What To Know About The Temu Shopping App

Whether you've seen ads for Temu on YouTube or watched TikTok hauls featuring dirt-cheap deals, it’s hard to ignore the buzz surrounding this fast-growing e-commerce site. But beneath the flashy discounts and gamified shopping lies a more complicated story, especially for families trying to balance affordability with safety, ethics and quality.

Editor's note: Shortly after publishing this story, Temu contacted us with additional information regarding its product safety protocols, data privacy practices, shipping improvements, and ethical sourcing policies. We’ve updated the article to reflect their perspective, noted throughout with “Temu says”. Our original reporting remains unchanged, and readers are encouraged to weigh both expert advice and platform statements when making informed decisions.

Here’s what you need to know about Temu before making a purchase.

What is Temu and how does it work?

Temu is an e-commerce platform launched in 2022 by PDD Holdings, the company behind the popular Chinese site Pinduoduo. Temu connects shoppers directly with manufacturers, offering a wide range of consumer goods at low prices by cutting out middlemen.

It offers everything from home decor and electronics to clothing and toys, often at discounts that seem too good to be true. And in some cases, they are.

Why some parents shop Temu

Temu appeals to parents for several reasons, with the most obvious being its broad selection of products at low prices. This combination is especially attractive as families look for ways to stretch their budgets in times of inflation and rising living costs.

As Litwin explains, “Temu’s affordable prices and variety of items can make things like planning a child’s birthday party both simpler and less expensive than shopping elsewhere. Many parents also appreciate the cost-effectiveness of buying frequently needed or bulk items through the platform.”

The app’s user-friendly design adds to its appeal. “Temu’s straightforward interface makes shopping feel like a smart choice for busy parents,” Litwin notes. “Features like gamified deals, flash sales, and referral rewards are also a big draw, especially when shopping for kids.”

But experts caution that convenience comes with trade-offs, and not all of Temu’s offerings are what they appear to be.

Is Temu safe for families?

While Temu offers convenience and low prices, Litwin states that there are important safety issues parents should consider. These include product safety, data privacy, ethical concerns and shipping challenges.

Product safety

One of the biggest issues with Temu is the uncertain quality and safety of its products. Some items may not meet UK, US or Canadian safety standards. “Parents should also be aware that low prices on children’s products might mean they haven’t gone through thorough safety testing,” says Litwin.

Temu says it has a “strict seller onboarding process” and works with global testing organizations such as TÜV SÜD, SGS, Eurofins, and Bureau Veritas to ensure products meet local standards. In December 2024, Temu also signed Health Canada’s Product Safety Pledge, a voluntary commitment to enhance marketplace safety.

Data concerns

Temu collects extensive user data, including location, browsing habits and device details. This has raised significant privacy concerns among researchers and cybersecurity experts regarding how this information is used and the potential for it to be accessed by the Chinese government due to Temu's parent company's ties to China and the country's national intelligence and cybersecurity laws, which require organizations and citizens to support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work.

Temu says it collects “only the minimum information necessary” to operate the platform and is transparent about data use. The company states it complies with local privacy laws and app store standards, and “has never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would it do so if asked.”

Shipping and returns

Shipping and returns are top concerns for Temu shoppers.

While Temu offers free shipping on most orders, many items are sent from overseas, which means delivery can take much longer than it would for retailers in North America. “Shipping can take several weeks as opposed to, say, a couple of days for Amazon (for those with Prime accounts),” explains Litwin.

Temu says it has made efforts to reduce shipping delays by opening local warehouses in Canada and launching a local-to-local model in 2024. This allows some items to ship from within Canada and arrive in as little as one business day.

Still, many items are shipped internationally, and returns may involve sending items back overseas, depending on the seller. Temu gives you 90 days to return items, with your first return per order free. As Litwin notes, “Amazon's customer service and return policies are also considered to be more customer-friendly,” with faster processing and more convenient options for shoppers

Ethical considerations

Temu products have also been associated with ethical concerns. According to a 2023 BBC article, a U.S. congressional report found a high risk that goods sold on Temu are made with forced labour.

