoretically entitled to compensation, says Bueb.
Customs – up to 150 euros free
Another point that raises questions among consumers is possible customs duties. As mentioned, the goods are sent directly from China. The general rule is: Orders with a value of less than 150 euros are generally duty-free. So if you come across this, you should split your order. Individual products that would cost more than 150 euros seem to be rare on the marketplace anyway – but then customs duties would be unavoidable.
In addition, there is the so-called import sales tax. This is due for every value of goods – and is between seven and 19 percent of the sales price. According to tests, this is already included in the order or is taken over by Temu.
Returns: First return free of charge – but unreliable according to users
If your products don’t live up to expectations – which is not unlikely given some test reports – Temu offers you a 90-day right of return, according to the app. The return is free – with one catch. Because this only applies to the first return per order. For each additional one you have to pay three euros.
Example: You have ordered ten items and send the first two back as soon as you receive them because you don’t like them, that’s free of charge. If you later decide to return two more items, you will have to pay three euros for them. This is how the company explains it in the app.
But that’s not all: Several users Trust pilot report that their returns have not been processed. Partly, although according to the tracking they would have found their way back. Contacting support is difficult. German buyers’ rights don’t apply so easily because the company is based abroad.
Privacy concerns – Predecessor reportedly contained malware
But you should save your worries for other aspects as well. The fact that apps collect data no longer shocks anyone. Temu also tries to grab your email address and cell phone number before you are even registered. Via newsletter and supposedly exclusive discounts via SMS.
However, Temu’s parent company has a special history with data protection. Because PDD Holdings operates another online shop called Pinduoduo. And its app was already banned from the Google Play Store in the US in March. The accusation: Malware, i.e. malware, was found in some versions.
As reported by CNN, according to cybersecurity experts, corresponding versions of the app should be able to “escalate” their access permissions. Result: The app can monitor your activities on other apps, check notifications and calendars, read private messages, see photos and change your settings independently. Much more advanced features than the average social media app. PDD had denied the allegations.
Viral affiliate marketing with privacy issues
Another trademark of Temu, however, is what the app calls a “cash affiliate program.” An affiliate program that allows users to generate a personalized code or link. If a new customer uses this, you will receive a commission of between five and 20 percent depending on the purchase price – or two euros for each app download with registration, so the promise. You should be able to have them paid out to your PayPal account.
However, the affiliate program page is as opaque as possible. There are said to be thousands of euros in rewards everywhere, of course gameified as a race against the competition. The terms of use, including data protection, are just one of the many pop-ups in the app and are quickly involuntarily swiped aside. Result: Trustpilot as well as YouTube and Tiktok comments are sometimes flooded with positive Temu ratings in which users share their links.
Good news according to the consumer center: You are not liable if you have advertised Temu through the affiliate program, only the company. However, there are data protection issues, because with a link or code you send a tracking link. “Of course, this must be reflected in the data protection declaration, as detailed and understandable as possible,” says Simone Bueb. “For the forwarder as well as for the recipient who clicks on the link, there may be problems with data protection law.”