Let’s cut to the chase. Is temu.com (the Boston-based marketplace) a legit website? The quick answer is yes, they are legitimate. I received my clothing order and successfully returned everything for a refund. Now the biggest question is, would I shop here again?
In this honest and detailed review, I will share my purchase and return experience, my thoughts on their clothing, brand information/research, and my final verdict/recommendation. Keep reading for more!
Table of Contents
About Temu
Is Temu ethical?
No, they likely are not. According to their About page, they prioritize inclusion, integrity, ethics, honesty, and social responsibility. Additionally, according to my Order Confirmation page, they have partnered with Trees For the Future, an organization that plants trees across Africa to create a positive impact on the environment, air, and local communities. Since they don’t substantiate most of these sustainability claims, I am inclined to think they are green-washing.
Read this article, 13 Easy Ways To Know If A Brand Is Fast Fashion by Panaprium, for tell-tale signs of a fast fashion company.
Where is Temu located?
According to their Terms of Use page, they are located in the United States and Ireland. They are located at the following addresses:
- Suite 355, 31 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116 (Whaleco Inc.)
- First Floor, 25 St., Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (Whaleco Technology Limited or Whaleco UK Limited)
Where does Temu ship from?
My order shipped to me from a warehouse/distribution center in New York (United States).
Where are Temu’s clothes from?
All of the clothes in my order were made in China.
More Marketplace Details
- The website temu.com was registered in April 2003.
- According to their Terms of Use page, they are affiliated with the following legal business names:
- Whaleco Inc.
- Whaleco UK Limited
- Whaleco Canada Inc.
- Whaleco Technology Limited
- According to their Contact page, their return/warehouse addresses are :
- 301 Grove Rd. Suites#200, West Deptford, Thorofare, NJ 08086
- 9059 Hermosa Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
- They offer Temu Purchase Protection which protects you should something go wrong such as damage on arrival, a lost package, etc.
- They offer up to 15% off for students.
- They offer free shipping on most orders.
- They allow returns within 90 days of the purchase date.
- Non-returnable items include items marked as non-returnable, customized items, and free gifts.
Temu Review and Order Details
I ordered the below items on 9/17/2023 to my address in North Carolina (United States). I paid a total of $91.71 to Temu.com via PayPal. The charge appears on my credit card statement as “PAYPAL *TEMU”. – View Order Confirmation
1) Solid Open-Front Pocket Cardigan
- Seller: Fantastic Lady
- Color, Size, and Cost: Coffee / M / $22.49
- Country: Made in China
- Material: 100% Acrylic
Expectation: It is not what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance. In the product image, the cable-knit texture is MUCH chunkier and the brown color is lighter. The one I received reminds me of a Jedi’s cloak!
Quality: In my opinion, the quality is okay. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.
Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits well. View my Body Measurements for size reference.
Keep or Return: I would return this Temu cardigan.
While I do like it, and think it’s soft and a great long length, the one thing that bothers me is how highly placed the pockets are! It is awkward trying to put my hands in them because, as you can see in the images, my relaxed arm passes the pocket by around 6 inches.
2) Loose Tie-Dye Top
- Seller: DUOLLA
- Color, Size, and Cost: Blue / M / $10.97
- Country: Made in China
- Material: 100% Polyester
Expectation: It is VERY different from what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance. The color is completely off. The product image shows much duller colors, while mine is very dark and saturated. Also, if you look closely at the product image, it looks like the shirt was first sewn, and then tie-dyed. By doing that, the pattern is seamless and uninterrupted over the whole shirt. The one I received looks like they dyed different pieces of fabric, and then sewed them together. It looks blocky and is not a clean continuous pattern.
Quality: In my opinion, the quality is mediocre. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.
Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits well (although the sleeves are a bit short). View my Body Measurements for size reference.
Keep or Return: I would return this Temu long-sleeve shirt.
Though it is cheaply priced, has a nice stretchy material, and looks cute on, the sleeves are at least 1 inch too short for how baggy and long the shirt is, and the seams along the hem look a bit loose. It seems like the sewing machine tension wasn’t set tightly enough. I can deal with low quality for a low price, but not if the fit is off.
3) Tassel Stretch Mid-Waist Bootcut Jeans
- Seller: WJeans
- Color, Size, and Cost: Light Blue / XL / $15.59
- Country: Made in China
- Material: 73% Viscose / 25% Polyester / 2% Elastane
Expectation: It is VERY different from what I was expecting in terms of overall appearance. The denim color in the product image is a vibrant blue, while the jeans I received are a dull blue. The white-washed areas in the product image go all the way up and cover most of the leg, while the ones I received are strange oval patches on the upper leg area. The white creases under the pocket areas are also missing from my pair. Additionally, mine look more high-rise (however, this could be due to the size difference between myself and the model).
Quality: In my opinion, the quality is bad but wearable. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.
Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and they fit 1-2 sizes too big. View my Body Measurements for size reference.
Keep or Return: I would return these Temu jeans.
They may be cheaply priced, but you get what you pay for. The back pockets are too far apart, the white-washed areas look patchy and terrible, the material is very thin, and the back belt loop is off-center.
4) Boho Solid Sleeveless Long-Length Jumpsuit
- Seller: Chic
- Color, Size, and Cost: Navy Blue / M / $12.17
- Country: Made in China
- Material: 100% Cotton
Expectation: It is what I was expecting, for the most part, in terms of overall appearance. However, the material looks smoother and heavier in the product image.
