With close to 300 million active monthly users, the online marketplace Temu has become one of the most popular destinations for bargain hunters from all over the world.

But as the platform giant continues to expand, with more and more budget-conscious shoppers signing up, concerns about Temu’s safety and legitimacy have also begun to grow.

And so…is Temu a safe place to shop online?

To better answer that question, let’s explore what Temu is, how it operates, and the several key cyber security measures we should all be using to safeguard our online shopping activities.

What is Temu?

Launched in 2022, Temu is an online shopping platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, headquartered in Boston, offering a broad range of products from clothing, technology, toys, homeware to cosmetics. 

The majority of the platform’s third-party sellers are based in China, with many products being shipped directly from its warehouses. But Temu’s business model stands out from traditional marketplaces. 

Because Temu often connects customers directly with manufacturers, costs can be kept very low, creating a platform filled with highly affordable items for budget-conscious people.

So, unlike other leading e-commerce giants like eBay and Amazon, there are distinct differences with Temu, the most notable being:

Shipping Times: With most of Temu’s manufacturers China-based, shipping times can take considerably longer for international customers

Price: Temu’s prices are stunningly low, apparently due to its direct-to-consumer business model

Product Variety: While Temu offers a broad range of products, its overall service and products lack the consistency of marketplaces like eBay and Amazon

Is Temu Legitimate & Safe to Use?

The short answer: yes. Temu, just like many of its online shopping counterparts, is considered a legitimate and safe to use e-commerce platform. 

The Total Security team also found this after checking the Temu website through our Total WebShield browser extension, which checks for phishing practises and dangerous content. 

With that said, it’s still essential to approach using Temu with mindfulness and caution, just as you should any platform (but more on that later below).

Common Concerns About Temu

Here are some answers to some of the most common questions internet shoppers have about buying on Temu:

Are My Payments Secure on Temu? 

Temu, a PCI DSS-compliant platform, utilizes industry standard payment gateways to process transactions, meaning your financial details should remain secure. 

The company offers a variety of payment options, including PayPal, Google Pay and major credit cards, and works with major payment providers to ensure that transactions are secure.

Is My Data Safe on Temu? 

While Temu implements robust security measures to protect user information, it also collects personal data (like many e-commerce platforms) for order fulfilment and marketing purposes. 

While it’s hard to maintain full control over how your data is used (no matter the platform), you can at least mitigate what is shared by being aware of permission requests, data collection (opt out) options during setup, and reading the Privacy Policy’s data collection section.

Are Products Authentic & Reliable? 

While many products are genuine, you may encounter counterfeit or low-quality items, meaning reliability and authenticity can vary depending on the seller. 

Temu, like many of its competitors such as Amazon, features many unverified products by ‘unknown’ brands which don’t seem to exist outside the marketplace itself.

Can Temu Products Be Dangerous? 

Leading on from the above, since some Temu products may not be verified and there being so many varying sellers, there is a chance that some products may not be safe. 

With this in mind, extra caution may be advisable in the area of inherently higher risk products, such as very cheap electrical/mechanical items and anything purposed for small children. 

What If I Don’t Receive My Order? 

Temu offers customer support and has refund policies for unsatisfactory or missing items, with most orders eligible for a refund within 90 days of the purchase date. 

Credits or a refund via the original payment method will then be received. Always familiarize yourself with any shopping platform’s return and refund process before buying.

Tips for Safe Shopping on Temu

Since Temu is a bustling marketplace with a vast array of sellers and products (some of which may be more reliable than others), things aren’t so cut and dry when it comes to the issue of safety.

To help create a positive online shopping experience on Temu, and on any platform in general, here are several key safety precautions and practises you should be taking:

Read Reviews & Seller Ratings

For better insight into the quality and reliability of what you’re buying, ensure that you check out product/seller reviews and ratings. Also, carefully read product descriptions and verify any crucial product specifications.

Bear in mind that Temu’s marketing strategy uses a referral system, which may encourage users to promote its app and products with favourable reviews and discount links in return for credits or gifts.

