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18 BOOK THIS SPACE FOR AD
ARTICLE ADIf you're an avid online shopper, chances are you've probably heard of an e-commerce site called Temu. The Chinese-owned digital marketplace has exploded, with millions of Americans downloading and purchasing items using the mobile app.
Many online digital creators frequently post the items they bought from the site, and you might be wondering what the website is all about and if you should do the same. According to Statista, Temu sees over 30 million new downloads monthly, making it the number one shopping app in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store.
If you've hesitated to place an order, you may be unsure if the items are genuine, how long they take to get to your door, and whether they're good quality. After all, how good can a $1 handbag even be? Well, look no further because this article addresses all your questions about Temu. Let's get into it.
Some people compare Temu to sites like Shein, Wish, and AliExpress, but Temu is slightly different. Shein primarily focuses on fashion and clothing items, while you can buy almost anything on Temu. Wish and AliExpress are known for having lower-quality items, longer shipping times, and a shorter item return window.
Temu launched in late 2022 and quickly rose to the top spot in the App Store's and Play Store's shopping categories. People found out about Temu from ads and were attracted to the site's low prices.
All e-commerce apps collect data when you create an account and visit the app's home page. This data can include your precise physical location, address, and device ID, as well as your search history, payment information, and contacts.
Some apps use this data to track you across apps and websites, to understand performance, and to target you with ads.
Some of this data is linked to your identity, and some isn't -- the connection depends on the app you're using. In recent years, people have been increasingly concerned about how their data is being stored and are wary specifically of data storage by Chinese-based apps.
Also: Is Temu safe? Why its single-layer security should be a red flag to shoppers
According to Temu's privacy policy, the company does not "sell" your data -- for money, at least. However, Temu does share your information with shipping affiliates, marketing providers, and consumer research companies, which generates revenue for Temu.
Temu also "shares" your data with third-party advertising, marketing, and analytics companies to target you with ads. In its privacy policy, Temu acknowledges that this transfer of data can be considered "selling" your data under applicable laws.
Although concerns about sharing your data with Temu might be valid, it's important to remember that apps can and do collect and store your data with few limits. US citizens' user data is not federally protected under a single law, so data collection remains unregulated in most states.
Because American user data remains federally unregulated, Temu might access your credit history, Walmart might collect your biometric information (fingerprints, face geometry, and retina imagery), and Amazon might collect your voice recordings when you speak to Alexa.
Also: 5 Amazon Alexa privacy settings you should change right away
As Americans' user data is not wholly protected, it's up to the individual to decide how much of their data they want to relinquish -- and which platforms they want to give it to.
Remember, when you sign up for an account on any platform, you agree to the company's privacy policy. So, Temu is not "stealing" your data if you willingly sign up and purchase items.
The bottom line is that if you don't consent to this kind of data collection, stay away from Temu.
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