'It's very addictive': Temu hooks shoppers amid concerns about online discount marketplace in Canada
CTV
Despite ethical, privacy and environmental concerns, Temu has carved out a visible presence online and sales have been surging.
With the rising cost of living forcing more shoppers to hunt for deals, steeply discounted products at the Chinese-owned online shopping app and website Temu have been the main attraction for many buyers since it debuted in Canada almost a year ago.
Marcia McKoy, who lives in Edmonton, admits Temu's online marketplace is so addictive that she recently deleted the app to avoid spending more money.
"I buy a ton of unique pieces of clothing from Temu on a regular basis," wrote McKoy in an email. She was among the Canadian readers who shared their experiences with CTVNews.ca about shopping on Temu. "However I decided I spent too much money on the site. ... It's very addictive even though the prices are unbelievable.”
Selling everything from appliances and clothes to toys and home goods, the Chinese online marketplace advertises itself as a place where you can “shop like a billionaire.” Owned by PDD Holdings Inc., Boston-based Temu launched in Canada in February 2023 and the United States in September 2022.
Since Temu expanded in more than 40 countries, it has ranked as one of the most popular apps in Apple and Google Play, and was Apple's most downloaded free app in the U.S. in 2023.
But its competitive prices have raised questions from observers, governments and the public about whether consumers are trading discounts for lower quality, as well as cybersecurity and privacy risks. Others also worried about Temu’s effects on local businesses and its potentially unethical and unsustainable business practices.
Markus Giesler, a marketing professor at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, says people may be paying a price for the deep discounts in other ways.
