Temu has gained popularity ever since it was released back in September 2022. The Chinese e-commerce company has already seen several complaints from users, yet it is still popular today. So much so, that it has already dethroned the US-based retail giant.
Temu Takes the Top Place
The app has caught the attention of many US users to the point that it has taken the top stop in Apple's App Store, which was previously TikTok back in 2022. Temu is not the only China-based app that is in the top 10, as TikTok remains popular and CapCut has become the third-most downloaded.
This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering that Chinese apps have been met with caution due to privacy concerns. TikTok has been banned in government-issued devices in several states for that reason alone.
Still, this doesn't stop users from preferring Temu. According to Tech Crunch, the Chinese e-commerce company has already surpassed the retail giant Amazon. This is especially true for younger users who browse through the online shops.
For Temu, younger users spend up to 19 minutes a day on the app, with adults spending around 18 minutes daily. On the other hand, the average user only goes through Amazon for up to 10 minutes a day, which is almost half as much as its Chinese competitor.
US-based apps remain in the top 10, but companies are close to the market saturation point based on the list for 2023. The top two spots are held by Temu and CapCut, while the third and fourth ranks are held by Max and Threads, respectively.
TikTok has fallen to fifth, which is a drop from the top most downloaded app last year. The lower half of the top ten contains US-based apps such as Instagram, Google, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Gmail, all of which fall under the top free iPhone apps.
Concerns About Temu
As popular as it is, the growing e-commerce app has already been receiving complaints about its service. The app has become the most-visited online shop in the US, mostly because the offers competitively low prices, sometimes even for free in exchange for promotions.
However, some customers have pointed out that it has the tendency to deliver incorrect orders, sometimes even failing to send out the products. If the customer wants to follow up on the order, the customer service can sometimes be hard to reach.
On top of that, there are reportedly mysterious charges added to the customer's bill, as reported by Time. Despite that, US users continue to shop on the platform, especially with the current costs of goods and the fact that people need to shop more for the holidays.
As mentioned before, Temu has been giving out free items to those who promote the app. With several people jumping at the chance to get the reward, Temu is being built up through various social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and more.
Anyone can earn credits just by encouraging others to sign up for the app. The more they recruit, the more credits they get. With this method of "earning," you won't even have to add a payment method on Temu to purchase available products.
