If you're an online shopper, you're surely familiar with Temu — a controversial Chinese e-marketplace that sells a wide range of products at prices that seem too low to be profitable or real.
One Redditor went to r/Anticonsumption to write about their first experience with the brand.
"I am big into anticonsumption. I don't buy much and if I do I thrift or trade on FB," the OP wrote as an introduction.
But after watching a YouTube video about why brands like Shein and Temu are so addicting, the OP opened the Temu site to check it out for themselves — just to look.
The post went on to explain that the initial reaction was "product overload." Without the intent of ever purchasing them, the OP added leggings and five pairs of socks to the cart for a whopping total of $7.
"I IMMEDIATELY felt the dopamine rush," the OP gushed. "MY GOD this place is so terrible. I have teenage sisters who shop at those places and I just could not process why they would do that but the entire site is like gambling."
Feeling "yucky" from the experiment, they managed to escape the site unscathed without purchasing a single thing.
Temu has taken fast fashion to an absurd degree. While customers feel they are scoring a great deal, they come at the price of low quality, data collection, poor working conditions, and underpaid employees. Shein was even under fire for child labor.
On top of that, fast fashion uses up massive amounts of resources from dirty energy. According to Earth.org, the fast fashion industry is the second biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 10% of global carbon pollution. Business Insider reported that it takes 700 gallons of water to make a single shirt.
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Saves money 💰 With super-aggressive marketing tactics, Temu uses more than 10,000 accounts on Instagram to advertise its products. Similar to the privacy concerns with TikTok, they buy and sell data to capitalize on profits, which leaves many wondering exactly how much of their personal information is being shared and with whom.
Participating in the consumption of cheap, disposable products only adds to the significant problem of landfills. Because these clothes and products are so cheap, they don't even make it to second-hand stores or resale platforms. So they wind up filling already overcrowded landfills that release toxic gases as everything decomposes. These planet-warming gases, like carbon and methane, are major contributors to the warming of our planet.
It's all bad news, but because the demand is there, these companies have no incentive to do better. It's important to know that where you spend your money speaks volumes. It's best to support eco-friendly and circular brands that use plastic-free packaging.
The Temu experience was met by more warnings and experiences with Temu and other similar brands.
"Temu uses every addictive tactic in the book. The wheel spinning 'discounts' that make you feel like you've won something/are getting a deal. The time limit to urge you to buy impulsively. The completely fake 'original' price," one comment warned.
"Just tried it. The wheel gave me 100% off for three items. Good lord. That place is evil," another agreed.
"Go to the thrift stores," suggested another.
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