Pinduoduo’s US Sister Site Temu Gaining Fans by Making Online Shopping Fun Again
US online marketplace Temu is receiving effusive praise from consumers who found shopping on the e-commerce platform fun and uplifting.
One buyer bought an Astronaut Galaxy Projector for $11.99 and left a review, saying “If I were to rate this out of a 10, I would give it a billion. I love it so so so much!!!” Another buyer paid $3.99 for a pair of platform slides and commented that the product was “very soft and comfortable. Fast shipment and excellent price, too!”
The positive reviews are pouring in as Temu enters its second month of operation. The company launched its service in the US in September, promising to empower consumers with “access to high-quality products at affordable prices so that more people can enjoy the conveniences and comforts of life.”
Since its launch, Temu has added tens of thousands of new items across 16 product categories to cater to the diverse needs of consumers. The company offers ultracompetitive prices on products from fashion to baby products to pet supplies by sourcing from the network of suppliers built up over the years by its sister company, Pinduoduo. Both Temu and Pinduoduo are owned by Nasdaq-listed PDD, one of the biggest e-commerce groups in the world with more than 11.5 million suppliers and a customer base of close to 900 million.
Temu has been beefing up its merchandise range, recently adding musical instruments to its product offerings. It has also sought to make the shopping experience fuss-free by offering 90-day free returns and refunds and allowing customers to keep items if they arrive late.
SEE ALSO: Temu Seen as Beneficiary From PDD’s Plan to Help Manufacturers Build Global Brands
Another sign of Temu’s popularity can be glimpsed from it briefly topping the download rankings for shopping apps for Android devices last month.
To be sure, the e-commerce platform has a long road ahead of it. Industry observers say that Temu would have to prove that it has a strong, unique offering for consumers to earn its place in the crowded e-commerce industry. It could also learn from cross-border competitors like Alibaba, JD and Shein.
Temu has telegraphed its strategy, saying that it will secure the best deals for its customers by leveraging on the network of suppliers built up by Pinduoduo over the years. Pinduoduo, which has been widely credited with pioneering the “consumer-to-manufacturer” (C2M) model of consumer insights-driven production, recently announced a plan to support manufacturers in their overseas expansion by creating global brands and connecting them to global consumers.
