What is Temu and is it legit?

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As I mentioned earlier, Temu is hugely successful in part because of the generous discounts it offers to new users.

Temu has three offers:

• £100 coupons bundle*
• 30% off your purchase*
• A random free gift*

You’ll find these special offers if you follow any of the links above, or search for the code aad71639 (30% off) or fru222506 (freebies) in the product search box.

Some discounts will still be shown if you don’t use the codes, or if you’re an existing user, but they might not be the same or as generous.

Full disclosure: I’ll get Temu credit if you decide to sign up using my link because I’m a member of the Temu affiliate program.

Is Temu legit? And is it safe to use?

Tacky adverts plus surreal prices mean Temu can feel like a scam. After all, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

But despite outward appearances, and what many websites say, Temu is legit. That is, you will get what you purchased.

There are however some things to bear in mind when you shop with Temu, such as the occasional poor quality and long delivery time (more below).

Some people have also raised concerns about privacy and issues with malware.

It’s worth bearing in mind that both the Apple App Store and Google Play have stringent checks on the apps they list, so it should be considered safe to use and malware-free as long as it’s downloadable.

You can also check what permissions the app has on your phone, and change these as needed.

Temu does however collect an enormous amount of data on your browsing habits while in the app, which helps it to recommend products to you. 

Again, you can decline some of this data collection in the app, or shop online instead.

Like most shopping platforms, you’ll need to register for an account to shop on Temu.

For new users, it has generous sign up discounts or free gifts, especially if you’ve been referred by an existing customer.

However, you’ll need to make your first purchase within a relatively short time frame to take advantage of these.

Some offers expire within a few hours, for example, so it’s worth making a list of the products you want to buy before you sign up.

You can do this by browsing Temu in incognito mode and looking up the product code of the items you want (see above).

After you sign up and log in, you can then add these to your basket by searching for them using the search bar.

You can even search in different languages because Temu is available in over 70 countries.

Once you’re done, just go to the checkout to pay.

Temu will accept both credit and debit cards, though you might want to use a credit card for better financial protection.

The products you buy are generally aggregated in China before being packaged and shipped to you so you’ll get one or two big bundles rather than one from each retailer.

Since 2024, Temu has also expanded to retailers that ship from local warehouses, which means delivery might be quicker.

Temu delivery costs and times

Temu’s UK delivery is free on all orders over £15 – this was previously £10 – and is made using Evri, Relay or Royal Mail.

However, since most of the items are shipped from China, there’s a longer delivery time than Amazon or Ebay.

Temu says its standard delivery time is six to eight business days after the order has been processed, which is almost two weeks when you factor in the weekends.

This might end up being even longer during public holidays in China, or if it takes a while for your order to be processed.

After your order goes through (once it’s been processed), you’re given a delivery window.

If your order doesn’t arrive within this delivery window, you’ll receive a £4 Temu credit as compensation.

Any Temu credit in your account is automatically applied to new purchases.

Some sellers are also shipping from local warehouses, and prices will vary for these. There’s also usually a minimum spend of £35.

Temu returns policy

Temu has a Purchase Protection Program* in place.

It covers things like damaged goods, lost items and orders that don’t match their description.

It basically states that once you’ve received your order, you have 90 days to decide whether you want to return an item.

Your first return is free, and is with Evri, Yodel or Royal Mail.

The reason for the return doesn’t matter – you could have changed your mind or ordered more than one item by mistake – as Temu won’t penalise you for it unlike some UK retailers.

If, at some point down the line, you need to return more items, you may need to pay for the delivery depending on the circumstances of the return.

Once you initiate a return, Temu gives you 14 days to ship your items.

Refunds are made within a few days of them receiving the item and sometimes even before then.

I’ve found it relatively easy to get my money back when there were faulty items in my order.

I just had to submit a form detailing the reason for the return. For faulty items, I also had to submit photos of the faults.

Where is Temu based?

The answer to this question is tricky.

Temu was actually launched in the US first, in September 2022. On its app, it says it was founded in Boston, Massachusetts.

After that, it launched in Australia and New Zealand in March 2023.

Its UK launch came in April 2023. This coincided with its debut in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Since then, it’s spread to South America and the Middle East, and is now available in close to 70 countries around the world.

Meanwhile, Temu’s parent company is Dublin-based PDD Holdings, which also owns sister e-commerce brand Pinduoduo.

Its founder Colin Huang, one-time China’s richest man, is based in China.

So too, it seems, are most of its staff members, including the director of its UK arm according to information listed on Companies House.

Where does Temu ship to?

Temu is now available in over 70 countries.

Here’s the full list:

1. Armenia
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Azerbajian
5. Algeria
6. Andorra
7. Bahrain
8. Belgium
9. Bosnia and Herzegovina
10. Brazil
11. Bulgaria
12. Colombia
13. Costa Rica
14. Croatia
15. Cyprus
16. Czech Republic
17. Canada
18. Chile
19. Denmark
20. Dominican Republic
21. El Salvador
22. Estonia
23. Finland
24. France
25. Georgia
26. Germany
27. Greece
28. Guatemala
29. Hungary
30. Iceland
31. Ireland
32. Israel
33. Italy
34. Japan
35. Jordan
36. Kazakhstan
37. Kuwait
38. Lithuania
39. Luxembourg
40. Latvia
41. Malaysia
42. Malta
43. Mauritius
44. Mexico
45. Moldova
46. Morocco
47. Norway
48. Netherlands
49. New Zealand
50. Oman
51. Pakistan
52. Peru
53. Philippines
54. Poland
55. Portugal
56. Qatar
57. Romania
58. Republic of Korea (South Korea)
59. Sweden
60. Switzerland
61. Saudi Arabia
62. Serbia
63. Slovakia
64. Slovenia
65. South Africa
66. Spain
67. Thailand
68. Trinidad and Tobago
69. Türkiye
70. Ukraine
71. United Arab Emirates
72. United Kingdom
73. United States
74. Uruguay