What is Temu, the most-downloaded online shopping app in the US?

A new online shopping platform, Temu, has risen in popularity and had more downloads than Amazon at the end of 2022.

Launching last year, the online marketplace connects shoppers with “millions of sellers, manufacturers and brands” worldwide, per the company’s official site. It was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, by PDD Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: PDD), which also runs Pinduoduo, an agriculture company based in China.

Temu rose in downloads during the end of the year, as reported by CNN. Abe Yousef, a senior insights analyst at the analytics firm Sensor Tower, told the publication in February that during the fourth quarter of 2022, “app installations for Temu exceeded those for Amazon,  Walmart, and Target”.

Sensor Tower also shared that since the app debuted in September 2022, it had been downloaded more than 24m times and had more than 11m monthly users who actively used the app.

Temu’s official website describes its platform as being “committed to offering the most affordable quality products to enable consumers and sellers to fulfil their dreams in an inclusive environment”. The company, whose name is pronounced as “tee-moo”, also aims to bring brands from all across the globe together”. More specifically, the term Temu means: Team Up, Price Down.

The company was established with the help of PDD Holdings’ “vast and deep network of merchants, logistic partners”. PDD Holdings has also seen great success as a company and “generated US$14.7 billion revenue, US$2.2 billion net income and US$4.6 billion net cash from operating activities” in 2021 alone.

In addition to receiving over 61 billion orders a year, Temu also has more than 10,000 employees worldwide. The brand’s site specified that they have some major strengths, including the “ability to source the best products globally” and “experience in managing complex logistical supply chains”.

The superstore offers many different categories to look through, including home appliances, men’s clothing, musical instruments, and children’s fashion. A majority of the products are put up for an extremely low cost, with a pair of Lenovo’s wireless headphones currently being sold for $16.98.

Along with electronics, some other outfits for momentous occasions are listed on this site. For example, a “Lace Trim Split Thigh Wedding Dress” is up for $18.98 and while a “Lace Applique Plunging Wedding Dress” up for $23.48.

After creating an account, shoppers can add their desired products to their online cart. People who buy from Temu will not only receive free shipping on their orders but they can also return their purchases for up to 90 days.

While Temu has more than 11m monthly users, the products’ prices begs the question of how similar it could be to Shein, an online fast-fashion brand for women known for its cheap prices.

According to Temu, it differs from Shein in that it sells products that come from multiple business, and gives customers the opportunities to connect to sellers directly. Shein primarily sells its own products from its brand.