this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2024
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Everything about temu screams surveillance and scam to me. I don't understand how anyone could install that and use it regularly.
When the alternative was to pay more for the exact same things on Amazon, it's logical to pay less. Every app tracks you so idk...
It's better to save up and buy good quality versions of the things that you need.
Sometimes it's inevitable for someone who absolutely needs an item and doesn't have any alternatives in their price range, but that's not the case for a lot of people who buy these things.
A lot of online marketplaces can carry low quality products, with questionable materials and supply chains. What I don't like is how some marketplaces make their whole brand around filling your home with cheap low quality stuff
There might also be an exception for buying parts and components. I don't know enough about that area
A lot of Amazon sellers are just drop shipping shit from aliexpress/temu they don't even bother changing the pictures or descriptions.
Never buy from a seller with a name that could be an airline bookinng reference.
I got a watch band bought from Amazon for $10, as a Christmas gift. It was the wrong size so I ordered one from Aliexpress. The packaging and the sticker with Chinese lettering were exactly the same as the Amazon one and it was only about $1. Sure, the Amazon package came sooner but it was evident that it was the same product.
I should’ve tried that. I ordered an Apple Watch silicone band dupe (direct from the vendor’s site) for like $5. Same band would have been $50 from Apple, except the color I wanted wasn’t even available anymore.
Band came in the wrong size, so I wrote the vendor. They apologized, might have refunded me, and sent me a pack of like 10 different colored bands. Unfortunately those were all in the same size as the first one
I use temu too. I see literally the same products on Amazon and temu regularly. Temu is much cheaper but obviously shipping is longer. But yeah there is alot of overlap. I think it's too important to remember a lot of the stuff they get sold on Amazon is from small third party sellers who buy cheap goods from China from places like timu or Alibaba or wherever and then warehouse and resell them on Amazon for a huge markup.
I get where y'all are coming from temu does horrible s*** I guess the reason I use it is the same as the other guy said thr price hike in thr us and I don't think the merchants over here are ethical either. I'm pretty used to being surveilled digitally at this point 🤷
AliExpress also sells high quality niche items if you know how to find them. I agree the site is drowning in crap, but at least coming from Canada, it often has things amazon.ca simply doesn't sell... or anywhere else in the world at a price that isn't prohibitive.
Just like most places on the Internet, using the site is a skill that needs to be developed.
Aliexpress (and i guess temu in a sense) are basically just selling wholesale straight from the Chinese factories. Many which produce 'high quality' stuff that totally doesn't fall off a back of a truck...
So, exactly what you get from Amazon?
They didn't even notice their shit isn't made in Norway.. and it's also made in China LMAOROLFZ.
First I don't see an issue with a "store brand" if it does what you need.
Secondly - who is the name brand for say a power strip or a USB hub or USB C charger or cables? Or do you buy monster audio cables? SD card reader? Microfiber cloth? What about regular bath towels?
Somewhat more controversial - what about things that are inherently disposable like latex gloves or laundry detergent?
I went from all free and clear from Sam's club which took up space and got me like 120 packets for 20 dollars to these detergent sheets which are much smaller and got 300 for 7 dollars. You use the same number of sheets as you would packets. The clothes come out the same.
But yes, try searching for something like an electric lighter for candles on both sites and tell me the "quality non knock off" on Amazon. 90 percent are on temu also for less.
It's great for pet shit and buying low quality junk in bulk. Kid bday party, school fair, need 2000 zip ties - perfect for that. Annoying as hell to use that app, but you can bypass the markup on junk from China if you specifically need junk from China.
Fair enough. Check out AliExpress sometime too, it might be comparable.
I use Aliexpress mostly for work. It's a massive marketplace with many different vendors involved and not all just junk. I find for more consumer level stuff temu is just easier to navigate with lower shipping costs and often lower product costs in many cases. The app is cancer though.
I bought crappy zip ties once and I still have them because I don't want to toss them but they are too crappy to use for anything haha
Yeah funny you say that, zip ties are something I never cheap out on. At least not after buying cheap one a couple decades ago, I learned my lesson.
Home Depot has some great zip ties and each time I use them, I get a small dopamine surge of joy.
It's just one of those things in life where quality matters.
Guess it depends on what you are using them for. I've pretty much only bought crappy ones and haven't had issues. Probably regret it if I ever need to tie up a perp.