![Temu: The Chinese Online Discount Marketplace That's Gaining Popularity in the US, But at What Cost?](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/02/13/gettyimages-1248373935_wide-260332d14b9f0cc369b35dc29e950b73f74f96e4-s1400-c100.jpg)
Temu is a Chinese-owned online discount marketplace that has gained popularity in the US since its launch in 2022. It offers very low prices on hot deals such as hooded button-up fleece jackets and car-mounted vacuum cleaners, focusing more on ultracheap home goods and plasticware rather than clothes like its ultrafast-fashion counterpart Shein. Temu collects various data from users including contact information, purchase history, location data, social media profiles and third party sources. The company has faced criticism for violating customers' privacy rights by collecting private data with unscrupulous methods and cybersecurity experts have warned that using the app comes with risks. In 2024 Temu aired five ads during Super Bowl Sunday which helped expand its e-commerce dominance in the US market.