Quality: In my opinion, the quality is bad but wearable. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.
Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits well. View my Body Measurements for size reference.
Keep or Return: I would return this Temu jumpsuit.
The only good thing about this is that it is cheap and looks cute when you don’t look too closely or touch it. Aside from that, the material is PAPER thin. If I were to put this down on the ground outside, a slight breeze would probably blow it away. It is extremely wrinkly (even if I ironed it, it is so thin that it would immediately wrinkle again).
5) Casual Ribbed Two-Piece Set
- Seller: Fan Flower
- Color, Size, and Cost: Apricot + Brown / L(8/10) / $24.29
- Country: Made in China
- Material: 100% Viscose
Expectation: It is what I was expecting, for the most part, in terms of overall appearance. However, the brown color in the product image is cooler, while mine has a richer, warmer tint.
Quality: In my opinion, the quality is okay. See my Quality Comparison & Rating Chart to know my current quality-rating standards.
Fit: I ordered based on the size guide provided, and it fits 1-2 sizes too big. View my Body Measurements for size reference.
Keep or Return: I would return this Temu two-piece set.
While I like the soft and thick ribbed material, it feels a bit bulky, and the top to be an awkward half-cropped length. It looks awkward tucked in, and it looks awkward left out. Additionally, the brown stripe going across the top is not seamless. There are extra threads running horizontally on the inside connecting the white and brown materials. It creates a very weird shape and folds in a strange way when worn.
Shipment Info
I received five items in one package, and the package came from a warehouse in the United States. I was provided a tracking number.
Package Shipped From- 182-08 149th Ave., Springfield Garden, NY 11413
- Order placed on Sun, September 17th
- Order shipped on Tues, September 19th
- Order received on Tues, September 26th
Total time of 9 days
Note: Their shipping policy states up to 23 days (including processing time) for standard U.S. shipping.
Return & Refund Info
I completed a return request via their return portal on October 2nd. My request was approved immediately, and I was provided with a prepaid return label. I mailed the package on October 3rd. Temu offers one free return for every order placed, so I didn’t pay any return fee.
I received a full refund of $91.71 on October 7th. I received the refund four days after I mailed the package. – View Refund Receipt
Provided Return Address– 301 Grove Rd. Suites #200, Thorofare, NJ 08086
Support Experience
- They offer a couple return options: 1) Drop off the items at the Post Office and bring a barcode (no printer needed), 2) Print a shipping label and drop it off at the Post Office or at The UPS Store.
- In terms of refund options, they offer a standard refund back to your original payment method which would take 1-5 business days, or a refund in the form of Temu store credit which would take 3 minutes. Both of these timelines apply once they receive your return package.
- If you find that an item you purchased decreased in price, their price adjustment policy allows you to get the difference refunded to you if this happens within 30 days of purchase.
- Temu Purchase Protection promises a refund if your items can’t be delivered, arrive damaged, or aren’t as described.
Is Temu Legit or a Scam?
In this section of the review, I will check their site for originality, discuss any suspicious information found, answer whether this company is legitimate or not, and let you know my recommendation. Keep reading for more!
Similar Sites & Analysis
According to Copyleaks (premium), the below plagiarism is detected:
- Nothing was found.
Additional Notes:
- Interestingly, some of the bags my clothing came in have written typos on them. For example, “…dispose of it in a refuse confainer THE WOTLD BELONGS TO US ALL WE MUST PROTECTITI”. This isn’t necessarily a red flag, it is just… odd. Because Temu is a marketplace with sellers from all over the world, it is likely that this seller is somewhere overseas, and this was shipped to a Temu warehouse in the U.S. and was then shipped to me.
Do I Recommend This Shop?
Based on my experience, they are a legitimate online marketplace. I paid for my items, received them within the estimated time frame, successfully completed a return, and received a full refund.
With that being said, I most likely will not shop here again.
Every shopper looks for different qualities in clothing and has different priorities. If you are someone who loves to have a lot of clothes for little cost, and can sacrifice quality, Temu would probably be great for you. However, if you are someone who wants, at a minimum, decent quality clothing and is willing to pay a bit more, then Temu COULD be for you if you search long and hard (and target the slightly higher-priced clothing). I fall in the latter category, and a dirt-cheap price usually isn’t enough for me to be satisfied if it means bad quality.
I bought five items from five DIFFERENT sellers, and am disappointed in the fit and/or quality in every single one. Most are all low quality and a couple are just okay quality. While I can overlook poor quality under the right conditions, this isn’t the case for me. I am also very skeptical of the reviews on the products. Many of them have overwhelmingly positive reviews when the quality is TERRIBLE. How is this possible? I personally think their review and rating system is somehow skewed to favor the seller. I have much higher trust in Amazon than I do in Temu.
The two positive things I will mention are that they donate funds to the Trees For The Future organization, and shipping/returns are free. Free shipping/returns paired with cheap prices is a dangerously enticing combination for the right shopper!
To wrap up this review, regardless of my experience, be sure to read as many customer reviews as possible. If you found this post helpful in your search for Temu clothes reviews, please consider sharing and commenting (via Reddit) below. Have a great day!
– Noelle
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