this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2024

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You might get a discount or free coffee but you’re also being played by the multi-billion dollar gamification industry. (theconversation.com)

submitted 1 year ago by ModerateImprovement@sh.itjust.works to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] demesisx@programming.dev 143 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

Temu: contribute to the irreversible heat death of your own planet just to save some money on useless, piss poor quality trinkets created out of cancer-causing, hazardous materials using slave labor coupled with unfair market practices that are then shipped thousands of miles over the oceans using the world's worst polluting container ships.... like a billionaire.

That should be their slogan.

edit: added slave labor, unfair market practices edit: added hazmat

[–] tpihkal@lemmy.world 36 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You forgot the parts about slave labor, unfair market practices and piss poor quality products.

[–] demesisx@programming.dev 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I got you, fam(ily). It has a real smooth, simple ring to it. ;)

[–] tpihkal@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Gd, that's so inspiring that I want to shop like a billionaire RIGHT NOW!

[–] Wiz@midwest.social 10 points 1 year ago

I definitely get the billionaires using slave labor to get ahead - just like Elon Musk's family.

[–] exu@feditown.com 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A lot of stuff on "western" platforms is just the same stuff rebadged for 3-10x the price. I see no reason to pay that much more for the same stuff.

[–] CafecitoHippo@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

I've completely lost faith in places like Amazon. Used to be able to find decent stuff there but unless you're looking for a specific brand/item, it's all crap. Wanted to find some relatively decent priced workout shorts with a compression liner built in. There's so many shitty brands that all have the same damn images for the shorts. They're all just going to be drop shipped BS from China with no one actually standing behind the product. I'm back to B&M stores now like Dick's and their DSG line is actually reasonably priced and good quality.

[–] gearheart@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

I get slave labor... It seems usa companies did not care until it started hurting their bottom line.

[–] SomeGuy69@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Don't forget: highly likely made from strongly cancer causing chemicals. But hey, a saved dollar is a saved dollar.

[–] demesisx@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago

Edited. Good call.

[–] hornedfiend@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 year ago

Spot on!

[+] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 120 points 1 year ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

[deleted]

[–] seaQueue@lemmy.world 76 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Everything about temu screams surveillance and scam to me. I don't understand how anyone could install that and use it regularly.

[–] jmp242@sopuli.xyz 29 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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...

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's better to save up and buy good quality versions of the things that you need.

buying cheap and questionable products on Amazon = bad
buying cheap and questionable products on Temu = bad

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

Shop like a billionaire

There might also be an exception for buying parts and components. I don't know enough about that area

[+] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (6 children)

[deleted]

[–] PoopMonster@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A lot of Amazon sellers are just drop shipping shit from aliexpress/temu they don't even bother changing the pictures or descriptions.

[–] IamAnonymous@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] hedgehog@ttrpg.network 4 points 1 year ago

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

[–] StinkySocialist@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

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 🤷

[–] systemglitch@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] piccolo@ani.social 0 points 1 year ago

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...

[–] Ullallulloo@civilloquy.com 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So, exactly what you get from Amazon?

[–] TheBigBrother@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They didn't even notice their shit isn't made in Norway.. and it's also made in China LMAOROLFZ.

[–] jmp242@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

[–] seaQueue@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fair enough. Check out AliExpress sometime too, it might be comparable.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] variants@possumpat.io 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] systemglitch@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

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.

[–] LunchMoneyThief@links.hackliberty.org 6 points 1 year ago

I see it at the checkouts. Particularly older women are so prone to feel obliged to read and respond to absolutely every last prompt of dialogue on a self checkout display. As though missing a detail will have massive, irreversible ramifications.

[–] Deebster@programming.dev 17 points 1 year ago

It's naïve to think that marketers have any interest in doing things ethically, unless there's a legal or business reason to do so.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 13 points 1 year ago

TEMU is a terrible company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClrNmq7cPSw

[–] BananaOnionJuice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Been using Ali express, it's the same shit, but generally you can just ignore it, the popup ads for some sale or other are just annoying.

And if you are using the app then disable notifications!

[–] qaz@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I used to have the app but it's half a gigabyte, slow and filled with ads

[–] BananaOnionJuice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago

Mine currently has 700 mb and 90 mb background network usage, which I quickly disabled.

Temu also uses background data!

[–] SomeGuy69@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

gamification in health

"Click the button spin the wheel!"

rumble rumble bing

"Sorry, no replacement organ for you this time 😮‍💨 Roll once more? ($69.000 per roll. Non refundable*)"

[–] yamanii@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I really don't care if I can save even more bucks just by watering some virtual plant on ali's app, I can do that while shitting. I'll continue to get the same portable emulators from there without paying a local seller way more money.

[–] Croquette@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 year ago

Yeah because the seller just resell you the Temu/AliExpress junk with a markedup price.

And some of them even just dropship stuff.

[–] bloodfart@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Damn, I should check out temu…

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I heard you might get a discount! Or even a free coffee!

[–] piyuv@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

The article feels like AI written