Temu is an online marketplace launched by PDD Holdings in September 2022 that connects shoppers with manufacturers and sellers around the globe. The platform—owned by Whaleco Inc. (a U.S. subsidiary of China‑based e‑commerce giant PDD Holdings)—seeks to offer heavily discounted goods, from clothing and homewares to electronics, by shipping products directly from factories to consumers. The marketplace was founded by PDD founder Colin Huang and leverages PDD’s logistics network to keep prices low. By April 2025 Temu had expanded into more than ninety markets and offered goods in over six hundred categories.
Temu’s rapid growth has been remarkable. The app was the most downloaded shopping application in the United States in late 2022 and early 2023. It launched an American local‑seller program in 2024 to let U.S. merchants list items for domestic fulfillment and has rolled out similar initiatives in Europe and Asia. Despite its popularity, Temu has faced criticism over data‑privacy practices, accusations of forced labor in its supply chain, and intellectual‑property disputes with rival Shein. The company continues to invest in marketing—splashy Super Bowl ads and viral promotions—to build brand awareness and maintain its competitive edge.
Temu (Whaleco Inc.)Temu is an online marketplace launched by PDD Holdings in September 2022 that connects shoppers with manufacturers and sellers around the globe. The platform—owned by Whaleco Inc. (a U.S. subsidiary of China‑based e‑commerce giant PDD Holdings)—seeks to offer heavily discounted goods, from clothing and homewares to electronics, by shipping products directly from factories to consumers. The marketplace was founded by PDD founder Colin Huang and leverages PDD’s logistics network to keep prices low. By April 2025 Temu had expanded into more than ninety markets and offered goods in over six hundred categories.
Temu’s rapid growth has been remarkable. The app was the most downloaded shopping application in the United States in late 2022 and early 2023. It launched an American local‑seller program in 2024 to let U.S. merchants list items for domestic fulfillment and has rolled out similar initiatives in Europe and Asia. Despite its popularity, Temu has faced criticism over data‑privacy practices, accusations of forced labor in its supply chain, and intellectual‑property disputes with rival Shein. The company continues to invest in marketing—splashy Super Bowl ads and viral promotions—to build brand awareness and maintain its competitive edge.
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