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Consider These Drawbacks Before Buying Home Goods On Temu
By MARLENE RIDGWAY
Possible Spyware
Temu is owned by PPD Holdings, a once China-based and now Ireland-based company whose e-commerce app Pinduoduo had issues with leaking private information.
In addition, malicious software in the app was using security flaws in Android-based phones to track information and gain access to nearly every file on certain devices.
Pinduoduo Inc. claimed to have removed several engineers and managers responsible for this, but many were simply relocated to different departments at another company, Temu.
Other concerns about Temu stem from it gaining most of its profits from online marketing and transaction services and that it tries to upsell you based on your shopping habits.
Unbranded Products
Platforms such as Temu frequently connect buyers with third-party sellers who blatantly offer unbranded items with no quality reputation to uphold.
Most items on Temu are sold by nearly anonymous sellers, which makes it difficult to track down the products’ sources and their policies on quality and origin.
Tax Loopholes
Temu uses the de minimis shipping method, which lets companies overseas import goods into the U.S. without paying taxes if the package is valued at less than $800.
Imports from China are often subject to strict regulations, but Temu’s factories overseas use the de minimis rule to avoid taxes and regulations and keep prices low.
Possible Forced Labor
The de minimis method also avoids inspections that prevent forced labor items from easily crossing borders, meaning Temu’s products may use forced labor.
Forced labor is a growing issue in Xinjiang, where groups of Uyghurs are detained at camps and forced to work in harsh conditions, often living in cells.
Temu doesn't prohibit the use of products from Xinjiang, nor does it have a system in place that could help buyers verify where merchants are sourcing their products.
Stolen Art
Several artists and creators across the web have come forward to express their anger about Temu’s merchants stealing their artwork, designs, and even their content.
Most of the original work stolen is from small creators trying to support a growing business. These artists then have to compete with impossibly low prices.
Temu’s intellectual property policy states that the company doesn't support listing or selling items that violate copyrights, but compliance is left entirely up to the merchants.