Temu says its third-party sellers must adhere to a Code of Conduct that prohibits forced, child, or penal labour and ensures compliance with local labour laws. The company says it severs ties with sellers that violate these policies.

However, due diligence remains important, as marketplaces can face challenges in auditing every item or seller. Because of these risks, Litwin suggests, "Parents who are concerned should do their due diligence and research what the impact of their purchases may be."

What parents should consider before shopping at Temu

If you're willing to take the risk, despite the above, here's what you need to know.

Manage expectations on quality

While Temu offers affordable items, parents should keep in mind that low prices often mean lower product quality. Many inexpensive products-especially toys and gadgets-may not go through the same rigorous safety testing as those sold by other online retailers.

Chuck Bell, an advocacy program director at Consumer Reports, explains that “products are cheap for a reason: they’re made from inexpensive materials and may not last as long as similar items from other sellers.”

To help evaluate quality, Bell suggests: “Look for detailed descriptions about what materials the product is made from, such as ‘100% cotton.’ If the information is vague or missing, it’s best to skip that item.

Read product reviews carefully

Parents should take a few minutes to read customer reviews before making a purchase. This helps you get a sense of the product’s quality and reliability. While some items on Temu are affordable, they may also be cheaply made. Customers sometimes report that products break easily, arrive damaged, or don’t match their descriptions.

When checking reviews, it’s wise to stay a bit skeptical. As Bell advises: “Don’t forget to check the reviews, but be skeptical. If you see lots of negative feedback, especially with specific details or repeated complaints about the same issue, that’s a red flag.” Also, keep in mind that while fake or paid reviews are technically illegal, they are unfortunately still common.

Temu says only verified purchasers can leave product reviews on its platform, a measure intended to reduce manipulation.

Still, experts recommend reading reviews carefully and looking for patterns—especially repeated complaints—when deciding whether to trust a product.

Avoid products that could cause your child harm

Don't buy small toys or anything your child might put in their mouth. Avoid furniture or items that could cause injury. Even if you read the product description carefully, the product might not meet your expectations.

Use secure payment methods

If you’re unsure which payment method to use on Temu, take advice from Gabe Knight, senior safety policy analyst at Consumer Reports, a nonprofit dedicated to independent product testing and consumer advocacy.

“The most secure way to buy products online is to use a credit card,” Knight explains. “If your order doesn’t arrive, or if the items are defective or damaged, you have the right to dispute the charge. Thanks to the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can ask your credit card company to investigate and remove the charge from your bill.”

To use these protections, Knight suggests writing a letter to your credit card company. Include details about what you bought, the price, and what went wrong. You can find more information about this process on the Federal Trade Commission website.

“It’s usually faster to try to resolve problems directly with the retailer first,” Knight adds. “But if you paid with a credit card, you have extra protection if the retailer doesn’t cooperate or won’t issue a refund.”

Consider local retailers instead

Shopping locally always offers big advantages over buying products online. Local stores often provide faster access to products. In contrast, online platforms like Temu ship directly from overseas, which can mean longer wait times and more complicated return processes.

The bottom line

Temu’s promise of affordability can be tempting, but families should approach it with open eyes. While some shoppers walk away satisfied, others report disappointing quality, shipping issues or unresolved complaints.

Beyond that, ethical concerns and safety risks, especially involving children’s products, should give parents pause.

As Knight explains, “There should always be affordable, safe and sustainable options for consumers. Parents shouldn’t have to worry that the products they buy for their children or their home may be unsafe. Online marketplaces need to do more to ensure that the products they make available for sale meet all applicable federal safety standards, and that consumers are offered proper recourse, including a full refund, when they fail to meet consumers’ expectations.”

Experts

• Yaron Litwin is a digital parenting expert and chief marketing officer (CMO) at Canopy, a technology company specializing in online safety for children and families.
• Gabe Knight is a senior safety policy analyst at Consumer Reports.
• Chuck Bell is an advocacy program director at Consumer Reports.