Use Secure Payment Methods

While Temu does use secure payment gateways for transactions, it’s always advisable to use payment methods with buyer protection (such as credit cards, PayPal or Google Pay) when ordering anything online, no matter the app/website. 

For even greater protection, consider using a reputable VPN service, such as Total VPN, to encrypt your connection, enabling you to mask your online identity and data as you browse and make purchases. 

This can be particularly useful if you have to make a purchase whilst connected to an unsecured network, such as notoriously unsafe public WiFi hotspots typically found in coffee shops and airports.

Be Cautious with Personal Info

Aim to keep personal information you share with online shopping platforms down to a minimum, only sharing what is necessary. 

Ensure that you see a secure ‘https’ connection in the address bar whenever entering sensitive info, and consider using a secure wallet app like Apple Pay instead of saving payment details on the platform.

Be Aware of Permissions Requested

Most apps require certain permissions from your phone in order to function properly – but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. Check what permissions an app wants before you download it, and keep an eye on any requested permissions thereafter. 

If you feel uncomfortable, deny access in your settings, uninstall the app, or avoid downloading it entirely. Remember that some data collection during setup is optional, meaning you can often opt out of certain aspects instead of simply clicking ‘Accept All’. 

Finally, try to at least skim through the data collection section of the Privacy Policy to better understand how your data will be processed.

Be Mindful & Cautious

When faced with an unbelievably good deal online – no matter where you found the product – it can sometimes be hard to turn away. But oftentimes, if the deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.

While Temu has become famous for budget-friendly shopping, extremely low prices could indicate that some products may be of a low-quality or even counterfeit. If the brand is ‘unknown’ outside of the marketplace, and is drastically cheaper than the competition, the risk of receiving an item of lesser quality may increase.

It’s worth noting that some products – no matter the marketplace or manufacturer – inherently carry more risk than others. For instance, items like child car seats and toys, and anything with electrical/mechanical components, will always carry higher stakes than something like a key ring or photo album.

Be aware of Temu’s never-ending promotions/discounts and gamified-style shopping experience. With so many items seemingly always on some kind of offer, think before buying and ask yourself whether the proposed deal really is a genuine one.

Finally, don’t forget that Temu’s sellers are mostly located in China, meaning shipping times may take longer for international customers. Before buying, consider checking that a tracking number will be supplied to monitor your package should there be a delay. 

Use Total WebShield to Protect Your Online Shopping

Regardless of where you make your purchases online, we can all benefit from a much safer online shopping experience by using cyber security tools from industry-leading providers.

Total WebShield, developed by the provider of the Award-Winning TotalAV antivirus software, helps to create a safer world online, safeguarding against phishing websites and malware. 

Simple to install, user-friendly and quietly working in the background, Total WebShield offers a suite of innovative security tools, alerting you to blacklisted sites and known threats, making it the first line in defense against dangerous online content.

Conclusion: Should You Shop on Temu?

Temu, it appears, has become the ultimate destination for budget-conscious buyers. But with so much social media influencer buzz, along with endless in-app promotions and discounts, it can be easy to lose focus on the product quality itself.

While it’s true that low quality products and levels of service can be found on any internet marketplace (due to the sheer number of varying sellers and items), it is Temu’s remarkably low prices that have raised concern among some online shoppers.

Temu can be an enjoyable shopping experience, especially for those on a tight budget, but it may be wise to pay extra diligence regarding inherently higher risk products like very cheap electrical/mechanical items, and anything geared towards small children.

Just as when using any online shopping platform, ensure that you use the preventative safety practises (which we discussed above), such as using secure payment methods, carefully reading reviews and product descriptions, and keeping an eye on requested permissions.

How Does Total WebShield Work?

If you want to ensure that the websites you visit are safe, the Total WebShield browser extension helps you to browse safely, secure from phishing and malware.

Total WebShield is modern web browsing antivirus protection. Using cloud-based technology, Total WebShield is an advanced first line of defence against online malware, phishing and other harmful websites. 

Combined with a suite of privacy protection tools, Total WebShield provides a clean browsing experience whilst quietly protecting your computer from online threats in the background.